Broccoli Cauliflower Salad features red onions, chopped pecans and plenty of shredded mozzarella cheese. It’s all tossed together with a simple dijon dressing that makes every bite burst with tangy flavor! Perfect for potlucks, picnics, and all other summertime soirees.

A blue serving bowl is filled with broccoli cauliflower salad.


Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

They say that the best way to eat vegetables (in order to get the most nutritional value) is to eat them raw. Recipes like this broccoli cauliflower salad make it so easy to do just that! Crunchy, fresh broccoli and cauliflower are complimented by pecans, red onions and shredded mozzarella cheese. A tangy dijon dressing holds it all together in a simple, yet bold way.

You can easily customize this summery salad recipe in a variety of ways. Scroll down to my section called “variations to try” to see just a few fun things you can try! With that being said, I really love this refreshing side salad just the way it is. It makes a delightful light lunch all by itself, or you can serve it for dinner beside a perfectly baked chicken breast.

The very best part? This quick and easy broccoli and cauliflower salad recipe takes just a few minutes to toss together. It’s great for when you need something quick and delicious! You can always prepare the salad ingredients a day ahead of time if needed, keep it stored in the fridge, then toss it all together with the dressing just before serving to save even more time.

A glass bowl is filled with salad ingredients.

How to Make Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

This cauliflower broccoli salad is so easy to toss together in just a few steps! For more information about the process, just keep on scrolling down to the recipe card.

  1. Add ingredients to a bowl. Combine the chopped broccoli, cauliflower, red onions, pecans and shredded mozzarella to a large bowl.
  2. Make the dressing. Whisk together the red wine vinegar, dijon, salt, pepper and olive oil. Stir in the cheese to combine.
  3. Toss it all together. Pour the dressing all over the salad and toss it all together until everything is evenly coated.
  4. Enjoy! Chill in the refrigerator before serving.
Dressing is being poured into a salad bowl.

Variations to Try

Here are just a few tasty ways you can customize your broccoli and cauliflower salad:

  • Add some sweetness. Drizzle some honey into the dressing for a touch of sweetness. I recommend adding in just a little bit at a time until you achieve your desired level of sweetness.
  • Swap the nuts. Chopped pecans are my favorite for this recipe, but you can definitely swap them with pistachios, walnuts, or almonds.
  • Use a different cheese. Shredded mozzarella cheese is perfect in this salad! However, you can really substitute it with any other shredded cheese you prefer. Parmesan, cheddar, swiss… the possibilities are endless.
  • Add seeds. A sprinkle of sunflower seeds, poppy seeds or chia seeds would add a lovely little crunch to each bite.

Storage

Once the salad has been tossed with the dressing, it’s best enjoyed fresh! The acid in the red wine vinegar will cause the broccoli, cauliflower and red onions to soften if stored for too long. With that being said, I recommend serving this salad within a few hours of tossing it all together.

You can, however, make this salad ahead of time if you store the salad without the dressing. Keep the tossed salad with NO dressing stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two. When you’re ready to serve, toss it together with the dressing.

A fork is placed on a plate with salad.

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A blue serving bowl is filled with broccoli cauliflower salad.

Get the Recipe: Broccoli Cauliflower Salad Recipe

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Broccoli cauliflower salad is a blank canvas! Start with fresh broccoli and cauliflower, then build your flavor profile with additions like bacon, cheese, nuts or seeds, dried fruit, and a creamy, tangy dressing.
5 from 2 votes
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Ingredients

  • 1 head broccoli, chopped
  • 1 head cauliflower, chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese, plus more for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 knife
  • 1 mixing bowl

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, pecans and mozzarella.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, dijon, salt, pepper and olive oil. Stir in the cheese to combine.
  • Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine.
  • Refrigerate before serving.
Calories: 225kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 284mg, Potassium: 428mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 423IU, Vitamin C: 79mg, Calcium: 121mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American