Like classic broccoli salad and loaded cauliflower salad, this hearty broccoli cauliflower salad recipe is great for parties, picnics, and potlucks. It can easily be made ahead of time and holds up well — it’s actually even better after a few hours or overnight. I originally made this broccoli cauliflower bacon salad for a Christmas party, as the colors happen to be festive red and green. It’s equally perfect with juicy burgers in the summertime, though.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for broccoli bacon cauliflower salad, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
For The Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Ingredients:
Broccoli & Cauliflower – Cut into small florets. If you use pre-cut cauliflower or broccoli florets, you will still want to trim and cut them into smaller sizes. That way, they’ll easily fit onto a fork with the other ingredients, for a little of everything in every bite. And if you have only broccoli or only cauliflower florets on hand, you can use just one of them instead of both.Bell Pepper – For sweetness, color, and crunch. I love the red bell pepper for a contrast in color, but you could also use yellow or orange.Cooked Bacon – Make your own or buy bacon bits ready-to-go. For the best flavor, I highly recommend cooking the bacon yourself (lots of options — oven bacon, microwave bacon, or air fryer bacon!) and then crumble it fresh.
For The Simple Creamy Dressing:
Mayonnaise – I prefer homemade avocado mayo (it takes just 5 minutes, tastes great, and has clean ingredients!), but any store bought kind will also work. If you want to lighten up the dressing, replace half the mayo with sour cream or even plain Greek yogurt.Olive Oil – Thins out the dressing. Any other neutral oil, such as avocado oil, will also work.Lemon Juice – The acidity balances out the creaminess. Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor or bottled for convenience. White or apple cider vinegar would also work as a substitute to provide acidity.Fresh Thyme – Thyme leaves are in season for fall and winter, though available year round. You could use other herbs at different times of year, or omit the herbs altogether.Garlic Powder – Garlic powder typically works better in smooth, creamy dressings for salads. But if you like, feel free to substitute 2 cloves minced garlic.Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Adjust salt to taste. The amount needed may vary based on how salty your mayonnaise is.
How To Make Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
This section shows how to make salad with broccoli and cauliflower, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Cheese – Shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled goat cheese both pair well for different flavor profiles. Nuts Or Seeds – Such as sliced almonds, halved walnuts, or sunflower seeds. Great if you want some crunch! Onions – Diced red onion is a popular option. Dried Fruit – Such as raisins or dried cranberries. Just be aware the sugar content of the cauliflower broccoli salad will be higher with dried fruit added.
This mayo dressing is savory, not sweet. If you prefer broccoli cauliflower salad with sweet mayo dressing, you can make a very similar one like I did in this broccoli cranberry salad, or simply add a couple tablespoons of sweetener of your choice to the dressing in this one. I recommend powdered Besti or Wholesome Yum Keto Honey as healthy sugar-free options.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep salad in the fridge for up to 5 days.Meal prep: One of the best things about this broccoli cauliflower salad recipe is it stores so well! In fact, it’s even better the next day. If you can, let it chill for a few hours or overnight after making it — perfect for meal prep. You can also chop the veggies and make the dressing ahead if you prefer.Do not freeze: Both the creamy broccoli cauliflower salad dressing and the fresh salad ingredients will not hold up to freezing and thawing.
What To Serve With Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad
Serve this salad with a healthy dinner main dish for a balanced meal:
More Healthy Cauliflower Recipes
If you like this cauliflower broccoli salad with bacon, you might also like some of these other healthy cauliflower recipes: Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
