My easy, make-ahead, low-carb wonder, Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad with Cranberries is a nutritious holiday side-dish favorite. This colorful salad is full of crisp broccoli and cauliflower, sweet/tart cranberries, and crunchy pistachios. It’s equally at home on an elegant Christmas dinner table or at a covered dish neighborhood potluck.
12 Days of Easy Christmas Recipes:
On the eleventh day of Christmas, instead of “eleven-pipers-piping,” I’m bringing you this delicious recipe for Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad with Cranberries as part of my special 12 Days of Easy Christmas Recipes!
With festive colors of red and green, this nutritious powerhouse salad is quick and easy to prepare. It also keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. Oh, and did I mention it’s also full of BACON! I thought that might get your attention!
This simple recipe for Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad with Cranberries is delicious! Even better, eating it is a great way to add more veggies to your diet. And, the best part, this salad takes just minutes to prepare.
What are cruciferous vegetables?
Broccoli and Cauliflower are both cruciferous vegetables, and as such, they are some of the most nutritious foods you can add to your diet. According to WebMD, they have it all, vitamins, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals.
If you are looking for other holiday side dishes, you might also want to check out these popular recipes: Baked Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes, Southern Style Baked Mac and Cheese, Southern Sweet Onion Casserole, and Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes. Need other ideas? Check out all of my side dish recipes!
Broccoli Recipes:
Broccoli is my favorite vegetable, and as you might imagine, I have lots of broccoli recipes on my blog. If you like broccoli as I do, you might want to check out these easy broccoli recipes: Ultimate Broccoli and Cheese Casserole with Ritz Crackers, Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread Muffins, Easy Mushroom, and Broccoli Frittata, Potato Broccoli Salad with Vinaigrette, and Easy Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
How to make Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad with Cranberries:
Gather the ingredients and add broccoli, cauliflower, cranberries, and pistachios to a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine the mayonnaise, sugar, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.
Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, add the bacon and red onion and stir to combine. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Sharon’s Tips:
- Not a fan of red onions, leave them out.
- You can substitute toasted pecans or almonds for the pistachios in this recipe.
- Store this salad covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. The flavor improves after a day, so it is an excellent dish to make-ahead.
Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad with Cranberries Recipe
Ingredients
Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad Ingredients:
- 3 cups broccoli florets coarsely chopped into bite-size pieces (about 3 stalks)
- 2 cups cauliflower coarsely chopped into bite-size pieces (about 1/2 head)
- 1 cup dried cranberries I used Craisins)
- 1/2 cup pistachios* coarsely chopped
- 3 Tbsp red onion finely minced
- 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad Directions:
- Add broccoli, cauliflower, cranberries, and pistachios to a large bowl. Set aside.
Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad Dressing Directions:
- Combine the mayonnaise, sugar, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, add the bacon and red onion and stir to combine. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Not a fan of red onions, leave them out.
- You can substitute pecans or almonds for the pistachios in this recipe.
- Store this salad covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. The flavor actually improves after a day so it is an excellent dish to make-ahead.
Nutrition
**The recipe for this salad was developed by Kathleen Royal Phillips of the Grits and Gouda blog, in 2010, while she was working in the test kitchen for Oxmoor House and Southern Living.
I would love to meet you! How funny is it that we chose similar blog names?! You have a lovely blog and so many yummy Southern recipes. Let’s make plans to schedule a time to meet in the new year and chat over some sweet tea cakes!
That sounds awesome! I’ll be in touch after the first of the year.
All my best and Merry Christmas!
Sharon
What a small “Southern” world! I actually developed this recipe when I was working in the Oxmoor House test kitchen! It is not in the Southern Living Annual cookbooks but rather the Christmas with Southern Living 2010 page 148. It’s a staple on our Christmas table every year. So glad yall love it!
Hi Kathleen, it was great to hear from you! I feel like we must be “blogosphere cousins” since our blog names are so similar! Thanks so much for writing and letting me know about your recipe. I have been making it for years and we almost always have it for Christmas dinner! I am also so jealous that you worked for Oxmoor House and Southern Living. I always dreamed of working there!
I’ve added a note and a linked-to your blog in my post giving you credit for the recipe. I hope one of these days our paths might cross and we can chat. I would love to hear more about your days in the test kitchen.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
All my best,
Sharon
My wife found this recipe in a Southern Living Christmas cookbook a few years ago and we love it. It’s always a hit with “first-timers. Found it here when looking for an easy way to send it to people who request it.
Hi Bob,
A friend gave it to me and it’s always been one of my favorites. I’m not surprised to hear it originally came from Southern Living. I used to have all of their annual cookbooks.
All my best,
Sharon