This cauliflower broccoli salad is a delicious, easy-to-make, and healthy side dish for any cookout or potluck! It's loaded with tender and crunchy broccoli and cauliflower, salty, crispy bacon pieces, walnuts, and cheese—all topped with the most delicious creamy, sweet, and tangy sauce. Tips for lightening it up and making it low-carb are provided!

This Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe is So Fresh and Delicious
It's packed with fresh vegetables and tastes delicious with a sweet, tangy, salty, creamy, crunchy blend of flavors and texture. It's sure to please!
Why You'll Love Cauliflower Broccoli Salad
Lots of Texture! This salad is loaded with so many complimenting textures and flavors! Fresh broccoli and cauliflower with crunchy walnuts, crispy crumbled bacon, and cheese--add dried cranberries for the perfect chewy bite! All paired perfectly with a creamy, super yummy dressing mixed all together.
Easy to Make. This salad is easy to whip together any time of day or day of the week. Prepare your vegetables and place them in a large bowl; in a separate small bowl, make your dressing, mix together, and serve. It is really that easy!
Healthy. Loaded with fresh veggies that are packed with nutrients. Make it a low carb-keto broccoli cauliflower salad by using a keto-friendly mayonnaise, a sugar substitute, and using sugar-free dried cranberries.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this broccoli and cauliflower salad:
- Mayonnaise: you can use any variety of mayonnaise that you like. Use light mayo, olive oil, plant-based, avocado mayo, etc.
- Greek Yogurt: adds a nice tanginess and lightens up the typical richness of mayonnaise.
- Sugar: use regular sugar or your favorite sugar substitute.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: adds acidity, sweetness, and a little tang to your dressing.
- Fresh Broccoli Florets: cut into small bite-sized pieces—approximately 1 head of broccoli.
- Fresh Cauliflower Florets: cut into small bite-sized pieces—approximately 1 small head of cauliflower.
- Carrot: be sure to peel your carrots if using whole. You can use baby carrots to save time if preferred.
- Sweet Onion: you can use any variety if preferred; I suggest using red onion to substitute as the flavor pairs really well with these veggies.
- Bacon: cook and crumble your own or use store-bought already crumbled bacon.
- Toasted Walnuts: omit or start with ½ cup of toasted walnuts and increase as desired.
- Cheddar Cheese: cube your own favorite cheddar cheese or use a combination of cheeses. You can also use store-bought pre-cubed cheese to save on preparation time. Don't' have cubed? Use shredded cheddar cheese instead!
- Salt and Pepper
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
Be sure to save this pin to Pinterest for later! 🙂
Substitutions and Variations
- Use regular sugar or use your favorite sugar substitute.
- Substitute toasted walnuts with toasted slivered almonds. You could substitute with roasted and salted pepitas, crunchy sunflower seeds, or peanuts.
- Add dried, sweetened, or unsweetened cranberries, raisins, or cherries.
- Lemon juice or red wine vinegar can be used instead of apple cider vinegar.
- Red onion can be substituted for sweet onion.
- Use all broccoli or all cauliflower if desired in this salad.
- To make vegetarian, omit the bacon and use a can of drained chickpeas if desired.
Lighten it Up or Make it Low Carb & Keto
- Use light mayo, light or keto Greek yogurt, or a combination of the two (add sweetener to taste).
- Omit the cheese and reduce or omit the bacon.
- Use a sugar substitute such as an allulose sweetener.
- Use keto-friendly mayonnaise.
- Use red onion and omit the carrots for keto.
How To Make Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
1. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sugar, and apple cider vinegar.
2. In a large bowl, add the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, onion, bacon, walnuts, and cheese.
3. Pour dressing over the top and toss to coat—season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours.
Serving Broccoli Cauliflower Bacon Salad
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve as a side dish to your grilled favorites such as burgers, chicken, or brats!
- Bring it to your next party or gathering to share.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or dill.
Meal idea! Make these grilled chicken drumsticks in a buttermilk brine or Pork Shoulder Roast Recipe-- you will not be disappointed.
How to Store Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad
Once prepared, store your leftover salad in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How many days is broccoli salad good for?
Broccoli cauliflower salad is only good for up to 3 days once it is prepared due to the salad being made of fresh ingredients. Fresh vegetables release moisture over time, especially once seasoned and dressed.
How do you keep broccoli and cauliflower fresh?
One way that can aid in keeping your ingredients fresh is by storing the dressing separately from your vegetables. You can serve your salad in portions and add dressing to each portion, and combine at the time of serving. This will help keep it for longer if desired.
If you tried this recipe, let me know! I'd love for you to come back and give the recipe a 5 star rating and leave a review in the comments! 🙂 Let's stay connected, so please follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! Subscribe to my newsletter to get healthy fresh recipe ideas every week!
Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup sugar or sugar substitute (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets (approximately 1 head of broccoli)
- 3 cups fresh cauliflower florets (approximately 1 small head of cauliflower)
- 1 carrot (peeled and sliced)
- ½ cup chopped sweet onion
- 8 ounces cooked and crumbled bacon (drained) (15 ounces of drained chickpeas may be substituted)
- ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, sugar, and apple cider vinegar.
- In a large bowl, add the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, onion, bacon, walnuts, and cheese.
- Pour dressing over the top and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours. Adjust seasoning again, if needed. Serve.
Kori's Tips
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- VARIATIONS: Use regular sugar or a sugar substitute. Toasted salmon slivers may be used. Roasted and salted pepitas, sunflower seeds, or peanuts can be used instead of unsalted walnuts. Dried cranberries, raisins, or cherries can be added to the salad. Lemon juice or red wine vinegar can be used instead of apple cider vinegar. Red onion can be substituted for sweet onion.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- TO LIGHTEN UP: Use light mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or a combination of the two (sweetener will need to be adjusted to taste). Omit the cheese and reduce the amount of bacon.
- LOW CARB and KETO: Use a sugar substitute such as allulose sweetener. Use a keto-friendly mayonnaise. Adjust sweetness to taste.
Nutrition
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