Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Bacon
This broccoli cauliflower salad is crunchy, savory, and loaded with crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, and a creamy homemade dressing. Unlike sweeter broccoli salads, this version leans salty and satisfying while still feeling fresh thanks to all those crisp raw veggies. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for BBQs, potlucks, and warm weather dinners.
The Broccoli Salad for People Who Don’t Love Broccoli Salad (🙋🏼♀️)
I’ve never really been a fan of those super sweet broccoli salads loaded up with raisins and apples. You know the ones. And while I fully support people living their truth…that flavor situation has just never been my jam. THIS broccoli cauliflower salad is a completely different story. It leans savory and creamy with crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, green onions, and a tangy dressing that somehow makes eating giant bowls of raw vegetables feel wildly appealing.
Honestly, I feel about bacon and cheese in veggie recipes the same way Mary Poppins felt about sugar and medicine 😂 A little salty, creamy goodness suddenly has everyone happily loading up their plates with vegetables they might normally skip right over at a BBQ or potluck (my creamy elote dip has the same effect, BTW) . And while the bacon can technically be leftover, I really do think it adds a layer of salty crunch that makes this salad extra delicious and gives it almost a BLT-style vibe.
One thing I’ve learned from making this broccoli cauliflower salad over and over again is to keep the veggies small and bite-sized. Super key when serving people raw veggies. Big chunks make it weirdly exhausting to eat…so cut those florets small and save your friends the jaw workout 😂 It also helps the dressing coat everything better and gives you a little bit of everything in each bite. And unlike a lot of salads that get sad after sitting in the fridge, this one somehow gets even better after a few hours once the dressing soaks into the veggies a bit. So make it the day before your gathering, steal yourself a serving early, and thank me later because the bowl will probably be scraped clean before you get seconds. We usually serve it as a side dish, but I’ve absolutely thrown some slow cooker shredded chicken on top and called it lunch too.
Let’s go ahead and make this salad together…
Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
- 5 slices thick-cut bacon
- ½ pound bite-sized broccoli florets , about 3 cups
- ½ pound bite-sized cauliflower florets , about 3 cups
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced. Or ½ small red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, low-fat or whole milk recommended
- ½ cup mayonnaise, or additional yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey, optional
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the bacon slices crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Place in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
- Add the small, bite-sized broccoli and cauliflower florets to a large bowl with the green onion, tomatoes, and the cooked bacon. Toss everything together to combine.
- In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the yogurt, mayo, vinegar, honey, salt, garlic power, dill, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat. Taste the salad and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Enjoy right away or serve chilled. Store the salad in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Want to add some extra flavor? Toss in a cup of shredded cheddar cheese or a diced avocado.
- For some extra crunch, add in ½ cup sliced toasted almonds or sunflower seeds.
- Instead of using ½ pound each of broccoli and cauliflower, you can use a pound of all broccoli or all cauliflower.
- To make this salad vegetarian, you can omit the bacon.
- To make the salad dairy-free, use a dairy-free yogurt/sour cream—or use all mayo in the dressing.
Oh, this was gooood….Crunchy, tangy, and little bites of bacon….My husband, 11 year old daughter and I finished off the entire batch, minus about 1 cup, for dinner tonight. Everyone kept going back for another scoop! This will be on repeat this summer and for get togethers!! Yum!
Okay, this made my day! I’m so glad it was a hit with the whole crew — that crunchy, tangy, bacon-y combo is hard to resist, right?! Love that it’s already earning a spot on your summer repeat list. Thanks so much for sharing — this kind of feedback always means so much to me! 💛
After eyeing this salad for a while, I decided to make it. I’m not a big broccoli salad fan (you know the one with dried cranberries & sunflower seeds). I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great. While I know I dress salads on the lighter side, I seemed to have a lot of dressing leftover. I’m not mad though, it’s delish and can be a dressing for almost any veggie. Thank you for inspiring me to create outside my comfort zone!
Love this so much—thank you for giving it a try, especially since you’re not usually a broccoli salad fan! So glad you enjoyed it as much as I do!
Not a lover of mayonnaise, yet a big lover of bacon, broccoli, and cauliflower. But the Greek yogurt in this dressing intrigued me so I decided to try it.
It’s fantastic. I did 1/4 c. mayonnaise and 3/4 c. Greek yogurt in the dressing, and it was light yet flavorful. The whole salad made a perfect side for our pulled pork and roasted potatoes. I’ll definitely be considering this as an option for summer barbeques and more!
Oh yay! I am so glad it hit the sweet spot for you in the creamy department and you enjoyed it so much!