Get ready to realize how much your love your veggies! This broccoli cauliflower salad with cranberries and bacon is the perfect mix of crunchy, sweet, and savory flavors.
Dyed-in-the-wool broccoli haters will be licking their plates - it's that good, y'all.
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- broccoli cauliflower salad
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- The combination of fresh broccoli, cauliflower, sweet cranberries, and crispy bacon is irresistible. Then add pecans and red onions for even more flavor and texture. The creamy dressing ties it all together perfectly.
- I love this for potlucks, family gatherings, or as a side dish for dinner anytime. It's always a hit!
- The flavor is best if you make this easy salad a day or so ahead of time. That makes it so easy for even the busiest weeknight.
Broccoli cauliflower salad is so easy to throw together! I always try to make enough that I have leftovers for my lunch the next day but I rarely do.
🧾🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Cheese Lover: Add some shredded Cheddar, Monterey Jack or muenster cheese for an extra flavor boost.
- Nutty Twist: Swap pecans for sunflower seeds, walnuts, or almonds.
- Fruit Swap: Use raisins, chopped apricots, or chopped apples instead of cranberries for a different fruity touch.
- Healthier alternative: Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream or mayo for a healthy alternative.
- More color: Diced bell pepper will add a fresh flavor to this easy recipe. Use a variety of colors to pretty it up.
- Low carb: Replace the sugar with your favorite low-carb sweetener for one of my favorite low carb salads. You'll probably want to take out the dried cranberries, too.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Add broccoli, cauliflower, onion, dried cranberries, and pecans to a large bowl.
Mix well until combined.
Make the dressing by mixing mayo, sour cream, vinegar, and sugar.
Pour dressing over salad mixture and mix gently.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
Sometimes I add a squeeze of lime to the salad dressing to brighten up the flavors. Or, squeeze a little lime over the top and stir it in just before serving.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- large
mixing bowl - small bowl for dressing
- frying pan for bacon
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors meld together beautifully over time, making it even tastier the next day!
After 3 days everything starts getting soggy so plan on it being gone before then. This recipe doesn't freeze well.
Marye's Tip o' the day
For the best texture, add the bacon just before serving so it stays crispy. If you think you'll have leftovers add the bacon to the top of each serving as you serve it and keep it out of the remainder of the salad.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Make sure to chop the broccoli and cauliflower into small, bite-sized pieces for the best texture.
- You can make the dressing a few days ahead to save time.
- If you do not have apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar makes a great substitute
- Save time with packaged fresh broccoli and cauliflower florets. You can usually find this in the produce section.
- Be sure to use crispy bacon pieces for the best results in this easy salad.
- Be sure to chop fresh broccoli and cauliflower so that you get the different flavors of both in each bite.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Since this salad contains mayonnaise throw it away if it's at room temperature for more than two hours.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Miracle Whip is a great way to add a little more tanginess to the creamy dressing.
No, this salad does not freeze well.
Yes, shredded carrots are a great way to add a nice pop of color and flavor.
Raw or cooked broccoli - 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Cooked broccoli with keep 3 months or more in the freezer.
Yes, turkey bacon works great if you prefer a leaner option.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
Have leftovers? Make a sandwich wrap!
I like to take a large flour tortilla, spread it with mayon, then lay a couple of slices of deli turkey slices on top. I'll add a spoonful of the leftover broccoli cauliflower salad on top of that and wrap.
It makes a fantastic lunch!
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
This broccoli cauliflower salad with cranberries and bacon is a tasty and easy dish that everyone around here loves. I can't promise your broccoli haters will love it but it's sure worth a try.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 cups cauliflower florets, cut into bite sized pieces
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar, optional
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- ½ cup bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Instructions
- Add the broccoli, cauliflower, onion, dried cranberries, and pecans to a large bowl.
- Mix well to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
- Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the broccoli mixture.
- Stir gently to coat the ingredients with the dressing.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for an hour or more.
- Stir in the bacon just before serving.
Notes
- If you do not have apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar makes a great substitute.
- Replace the sugar with your favorite low-carb sweetener for one of my favorite low carb salads.
- Save time with packaged broccoli and cauliflower florets.
- Be sure to use crispy bacon pieces for the best results in this easy salad.
- Be sure to chop fresh broccoli and cauliflower so that you get the different flavors of both in each bite.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Since this salad contains mayonnaise throw it away if it's at room temperature for more than two hours.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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First published February 20, 2022. Last updated July 1, 2024 for editorial improvements and readability.
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