The first toss tells you whether this salad will stay creamy: water clinging to the broccoli and cauliflower slips into the dressing and makes it thin. I rinse the florets, dry them thoroughly, and cut them into bite-size pieces before they go in the bowl. That small bit of prep helps the dressing cling instead of pooling at the bottom.
Classic Broccoli Cauliflower Salad gets its creamy coating from mayonnaise and sour cream, with apple cider vinegar and sugar keeping the dressing bright rather than heavy. Crisp bacon and sharp cheddar bring savory, salty bites, while finely diced red onion adds a little bite throughout. After a short rest in the refrigerator, the dressing settles into the nooks of the florets, ready for a cool, crunchy forkful.
Kitchen Note
Let the bacon cool on paper towels before crumbling it. Warm bacon can feel greasy and soft in the salad, while cooled, crisp pieces stay easy to crumble and give you a better bit of crunch.
Save this Classic Broccoli Cauliflower Salad for a creamy, crunchy side with crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, and a tangy dressing.
Why This Salad Needs a Short Rest Before Serving
Right after tossing, the dressing can seem like a separate layer on the vegetables. Give the salad at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator, and that creamy coating has time to settle around the florets instead of tasting like a dip added at the last second. The vinegar and sugar also have a chance to mingle with the mayonnaise and sour cream, so each bite tastes balanced rather than sharply tangy or overly sweet.
This rest doesn’t mean the vegetables should lose their crunch. Broccoli and cauliflower stay pleasantly firm when they’re cut into bite-size florets and thoroughly dried before dressing. The salad is at its best when it’s cold and the dressing is evenly distributed, with bacon, cheddar, and onion showing up throughout instead of gathering in one spot. If you serve it immediately, the flavor will still be there, but the dressing won’t have had as much time to coat the vegetables evenly.
What Each Ingredient Brings to the Bowl
- Broccoli and cauliflower — Their firm, fresh bite gives the salad its structure. If you’re short on one, you can replace some of it with more of the other; the overall crunch stays similar, though the flavor will lean toward whichever vegetable you use more of. Choose firm heads with compact florets, and trim them into pieces that are easy to eat in one bite.
- Bacon — Crisp bacon adds smoky, salty contrast to the cool dressing. Regular grocery-store bacon works well; the main difference is how meaty or fatty the finished crumbles taste, so choose the style you enjoy eating on its own.
- Sharp cheddar — Its stronger, tangy flavor holds its own against the creamy dressing. Mild cheddar is an easy swap if you prefer a gentler cheese taste, while freshly shredded or pre-shredded cheese both work in this cold salad.
- Red onion — The raw onion gives the creamy mixture a crisp, savory edge. A fine dice spreads that bite through the bowl without leaving large, overpowering pieces; scallions can stand in for a softer onion flavor.
- Mayonnaise and sour cream — Mayonnaise gives the dressing body, and sour cream brings a clean tang. A plain, full-fat Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream one-for-one for a tangier, slightly thicker dressing; keep the mayonnaise for its familiar richness.
- Apple cider vinegar and sugar — Vinegar cuts through the creamy base, while sugar rounds off its sharp edge. Apple cider vinegar brings a mellow fruitiness, but white wine vinegar is a workable substitute with a cleaner, less fruity finish.
Getting the Florets, Bacon, and Dressing Ready
Dry and Cut the Vegetables
Rinse the broccoli and cauliflower, then dry them thoroughly before cutting them into bite-size florets. A salad spinner or clean kitchen towel can help remove water tucked between the florets. Put the vegetables in a large serving bowl once they’re dry; don’t leave a puddle of rinse water in the bottom, since it will loosen the dressing later.
Cook the Bacon Until Crisp
Set the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook it for 8–12 minutes, turning as needed, until crisp. The strips should look browned and feel firm rather than bendy when lifted. Transfer them to paper towels to drain, let them cool, and crumble them once they’re no longer warm. If the skillet is crowded, the bacon may cook less evenly, so turn the pieces as they crisp.
Whisk a Smooth, Tangy Dressing
In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper until the mixture looks smooth and uniform. Scrape around the sides of the bowl so no streaks of sour cream or sugar remain. If you still see little lumps, keep whisking before pouring; the dressing should be creamy all the way through.
Toss and Chill Until Evenly Coated
Add the cooled crumbled bacon, cheddar, and finely diced red onion to the bowl of florets. Pour the dressing over everything and toss until the broccoli and cauliflower are evenly coated, checking the bottom of the bowl for any dressing that hasn’t been worked through. Cover the salad and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before serving so it can chill and the dressing can settle around the vegetables.
Simple Changes for Different Tables
A vegetarian bowl with smoky crunch
Leave out the bacon and fold in smoked almonds for a vegetarian version with a similar salty crunch. The salad will lose bacon’s meaty, savory depth, but the almonds add their own toasted flavor and hold up well against the creamy dressing.
Make it dairy-free without losing the creamy feel
Use dairy-free mayonnaise, an unsweetened plain dairy-free sour cream alternative, and dairy-free cheddar. The dressing will still coat the vegetables, though the cheese and sour-cream-style tang may taste less rounded than the original.
Give it a peppery cheese finish
Replace the sharp cheddar with pepper jack for a gentle chile warmth in each bite. It makes the salad livelier without changing the creamy dressing or the crisp vegetable base.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Refrigerator: Keep the salad covered and use leftovers within 3–4 days. The florets soften gradually, and the dressing may loosen a little as it sits. Return the salad to the refrigerator within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F.
- Freezer: Freezing isn’t a good fit. The raw vegetables lose their crisp texture, and the mayonnaise-and-sour-cream dressing can separate when thawed.
- Serving: This salad is served cold, so there’s no reheating step. If you’re setting it out for a meal, bring out only what you’ll serve and keep the remaining bowl chilled.
Questions That Come Up When Making This Salad
Classic Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Rinse and thoroughly dry the broccoli and cauliflower.
- Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into bite-size florets and place them in a large serving bowl.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat for 8–12 minutes, turning as needed, until crisp.
- Drain the bacon on paper towels, cool, and crumble.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Add the bacon, cheddar, and red onion to the bowl with the broccoli and cauliflower, pour in the dressing, and toss until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.