A delicious salad with crisp broccoli and cauliflower, bacon, red onion and cheese, all in a sweet tangy dressing.

Close up of broccoli, cauliflower, crispy bacon, shredded cheese in a creamy dressing salad.

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Overview

Yum, this broccoli cauliflower salad was really delicious! There is a lot of delicious flavor here. The broccoli and cauliflower are crisp, bacon is crunchy, cheese is salty, and the salad dressing is creamy and sweet.

My husband has been snacking on this salad this past week. It's the type of salad that lasts longer in the fridge because it uses heartier vegetables. I also loved this recipe so much that I plan on making it for our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner.

This recipe will make a BIG serving of salad! Perfect for when you have a large potluck or holiday dinner. If you don't want a big salad, just divide the ingredients in half.

Broccoli heads, cauliflower, chopped red onion, shredded cheese, a package of bacon, bowls of vinegar, mayonnaise, sour cream and maple syrup.

Recipe Ingredients

2 large broccoli heads - chopped into small florets
1 medium head cauliflower - chopped into small florets
1 cup chopped red onion
¾ lb bacon - cooked and crumbled (I used one full package of regular bacon)
2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing:

1 ½ cups mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup white vinegar - or apple cider vinegar
¼ cup maple syrup - granulated sugar or honey

Kitchen Equipment Used

Mixing Bowls
Chopping knives
Cutting board
Measuring spoons - this is a magnetic set that sticks together in the drawer to keep organized.

Four images grouped together. FIrst two chopped broccoli florets, second two cauliflower head and cauliflower florets

How To Make Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.

PREP: Slice off the stem of the broccoli and chop the broccoli florets into small bite-size pieces. Repeat steps with the cauliflower, chopping into bite-sized pieces.

Three images grouped together, first is crispy bacon in frying pan, last two are cooked bacon strips, then same strips crumbled.

STEP 1: Cook 1 small package of regular sliced bacon until crispy. Add it to paper towel to absorb any excess grease. Crumble the bacon using your hands or a knife. Set aside.

Two images of creamy ingredients dumped into a bowl first unmixed then mixed

STEP 2: In a medium bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients: 1 ½ cups mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup white vinegar, ¼ cup maple syrup.

Three images of a salad bowl. First is broccoli, caulflower florets, chopped red onion, and crumbled bacon. Second has shredded cheese dumped over. Third is all ingredients mixed together with two salad spoons.

STEP 3: In a large bowl, add the broccoli florets from the 2 large broccoli heads, cauliflower florets from 1 head of cauliflower, 1 cup chopped red onion, cooked crumbled bacon, and 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese. Toss everything together.

Four images grouped together. First is creamy dressing dumped over broccoli cauliflower mixture. Second is ingredients mixed together. Third has plastic wrap on top. Fourth is final broccoli cauliflower salad.

STEP 4: Pour the salad dressing over top and mix together with the salad. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Mix together again just before serving.

A white serving bowl with creamy broccoli cauliflower salad with crispy bacon, red onion and shredded cheese.

Recipe Tips

Be sure to use a large mixing bowl for this salad to hold all the ingredients.
This recipe will taste best after being chilled for at least 2 hours. Make sure to stir just before stirring.
Chop the broccoli and cauliflower small so they are easy bite-size pieces.
Cook the bacon until it is very crispy, otherwise it will be too soggy for the salad.

How To Store Leftovers

Refrigerate – Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Just give it a quick stir before serving as some liquid may release from the vegetables and settle at the bottom of the bowl.