We call this the Christmas salad but it’s great any time of year. Broccoli Cauliflower Salad has only 4 ingredients with an easy honey lemon dressing that coats every delicious bite. It comes together quickly and is perfect for parties or dinner time. Make this and you will get recipe requests.
Most people think of Cauliflower as an ingredient that needs to be cooked into Cauliflower Soup or Roasted Cauliflower, but raw cauliflower is a real treat. It has the perfect taste and crunchy texture for salad.
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We love fresh broccoli salads like our Broccoli Apple Salad and Broccoli Grape Salad. If you are a fan of crisp fresh broccoli and cauliflower, you will make this creamy salad again and again. Broccoli and Cauliflower never tasted so good!
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Video
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Good recipes travel fast and this creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad recipe is one of them! One of my readers, Margarita Storchevoy, wrote in with this Christmas salad recipe and said it was one of her favorite recipes for the holidays. That same day we bought the ingredients and recreated it; love at first bite! Make this and you will get recipe requests.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad Ingredients
- Broccoli – use a medium head, cut into small florets
- Cauliflower – 1 medium head, chopped into small florets
- Dried Cranberries – adds a sweet-tanginess to the salad
- Pine Nuts or Sliced Almonds – toast the nuts on a dry skillet until golden for a more intense nutty flavor and crunchier texture.
Shortcut: I love my food chopper for chopping broccoli and cauliflower. It makes this job way easier and faster.
How to Select Cauliflower
- Look for tightly packed heads of white cauliflower. The leaves should be green and fresh-looking.
- Avoid cauliflower heads with brown specks or wilted leaves which are a sign of aging.
Creamy Honey-Lemon Dressing
This dressing doesn’t get any easier and we love that it uses honey to sweeten and balance the tanginess of the dressing.
- Mayonnaise – use real mayo for the best flavor
- Lemon juice – be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice (not from concentrate)
- Honey – we use 2 Tablespoons but you can add it to taste. Liquid honey will incorporate easier into the dressing.
Once You have all of your ingredients prepped and you’re ready to serve the salad, just add the dressing to taste and toss to combine then enjoy. It’s so easy!
Common Questions
Nuts add a great crunch, but you can easily substitute them for sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds, and toast them for deeper flavor.
Craisins or dried cranberries can easily be substituted with raisins. You can also use fresh grapes if you prefer, but double the amount.
We do not recommend using frozen broccoli or frozen cauliflower for this salad since the crunch won’t be present and it won’t keep as well once broccoli is thawed. Using frozen is also likely to water down the dressing in the salad.
Yes, this salad is grain-free and naturally gluten-free.
Make Ahead
Besides the amazing flavor, what I love most about this salad is the “make-ahead” factor. This salad is just as good (if not better) after it’s been in the fridge melding with the dressing overnight.
Storing Leftovers: cover and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, just be sure to stir and add more dressing to taste if needed.
Serve With
We love this creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad year-round for potlucks and BBQ’s. It pairs well with these main courses and sides:
- Baked Chicken Legs
- Juicy Burger Recipe
- Philly Cheesesteak
- Roasted Baby Red Potatoes
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 1 medium broccoli head
- 1 medium cauliflower head
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries, craisins
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds or pine nuts, toasted on a dry skillet until golden
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 small lemon
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise*
Instructions
- Peel the broccoli stem and chop off the dry base. Chop broccoli into small florets and dice the stem if using.
- Remove and discard the cauliflower core and leaves and dice the rest into bite-sized pieces.
- Toast 1/2 cup pine nuts or almonds on a dry skillet over med/high heat, tossing frequently until fragrant and golden, then add to the salad bowl along with 3/4 cup craisins.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup mayo, 2 Tbsp honey and 2 Tbsp lemon juice. Add dressing to the salad and toss well to combine.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
This was so good i think i ate 1/2 before even serving the family. Just so refreshing & sooooo easy to make. THANK YOU
LOL 😀 You’re welcome Diane! I’m happy to hear you love the recipe so much!
No salt and pepper?
Bea, there is no need for either one in this recipe 😬
How long does this dressing last in the fridge. I am only one person that will eat it. So I need to know after how many days will it keep?
Hi Sue, the dressing will keep very well covered in the refrigerator 3-5 days.
Best creamy salad recipe i have ever found. I tried it this morning and the result was delicious. thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome Amber! Thanks for sharing your incredible review! 🙂
What do you think about substituting mayo with plain Greek yogurt?
Hi Stephanie, I think you could make that work for a healthier dressing but keep in mind the dressing would be more tangy so you might have to add a little more honey to balance it.
Made this salad at home one time and the next day made another one for my moms house and everyone absolutely loved it! Definitely going to make this salad again. Love how it has simple ingredients but tastes so good😋
That’s great Tatyana! Thanks for sharing your amazing review! 😀
I have a similar recipe that has bacon in it, too. Always a family favorite at get togethers!
That’s a great addition Kathleen! Thanks for sharing 🙂
What would happen if you substituted Greek Yogurt?
Hi Wendy, I think that would work for a healthier dressing but the overall salad would have a more tangy flavor so you might have to add a little more honey to balance it.
This salad is also reallly good with real bacon crumbles. Not as healthy, but yummmm.
Everything is better with bacon! Thanks for sharing Karen 🙂
I am allergic to lemon, can I substitute with white vinegar like I do when I make coleslaw dressing?
Hi Rosita, yes that should work fine, but add it to taste and you may need slightly more honey to balance the flavors of the dressing. I hope you love it! 🙂
What a wonderful healthy salad!!! All the ingredients in this that I enjoy!!
It really is! Thanks for sharing Sandra 🙂
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Wondering if blanching the broccoli and cauli could be blanched first or not
bother?
Hi Wendy, I would recommend just serving them raw or you would lose that desirable crunch in the salad 🙂
Do you think you could substitute the honey for something else?
Hi Ann, I think sugar would work fine but I haven’t tested it with any artificial sweeteners to see if it would alter the flavor too much. Since there is not much sweetness in this salad naturally, there should be some sweetness in the dressing to balance it out.
Thank you. I cannot wait to try it. Heading to the store in a few minutes, LOL.
You’re welcome Ann!
I have a recipe for a very similar salad
and it calls for sugar and vinegar. So something sweet and something sour.
Oh dear ! I feel almost like being at home here ! You do so great things an this is another creation to do ! Thank you so much !
Thank you for writing in! I’m so glad you feel at home here 🙂 I hope you love the salad!
Natasha, I love your site! So many wonderful recipes. I used the food chopper you recommended- I went through 3 of them because they kept breaking, and they could very barely do onions. Then I bought another chopper and it’s like night and day, none of the problem I had with the first one, and chopping is an easy pleasure now! Maybe you’ll try it out and like it: (link here)
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my blog and recipes 🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me! I’ll definitely check it out!! 🙂
I’ve made this salad several times in the past and it’s delicious. You just reminded me to make some more again.
That’s so great!! I’m so glad you love it 🙂
This looks amazing!!
It really is so easy and delicious! Let me know what you think Sara!
Do you think making this with vegan mayonnaise in lieu of regular mayonnaise will work ok with this recipe?
Hi Karin, I haven’t tried that but I think that would work fine. I hope you love it!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! I’ve never tried broccoli with cauliflower and dried cranberries. It sounds like a good combination. Also, I hope that the new recipe will be some kind of dessert. Thanks! 😉
My pleasure Olga! Please let me know what you think of the recipe!
Looks very delicious. I love salads with cauliflower. I’ll have to give this one a try.
It is fantastic Julie! Please let me know what you think of the recipe!