Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

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 Recipe 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

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

• Perfect Pea Salad
• Chicken Salad with Grapes
• Dill Dip
• 7 Layer Salad
• Deviled Eggs