Home » Diet Preference » Dairy Free » Broccoli + Cauliflower Salad

Broccoli + Cauliflower Salad

This broccoli cauliflower salad is healthy and refreshing, but also wonderfully rich. It’s easy to make, only takes 15 minutes, and goes with almost any meal. 

One of my favorite foods to eat is a well-balanced salad. I love all salads, but I especially love the salads that have a little bit of everything in them. That’s exactly what this broccoli cauliflower salad is. It’s fresh and healthy, with loads of vegetables, but also rich, with bacon and an avocado mayonnaise dressing. It’s got hints of sweetness from honey and dried cranberries, but earthy, nutty flavors from walnuts and sunflower seeds. The dressing has a bite from Dijon mustard but is also creamy. It’s just an exceptionally well-balanced salad.

It’s also an easy and healthy recipe to make. This salad only takes 15 minutes to pull together, but it’s really good for you. Whether you’re eating it as a side dish or as its own meal, this is a salad that I know you’ll love. 

Overhead view of the ingredients needed for broccoli cauliflower salad: a bowl of broccoli, a bowl of cauliflower, a bowl of onions, a bowl of sunflower seeds, a bowl of walnuts, a bowl of dried cranberries, a bowl of bacon bits, a bowl of mayonnaise, a bowl of mustard, a bowl of honey, and a bowl of salt and pepper

What You’ll Need

Here are all the ingredients that you need to make this bacon and veggie salad. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact amounts for each ingredient.

  • Broccoli florets
  • Cauliflower florets
  • Red onion – You can also use a white onion or a shallot.
  • Sunflower seeds – Make sure to use unsalted sunflower seeds.
  • Walnuts
  • Dried cranberries
  • Bacon
  • Mayonnaise – I like avocado oil-based ones.
  • Dijon mustard
  • Honey
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper – Use freshly-cracked black pepper. 

How to Make Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Here’s how to make this amazing and refreshing salad in just 15 minutes.

  • Mix the ingredients. Place the broccoli, cauliflower, onion, sunflower seeds, walnuts, dried cranberries, and bacon in a mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
  • Make the dressing. Put the avocado mayonnaise, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a bowl, and mix. 
Side by side with a mixing bowl filled with mayo, honey, salt, pepper, and mustard, and the mixing bowl with those ingredients combined
  • Assemble. Add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine. Make sure the broccoli and cauliflower are well coated, and then you’re done!

Tips for Success

Here are a few tricks and tips to use when making this salad.

  • Make consistent cuts. Try to cut all of your broccoli and cauliflower pieces into similar sizes. That will make the salad look better, but it will also ensure that each vegetable has the same amount of dressing on it.
  • Chill the salad. You can serve this broccoli and cauliflower salad as soon as you’re done making it. However, I think it’s even better if you let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour. This gives the flavors lots of time to meld together, and the salad will have a stronger taste. 
  • Get creative. Feel free to play with this recipe as much as you want. You can use different types of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, and you can add other fresh ingredients, like herbs or berries. Don’t feel like you have to stick to the recipe exactly. 
Overhead view of a bowl of broccoli cauliflower salad, next to a jar of dressing, a bowl of dried cranberries, and a bowl of sunflower seeds

What to Serve It With

I’ll be honest, sometimes I snack on this salad all by itself as a meal. But I think it’s best when served as a side dish while eating a hearty entree. Here are a few recipes that I like to eat with this crunchy salad.

How to Store Leftovers

This salad will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container, or cover it in plastic wrap. If the salad gets too watery, just pour off some of the liquid from the bottom. 

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

I do not recommend freezing this broccoli cauliflower salad. The texture of the vegetables will be a little funky if you freeze the salad and then thaw it. 

Close up overhead view of a broccoli cauliflower salad with nuts, bacon, and dried cranberries

More Easy and Healthy Salads

I’m always making salads, and I’m always eating salads. Here are a few more of my favorite healthy salad recipes.

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

No ratings yet
This broccoli cauliflower salad is fresh and healthy, but also rich and creamy. It's packed with flavor, and only takes 15 minutes to make.
author: Alyssa
yield: 8 servings
Overhead view of a bowl of broccoli cauliflower salad, next to a jar of dressing, a bowl of dried cranberries, and a bowl of sunflower seeds
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 pound broccoli florets , chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/3 pound cauliflower florets , chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • ¼ medium red onion , chopped
  • ½ cup toasted sunflower seeds
  • ¾ cup walnuts , chopped
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • 8 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled
  • ½ cup mayonnaise (I like avocado oil mayonnaise)
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, toss together the broccoli, cauliflower, red onions, toasted sunflower seeds, walnuts, dried cranberries, and bacon
  • In a small mixing bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, sea salt, and ground black pepper.
  • Add the avocado mayonnaise mixture to the broccoli and cauliflower mixture and toss to coat.

Notes

  • For best results, make the salad ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 435mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg
cuisine: American
course: Salad

Filed Under:

Rate and review this recipe!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.