Easy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe

This quick and Easy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe with a homemade creamy dressing combines tasty ingredients for a no-cook side dish perfect for any occasion.

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad in a white bowl.

I love a good classic salad, like my Easy English Pea Salad, Corn Salad with Jalapenos, Creamy Grape Salad, and Carrot Apple Salad. You can never go wrong with a good salad recipe, and this broccoli salad with cauliflower always gets rave reviews whenever I serve it. It’s full of crisp broccoli, cauliflower, sweet cranberries, red onion, savory bacon, and crunch sunflower kernels with a sweet, tangy dressing over the top—everyone’s favorite broccoli salad with a twist.

My easy salad is perfect for cookouts or holidays. It’s my most requested salad for all of our family gatherings. Here in Alabama, we eat salads all year, and they pair well with just about anything. This delicious side dish is a revamp of my popular broccoli salad but with cauliflower added to the mix.

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Why This Recipe Is Great

This salad is the perfect side dish for any time of the year. It’s fresh and vibrant in the summer yet hearty enough for winter meals. The colors also work for a festive holiday side dish. It’s a colorful, eye-catching addition to any spread.

  • Uses easy-to-find ingredients.
  • Incredibly easy to make.
  • Great for any occasion, from casual picnics to formal dinners.
  • Easily a no-cook version with real bacon bits.
  • Packed with nutrients from fresh broccoli and cauliflower.
  • Make in advance and taste even better the next day.

🥘 Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredients are simple and easy to find in most grocery stores. The full list of ingredients is on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Ingredients needed in a blue bowl for broccoli cauliflower salad with text overlay.

Salad:

  • Broccoli Florets – You’ll need about 4 cups of broccoli florets.
  • Cauliflower—This recipe calls for only about half a head of cauliflower. To save time, make florets from the remaining cauliflower and freeze them for later use.
  • Red Onion— Red onion adds a pop of color and a bit of sweetness to this dish. If you don’t have red onion, use white or yellow.
  • Bacon Bits – (or 6 strips of cooked bacon) – I’m all about saving time when cooking, so I like to use a good brand of bacon bits. Get the Real Bacon Bits, not the imitation kind. Feel free to cook bacon if desired.
  • Dried Cranberries – Add a touch of sweetness and chewy texture that balances out the savory elements.
  • Sunflower Kernels – Salted and dry roasted sunflower kernels add a satisfying crunch to the salad.

Dressing:

Dressing for Broccoli Cauliflower Salad in a white bowl with text overlay.
  • Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise is the creamy base of this salad that ties all the ingredients together.
  • Sour Cream – Sour cream adds a tangy creaminess to the dressing, complementing the mayonnaise and enhancing the overall flavor of the salad. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar—Apple cider vinegar is tangy and slightly sweet. You can certainly use white vinegar if you desire. I usually keep both on hand and have used both (at different times) in the salad.
  • Sugar – Sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to the dressing. You can add more or less depending on your taste.
  • Salt and Pepper to taste – Simple seasonings are needed for this salad to be complete.

🔪How To Cut Broccoli and Cauliflower Florets for this Salad

Sometimes, you can find already-cut broccoli and cauliflower florets in the produce department at your local grocery store. But, if not, cutting them for this salad is quite easy.

  1. Rinse the broccoli and cauliflower and dry well.
  2. Cut the large stem off the broccoli and leave only the florets with a small piece of stem attached.
  3. Do the same with the cauliflower; remove only the florets with a small piece of stem attached.
  4. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces.

👩🏻‍🍳How To Make Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Cranberries

This salad is so easy to make. It’s perfect for weeknights when getting dinner on the table seems impossible. You can also make it for family gatherings, holidays, or summer BBQs. It’s a great recipe and one of the easiest salad recipes I have in my file.

  1. Gather the ingredients. Wash and chop the broccoli, cauliflower, and onion. Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
Ingredients needed for broccoli cauliflower salad.

2. Make the dressing. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Dressing for broccoli cauliflower salad.

3. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad and stir well until coated.

Mixed broccoli cauliflower salad in a blue bowl.

4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Tips

These are just a few simple tips to ensure you have The Best Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe (You’ll Ever Make).

  • If you don’t like onions, leave them out.
  • Adjust the sweetness as desired.
  • Use chopped pecans or walnuts as a substitute for the sunflower kernels.
  • Refrigerate before serving if time allows. This gives the vegetables a chance to soak in the dressing.

What To Serve with this Dish

Grilled chicken goes great with this salad and is perfect for a cookout.
Fried Pork Chops are the ultimate comfort food.
Lasagna and Garlic Bread are great for a Sunday night dinner.

Recipe FAQs

How Do I Keep My Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad From Being Watery?

After trimming your vegetables, make sure they are dry before adding them to the bowl with the other ingredients.

How Far In Advance Can You Make This Salad?

I wouldn’t recommend making this salad more than 24 hours in advance. Reserve adding the bacon until you are ready to serve this dish.

Can You Freeze Broccoli Cauliflower Salad?

I do not recommend freezing this salad due to the mayonnaise and sour cream.

How To Serve This Dish

This Broccoli Cauliflower Salad is best served chilled. It’s a great side dish for grilled meats, sandwiches, or as part of a larger salad spread. It’s also a fantastic option for potlucks and picnics, and it can be easily transported for lunch in a mason jar or an airtight container.

How To Store Leftovers

Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salad will keep for up to 3 days, and the flavors often improve the next day as they meld together. Give it a good stir before serving.

Cauliflower and Broccoli with a mixed salad in a white bowl.

More Salad Recipes

If you tried this Easy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments. Thanks for visiting!

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad in a white bowl.

Easy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe

Gina Abernathy
This quick and Easy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe with a homemade creamy dressing combines tasty ingredients for a no-cook side dish perfect for any occasion.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 312 kcal

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 4 cups Broccoli Florets cut into bite size pieces, rinsed and dry
  • 2 cups Cauliflower Florets cut into bite size pieces, rinsed and dry
  • 1 medium Red Onion diced small
  • 2.5 oz. package Real Bacon Bits or 6 strips cooked bacon
  • 1 cup Dried Cranberries
  • ½ cup Salted and Roasted Sunflower Kernels

Creamy Dressing

  • 1 cup Mayonnaise
  • ½ cup Sour Cream
  • 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons Sugar
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Gather the ingredients. Rinse and chop the broccoli and cauliflower. You only need the florets of both. Add to a large bowl.
  • Dice the onion small. Add to the salad bowl.
  • Add bacon bits, sunflower kernels, and dried cranberries to a large bowl. Mix the ingredients well.
  • In a small bowl add all of the dressing ingredients and whisk until combined.
  • Pour the dressing over the top of the salad and mix until all are combined.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salad will keep for up to 3 days, and the flavors often improve the next day as they meld together. Give it a good stir before serving.
Nutritional estimates do not include sunflower kernels.  

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 216mgPotassium: 274mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 391IUVitamin C: 54mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg
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5 from 1 vote

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