This easy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Bacon features crisp veggies and bacon tossed with crunchy mix-ins and a sweet dressing. It’s a delicious salad for your summer barbeque, picnic, or holiday get-together!

For years I’ve avoided any version of broccoli salad.
The raw broccoli combined with carrots, cheese, or raisins did not say yum, delicious to me.
My mother-in-law recently served a version of this at a party and I thought it was finally a broccoli salad I could get behind!
This recipe works because it’s:
- Simple to throw together. Most broccoli cauliflower salads require you to make your own dressing. My recipe features using premade dressing so you can save time.
- Delicious flavors. The sweet cranberries, crunchy seeds, and crisp bacon really complement the broccoli and cauliflower.
- Great to make ahead. You can prep all of the ingredients the night before and it’ll be ready to go the next day.
Step-by-Step Instructions

Wash and chop 1 head of broccoli and 1 head of cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Be sure to remove the broccoli and cauliflower florets from the stalks.

Add broccoli, cauliflower, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, and 6 slices of bacon, crumbled to a large mixing bowl.

Pour in 1 cup of creamy poppyseed dressing and toss all ingredients to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the best flavor, chill at least 1 hour before serving.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions

I chose to use a premade poppy seed dressing, but you can do a homemade one if you prefer!
Make sure you chop the broccoli and cauliflower small so the pieces are bite-size. Or you can purchase pre-chopped broccoli and cauliflower to save time.
You can also buy pre-cooked bacon or bacon crumbles to save time!
Here are a few other ingredients you could add to this salad:
- Chopped apples
- Grapes
- Cashews
- Candied pecans
- Sliced almonds
- Sugar snap peas
- Celery
If you want to make this salad the night before, prep all the ingredients and add them to your salad bowl except for the bacon and dressing. Refrigerate everything overnight and add the bacon and dressing just before serving.
More Like This

Looking for more yummy salads? You’ll love these!
- Green Salad with Pomegranates, Pears, and Pecans
- Persimmon Salad with Goat Cheese
- Spinach Strawberry Salad
- Cilantro Chickpea Salad
- Chicken Caesar Salad with Pasta
- BLT Salad with Avocado
FAQs

You can keep this salad in an airtight container for 3-5 days, but it’s best for the first 2 days!
Try blanching the broccoli and cauliflower for 60 seconds and then cooling them in an ice bath before adding them to the mixing bowl.
Blanching is just the process of adding vegetables to a pot of boiling water and then cooling them in an ice bath or with cold water.
I hope your family loves this broccoli cauliflower salad with bacon! If you make it, be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!
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Sweet Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 head cauliflower
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 cup creamy poppy seed dressing, store bought or homemade
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash and chop broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Be sure to remove the broccoli and cauliflower florets from the stalks.
- Add broccoli, cauliflower, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and crumbled bacon to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour in poppyseed dressing and toss all ingredients to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- For the best flavor, chill at least 1 hour before serving.