A colorful salad is exactly what your holiday dinner needs. This cauliflower broccoli salad recipe is made with a sweet and savory homemade dressing. Fresh cauliflower and broccoli florets with crispy bacon pieces, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and cheddar cheese make for a delicious combination.

The addition of cauliflower makes this salad a little different than our broccoli bacon salad, but it is still just as delicious! If you love broccoli in a salad, be sure to also try our broccoli bacon cheese salad! So many great flavors you’ll forget you are eating a salad.

Cauliflower broccoli recipe salad with a homemade dressing in a mixing bowl with a spoon.

This easy broccoli salad is the best for potlucks, parties, and family gatherings, especially around the Holidays! It doesn’t get soggy quickly and will be a hit with kids and adults alike!

Broccoli Salad –

This creamy broccoli salad recipe served cold is so ADDICTIVE! The raw cauliflower, broccoli with cheddar cheese, crunchy sunflower seeds, and craisins are such an unexpected yet perfect sweet and savory combination.

Simple cauliflower salad recipe with a homemade mayo dressing.

Recipe FAQs

Do I Need to Cook Broccoli or Cauliflower?

Nope! The broccoli and cauliflower are added to the recipe raw for this broccoli salad with bacon! When the sweet and savory dressing is added, it penetrates the raw vegetables, making them creamy and flavorful and enjoyable uncooked.

Can I Substitute the Ingredients?

Even though the salad is excellent, you can substitute the craisins for raisins or dried cherries. The sunflower seeds may be substituted for sliced almonds. If you don’t like cheese, leave it out altogether. The grated cheese may be substituted for finely cubed mild cheddar cheese.

Cauliflower broccoli salad recipe with cheese, bacon, craisins, and sunflower seeds in a bowl with a spoon.

How to Make this Cauliflower Broccoli Salad Recipe –

  1. Cook bacon and set aside to cool completely.
  2. Cut broccoli and cauliflower into small florets.
  3. Grate a block of cheddar cheese.
  4. Finely chop the red onion.
  5. Prepare the homemade dressing by combining mayo, vinegar, and sugar.
  6. Combine all the ingredients in a large salad bowl.
Simple cauliflower broccoli salad recipe in a bowl with cheese, onions, craisins, sunflower seeds, and bacon.

Make Ahead –

This is a great salad to make in advance. Prepare everything per instructions and refrigerate the salad cover, keep dressing in a separate container. Then combine dressing with the salad right before serving and enjoy.

Other Favorite Salad Recipes to Try:

Cauliflower Broccoli Salad Recipe

Author: Valentina
Cauliflower Broccoli Salad in a glass bowl.
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4.95 from 34 votes
Easy and quick recipe for a cauliflower broccoli salad recipe with dried cranberries, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, red onion and a homemade dressing. 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pack bacon, chopped & cooked (8 oz)
  • 3 cups raw cauliflower, small florets
  • 3 cups raw broccoli, small florets
  • 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup mild cheddar, grated
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/3 cup craisins (dried cranberries)

Dressing-

Instructions

  • Cook bacon pieces, set onto a paper towel to cool. 
  • Cut broccoli and cauliflower into small florets. Finely chop onion. 
  • Prepare the homemade salad dressing. Combine the mayo, sugar, and vinegar.
  • In a bowl add the broccoli, cauliflower, cheese, sunflower seeds, cranberries, bacon and red onion. Add dressing. Combine well and enjoy!

Nutrition

467kcal Calories24g Carbs8g Protein38g Fat8g Saturated Fat36mg Cholesterol397mg Sodium368mg Potassium3g Fiber18g Sugar495IU Vitamin A65.3mg Vitamin C178mg Calcium1.1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Cauliflower Broccoli Salad Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 467 Calories from Fat 342
% Daily Value*
Fat 38g58%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 397mg17%
Potassium 368mg11%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 495IU10%
Vitamin C 65.3mg79%
Calcium 178mg18%
Iron 1.1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
(The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)