Description

This Broccoli Cauliflower Salad is a crunchy, creamy, and flavorful side dish perfect for summer gatherings, potlucks, or a refreshing accompaniment to grilled meats. Packed with fresh broccoli and cauliflower florets, sharp cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and sunflower seeds, all tossed in a tangy homemade dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, and honey. It’s easy to prepare, can be made ahead of time, and offers a delightful combination of textures and flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Mix-ins

2 cups broccoli florets (bite-sized)
2 cups cauliflower florets (bite-sized)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup red onion (finely chopped)
1/3 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
1/4 cup sunflower seeds or sliced almonds

Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Combine Vegetables and Mix-ins: In a large bowl, add the bite-sized broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, shredded cheddar cheese, finely chopped red onion, crumbled bacon, and sunflower seeds or sliced almonds. Gently toss the ingredients together to distribute evenly.
Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey or sugar, and a pinch of salt and black pepper until the dressing is smooth and creamy.
Mix Salad with Dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetable mixture. Toss gently until all ingredients are coated thoroughly with the dressing.
Chill Before Serving: Cover the salad and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld beautifully and the salad to become more refreshing. Give it a final toss just before serving to redistribute any dressing settled at the bottom.

Notes

For a lighter version, replace mayonnaise and sour cream with all Greek yogurt to reduce fat content.
To maintain crunchiness, prepare the salad a day ahead but add the sunflower seeds and bacon right before serving.
This salad pairs excellently with grilled meats or works perfectly as a side dish at potlucks and barbecues.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 240
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 360mg
Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 12g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 8g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 7g
Cholesterol: 25mg