Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Things just got a whole lot better because this Broccoli Cauliflower Salad recipe has found its way to your kitchen.

Fresh broccoli and cauliflower is mixed with cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, sweet peppers, tomatoes, red onion, pepitas, and a savory homemade dressing. Great for the summer…but perfect all year-round.

We are still right in the middle of summer which means that the fresh produce is abundant and all sorts of salads are in prime season. That means that this raw broccoli cauliflower salad recipe is going to really come in handy with all my salad lovers out there! 

I have found that this recipe has been a real crowd pleaser every time I have made it. Everyone I have served it to loves the combination of both the broccoli and cauliflower with the bacon, onions, tomatoes and peppers. It’s a light dish, but also filling.  

If you are a fan of our keto broccoli salad, then I think you’re really going to love making this cauliflower broccoli salad. While the two recipes are similar they still have a few differences, one of them being the crunchy pepitas that I added. 

I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts below!

What Ingredients are in Broccoli Cauliflower Salad?

Salad

• Broccoli and Cauliflower – The two main ingredients in our broccoli cauliflower salad. Bite-size florets are the best size and be sure to keep them raw, not cooked. 
• Cheddar – This is the best cheese to use, shredded or chunks.
• Bell Peppers – Any color peppers will be good, red, yellow or orange are best because they look nice in contrast to the green color of the broccoli.
• Red Onion – Any onion will do but I like the red onion for taste and color.
• Tomatoes – Use small bite-size ones cut in half.
• Bacon – Use real bacon, I like Oscar Mayer…I feel there is no better bacon.
• Pumpkin Seeds – I loved the added little crunch the pumpkin seeds make. Learn how to roast pumpkin seeds for even more flavor.

Dressing

• Mayonnaise – This is the base to make the creamy dressing. You can either use a low carb store-bought mayo like Hellman’s or a homemade version made with olive oil.
• Pepper – Black pepper, coarse or finely ground.
• Salt – An essential spice in a lot of food to enhance flavors.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – This is a good vinegar for a low carb diet.  Other popular kinds of vinegar like balsamic or red wine, all have carbs which are not good choices if you are counting carbs.                                                                                                                                                                                                  
• Powdered Swerve – A zero carb sweetener. Swerve measures one for one like sugar and the powdered version as opposed to the granulated version leaves the dressing with a smooth consistency.

Raw Vegetables vs. Cooked in this Salad

Ok, I really prefer using raw vegetables! I don’t like any of my veggies cooked in a salad. You want the broccoli and cauliflower to hold up their shape, and when you cook them they become too soft and even mushy. Let’s face it, no one likes a mushy salad.  

The only ingredient we cook is the bacon, follow our instructions on how to bake bacon in the oven.

Different Variations & Add-Ins

The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can take out a couple of ingredients or you can add a couple of other ingredients without changing the flavor of the cauliflower broccoli salad. 

• Mayo – For instance, I like to use Hellmans mayo, regular, not the low-fat one. But you could also use a mayo made with olive oil. 
• Without Mayo – Or you could replace the mayo altogether and use sour cream or greek yogurt as the base instead.
• Nuts – A welcomed addition to this low carb broccoli salad if you like nuts or don’t have a nut allergy is to add some slivered almonds or even some toasted almonds. Nuts always fit into the low-fat way of eating, by adding protein and good fat to a recipe, so add some nuts to make for a healthy broccoli salad. 
• Walnuts
• Pecans
• Slivered Almonds 
• Pine nuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Sugar-Free dried cranberries or cherries. 

Best Cheeses

• Cheddar 
• Colby Jack 
• Mozzarella 
• Pepper Jack 
• Feta 
• Goat Cheese

Sweetener Options

The sweetener you choose depends on what type of dietary restrictions you have. While on keto or eating low carb you want to stick with using Powdered Swerve, or another brand of Erythritol. 

However, if you are not eating low carb then feel free to use Honey, Powdered Sugar, or Agave. All of them will work great.

Best Dressing for Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

The best dressing to use with your broccoli cauliflower bacon salad is a creamy dressing. We have a recipe for a nice dressing included with this recipe but you could always alter it by adding some ingredients or taking some ingredients away. 

It’s actually the same dressing that I use in our Broccoli Salad Recipe as well. It just works perfectly! 

Another good dressing you can use is ranch. We have a great homemade keto ranch dressing coming your way very shortly.

Do You Steam or Blanch the Broccoli and Cauliflower?

The best way to eat the broccoli and cauliflower for this Keto salad is raw/fresh. Honestly, it’s really the best way to make this broccoli cauliflower salad. 

However, if for some reason that you do not like raw broccoli or cauliflower you can blanch it. It’s an easy process that only takes a couple of minutes of prep time. 

1. Just bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Add the broccoli and cauliflower then cook for 1 minute.
3. Immediately drain the veggies and place them in an ice bath for 5 minutes.

You could always spin the water out with a salad spinner or just let it drain in a colander until all of the water drains out.

How to Make Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad with Bacon

Follow these easy instructions to make the best broccoli cauliflower salad with bacon: 

STEP 1: Cook the bacon. Follow our instructions here on how to Bake Bacon in the Oven for a fast way with easy clean-up.

Cutting Broccoli and Cauliflower

STEP 2: It’s time to chop all your veggies. Start with chopping the broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Transfer them to a large bowl.

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Preparing Ingredients

STEP 3: Chop the tomatoes, red onion, and bell pepper. Add them to the bowl. 

STEP 4: Shred the cheddar cheese. We prefer fresh, but it’s ok if you have pre-shredded cheese. Just use whatever kind you have and that is easy for you. 

STEP 5: Add the cheese and the pumpkin seeds to the bowl.

Mixing Ingredients

STEP 6: Using 2 large spoons, mix all the salad ingredients together.

Making the Dressing

STEP 7: Get a bowl and measure out the mayo and place it in the bowl.

STEP 8: Next add the Swerve, celery salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar.

STEP 9: Mix the dressing ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Toss Salad with Dressing

STEP 10: Pour it over the broccoli cauliflower salad, and mix it all together.

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STEP 11: Serve and enjoy!

FAQs & Best Tips for Broccoli Cauliflower Salad 

• Omit the sweetener and it will make your cauliflower broccoli salad more tangy, but still good. 
• If you want to replace the mayo, you can use sour cream or Greek yogurt.
• Use real bacon and not imitation bacon bits.
• Do not use finely shredded cheddar cheese, instead use thicker shredded cheese or even small chunks.
• If you want to make the dressing a few days ahead of time, that’s good, then the flavors will come together better. 
• You can even make the salad a couple of days ahead of serving.
• Other good add-ins are: walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, sugar-free dried cranberries or cherries.

Can I Use Frozen Broccoli and Cauliflower in this Recipe?

No, no, and no! I do not recommend using frozen broccoli and frozen cauliflower. The best part of this broccoli cauliflower salad recipe is the crunch that you get from the fresh broccoli and cauliflower.

If you are using frozen it just won’t taste right and honestly has too much water and will make it super soggy.

Diets This Recipe is Good For

• Gluten-Free: Not only is the broccoli cauliflower salad gluten-free but so is the dressing. 
• Dairy-Free:  We use cheese in this raw broccoli cauliflower salad recipe but if you leave it out you will have a dairy-free recipe. 
• Vegan: Omit the bacon, and replace the mayo with vegan mayo!

Is Broccoli Salad Low Carb?

Yes, in fact, our low carb broccoli cauliflower salad is low carb! We use all keto and low carb ingredients making 1 serving only 3.4 NET CARBS.

How to Serve Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad?

Broccoli Cauliflower Bacon Salad is a GREAT side dish and goes well with many different entrees. Here are a few of my favorite things to serve this cauliflower broccoli salad with: 

• BBQ Ribs
• Burgers 
• Cauliflower Cheese Soup – because who doesn’t love soup and salad? 
• Pulled Pork 
• Instant Pot Chicken Thighs 
• Keto Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Make Ahead & Storing Options

This raw broccoli cauliflower salad recipe stores pretty well actually. In my opinion the flavors really get enhanced the next day. 

Store the leftover broccoli cauliflower salad in an air-tight container and place in the fridge for 3-4 days. Mix again before serving.

Can You Freeze Broccoli Cauliflower Salad?

I’m sorry but the cauliflower broccoli salad will not freeze well, so you will have to just make enough for a few days. I haven’t really found that to be a problem since in my house it does not last too long.

Tools to Use

• Cutting Board
• Knives 
• Measuring Cups 
• Mixing Bowl 
• Whisk – For mixing the dressing

Other Favorite Salad Recipes

If you are looking for more delicious salad recipes, try one of these:

• Keto Broccoli Salad
• Cauliflower Potato Salad 
• Low Carb Zoodle Salad 
• Strawberry Salad with Feta and Avocado 
• Healthy Keto Chicken Salad 
• Watermelon Salad with Feta 
• Spinach Salad with Bacon and Eggs 

All of them are Keto-friendly and low carb, and will have your friends & family raving!

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