• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Trending Now: Simple One Pan Meals!
  • About
  • Lifestyle
  • Favorite Products
  • Contact

Mad About Food

Easy Healthy Whole Food Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Snack
    • Cocktails
    • Sauces, Dips, and Dressings
  • Protein
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Turkey
    • Meatless
  • Method
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Grilling
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • One Pan Meal
  • Dietary
    • Gluten Free
    • Dairy Free
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Egg Free
    • Nut Free

Trending:

30 Minute Meals

Instant Pot

Air Fryer

One Pan

Meal Prep

Breakfast

Sauces, Dips and Dressings

Home Blog Recipes

Broccoli Cauliflower and Bacon Salad

print comments
Share
Share on:
Jump to Recipe
By: MadelinePosted: 08/04/2022Updated: 07/29/2022

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Use this simple recipe to make a healthy Broccoli Cauliflower and Bacon Salad. This broccoli cauliflower salad is made with a tangy vinaigrette instead of mayonnaise.

Above view of broccoli & cauliflower salad in a mixing bowl

Make a twist on the typical broccoli and cauliflower salad with a vinaigrette instead of mayo

I love a creamy broccoli salad as much as the next person, but sometimes you need something a little lighter. Skip the mayonnaise and use an apple cider vinaigrette for a fresher taste.

This broccoli cauliflower salad is still super decadent thanks to the bacon, almonds and sunflower seeds. The fresh onion and red bell pepper add bursts of flavory. Finally, the dried craisins add just a subtle bit of sweetness.

Serve this at your next backyard barbecue and amaze your guests. People who swear they don’t like broccoli and cauliflower will even enjoy this salad.

broccoli cauliflower salad on a serving plate

Kitchen tools

  • Sharp knife and cutting board
  • Large pot for blanching
  • Mixing bowls
  • Mixing spoons

How to serve

This broccoli and cauliflower salad makes the perfect side dish to serve alongside some of your favorite grilled items. I like to serve it with this Grilled Ginger Lime Chicken.

Balance out the meal by serving some S’mores Cookies or Peach Blueberry Crisp for dessert.

Ingredients for a broccoli cauliflower bacon salad

Ingredients

  • Broccoli and cauliflower florets
  • Red onion
  • Red bell pepper
  • Slivered or sliced almonds
  • Bacon
  • Craisins
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Apple Cider Vinaigrette recipe

Ingredient substitutions

You can easily make this recipe completely vegan by leaving out the bacon. If you aren’t a fan of plain bacon, you can easily use turkey bacon instead.

Substitute the almonds and sunflower seeds for any nuts and seeds that you like. If you don’t like craisins, you can use raisins or any dried fruit that you like.

I love to use my homemade apple cider vinaigrette recipe as the dressing for this broccoli & cauliflower salad, but it is much easier to use a pre made dressing. You can use any pre made dressing that you like.

Step by step assembly of broccoli cauliflower salad

How to make a broccoli cauliflower salad

Step 1: blanch broccoli and cauliflower

To begin, chop broccoli and cauliflower florets into smaller pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large ice bath on the side.

Then, blanch the broccoli and cauliflower by boiling them for 2 minutes. Next, immediately transfer the vegetables to the ice water. Once cooled, drain them and add to a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Mix all other ingredients and chill

Then, add red onions, red bell pepper, almonds, bacon, craisins and sunflower seeds to the large bowl with the blanched broccoli and cauliflower.

Toss the salad in the vinaigrette. Finally, chill in the fridge about an hour before serving for optimal enjoyment.

Three quarter view of broccoli bacon cauliflower salad on serving plate

Storage

Once prepared, store this salad in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can serve this salad chilled or at room temperature.

Check out these other summer side dish recipes

  • Mango Salad
  • Summer Corn Salad
  • Roasted Vegetable Salad
  • Mediterranean Orzo Salad

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

Image for pinning Broccoli Cauliflower and Bacon Salad recipe on Pinterst
broccoli cauliflower salad on a serving plate
Recipe

Broccoli Cauliflower and Bacon Salad

Make a delicious and fresh broccoli cauliflower salad with simple ingredients

Recipe By: Madeline
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 15 minutesTotal: 25 minutes
Print Pin it Rate recipe Save recipe
Servings: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

  • 16oz bag of broccoli and cauliflower floret mix
  • 1/2 a red onion, diced
  • 1/2 a red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
  • 6 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 1/4 cup craisins 
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 3/4 cup of Mad About Food apple cider vinaigrette recipe or 3/4 cup of vinaigrette of your choice

Instructions

  1. Chop broccoli and cauliflower florets into smaller pieces. 
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large ice bath on the side.
  3. Blanch the broccoli and cauliflower by boiling them for 2 minutes and then immediately transfer the vegetables to the ice water. Once cooled, drain them and add to a large mixing bowl.
  4. Add red onions, red bell pepper, almonds, bacon, craisins and sunflower seeds to the blanched broccoli and cauliflower. Toss in the vinaigrette.
  5. Chill in the fridge about an hour before serving for optimal enjoyment.

Notes

  • Feel free to use any nuts or seeds you like in place of the almonds and sunflower seeds
  • I prefer to serve this salad chilled, but you can also serve it at room temperature
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Did you make my

Broccoli Cauliflower and Bacon Salad?

Rate recipe Share on Insta Save recipe

I appreciate your reviews SO much! Mention @mad_about_food and hashtag your photo with #madaboutfood

  • Facebook
  • Email
Creamy corn pasta recipe with basil on top in a serving bowl with a serving spoon
Previous Post
Creamy Corn Pasta
Side view of blueberry lemon scones served with a lemon glaze
Next Post
Lemon Blueberry Scones

About Madeline

Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

Learn More

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

Read More

Popular Posts

Whole30 BLT Chicken Salad

Blueberry Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

Ground Beef Baked Tacos

No Bread Turkey Club

Grab my

Top 5 Tips for Simplifying Meal Time!

Sign me up!

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Join me and 145k friends on instagram

"This is my third time making this recipe and it’s a fave for meal prepping! So delicious, quick and easy ☺️" - Jessica

Get Recipe

"This was so simple and delicious!! Worked late and still quickly put together a great meal." - Dana

Get Recipe

"So good! Not only was this incredibly easy to make, the flavor was perfect. I will definitely make this again and again!" - Mandy

Get Recipe
@mad_about_food
Back to Top

Courses

Dinners

Breakfasts

Desserts

Dips & Sauces

Popular

Instant Pot

Air Fryer

Meal Prep

Chicken Recipes

Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
© 2023 Mad About Food
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled