This broccoli cauliflower salad is full of flavor, with crisp fresh broccoli and cauliflower, plenty of crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, and crunchy sunflower seeds, all tossed in a creamy dressing. The perfect side dish for potlucks, picnics, or anytime you’re craving a flavorful fresh veggie salad.
What Makes This Broccoli Cauliflower Salad So Good
- It’s a literally foolproof recipe! Seriously, you can’t mess this up. If you substitute the crumbled bacon with bacon bits, there’s not even any cooking required! Just put everything in a bowl and stir.
- Broccoli cauliflower salad is a great make-ahead option for showers, potlucks, cookouts, or just general meal prepping. Just refrigerate the prepared salad in an airtight container and it’ll keep for 4 days! It doesn’t get soggy or mushy quickly, either.
- It’s naturally low carb and gluten free, and it’s easy to make vegetarian or vegan. Talk about a crowd pleaser!
Key Ingredients for Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Sunflower Seeds – These salty, crunchy add-ins are a great source of protein and healthy fats. They’re also rich in magnesium, a mineral that’s kind of a big deal for your body. I love the texture and flavor they add to this broccoli cauliflower salad, but if they’re not your thing, you can leave them out!
Broccoli & Cauliflower – OK, yes, this is obvious. I mean, they’re right there in the name of the dish. The key, though, is to use fresh broccoli and cauliflower, not frozen. Most of the bright, crisp, crunch in this salad comes from the veggies, and frozen ones just don’t have that factor anymore.
Chef’s Tips
- The chill time is optional – you can totally dig in to your broccoli cauliflower salad as soon as you’re done mixing everything together if you want. For the best flavor, though, cover the bowl and let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- You want to get a good helping of every ingredient in each bite, which is why I recommend not using finely shredded cheddar cheese. Thicker shreds will just give you a cheesier flavor throughout! The best way to get shredded cheese is to just shred your own from a block – that way you avoid the fillers and anti-clumping agents that are added to prepackaged shredded cheese.
- Make your broccoli cauliflower salad your own! Use walnuts or almonds instead of (or along with) the sunflower seeds. Colby jack instead of cheddar. Add in raisins or cranberries. Leave out the red onion. There are so many ways to build on and adapt this recipe, you could have a different salad every time you make it!
More Must-Make Potluck Recipes
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Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Whisk
- Large spoon or silicone spatula
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey see Notes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the Salad
- 4 cups fresh broccoli diced, approximately 1 head
- 4 cups fresh cauliflower florets approximately 1 head
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese thickly shredded
- ½ of one red onion chopped
- ½ cup bacon cooked, crumbled
- ½ cup salted sunflower seeds
Instructions
- In large bowl, whisk together all ingredients for dressing.
- Add broccoli and cauliflower to bowl. Stir until completely coated in dressing.
- Add cheese, onion, bacon, and sunflower seeds. Stir to incorporate, then cover and chill for 2 hours, or serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use any sweetener you like best for this salad. We recommend honey, but white sugar, erythritol, Swerve, and monk fruit would all work well!
- Make it Vegetarian: Leave out the bacon, or use vegan bacon.
- Make it Vegan: Use vegan mayonnaise, sour cream, & cheddar, and use agave, maple syrup, or Swerve instead of honey. Leave out the bacon, or use vegan bacon.
Nutrition
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Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10 years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of two who lives in Memphis, TN.
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