This creamy, delicious Vegan Broccoli Salad loaded with tasty add-ins is definitely the best way to eat your veggies! This broccoli salad with cranberries and almonds is a favorite for summer BBQs, picnics, and potlucks. You will love the easy vegan creamy dressing!
Easy broccoli salad
We love trying to get in as many raw veggies as we can, but let's face it, simply dipping raw broccoli florets into dressing is just not a good time.
But somehow transforming that same raw broccoli into a salad makes it so much more palatable! The tiny broccoli florets combined with the creamy dressing and all the tasty little add-ins, such as dried cranberries, crunchy toasted almonds, vegan bacon bits, and vegan shredded cheese that make this salad irresistible.
This broccoli salad makes a great side dish for summer meals, is always a favorite at BBQs and potlucks. It also makes a great light lunch or dinner, especially if paired with some vegan protein or a vegan burger!
So let's make it, shall we??
Related recipe: Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry
Vegan mayo makes this broccoli salad extra creamy and delicious. Make sure to use a really good vegan mayo!
Related recipe: Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 5 cups broccoli florets (from about 3 broccoli heads, this doesn’t have to be exact!)
- ½ small red onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh is best! I love using this lemon squeezer)
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds
- ⅓ cup vegan dried cranberries (craisins)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, finely diced
- 2 scallions, diced
- ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise (see notes for tips)
- 1 teaspoon organic sugar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, each (or to taste)
Broccoli salad add-ins:
I love adding these to broccoli salad when I have them on hand:
- ½ cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup vegan bacon bits
Related recipe: Ramen Noodle Salad
Ingredient notes and substitutions
→ Vegan mayo: A really good, flavorful vegan mayo is the key to this salad! I highly recommend taking 5 minutes to make your own using my vegan mayo recipe. It is by far the best vegan mayo out there. It uses the traditional mayo technique of slowly beating oil to make the thick, rich, white mayo texture but uses plant milk instead of egg.
If you have a vegan mayo that you love, go ahead and use that. I do like this mayo a lot! But most cashew-based mayo and tofu-based mayo recipes just do not compare to homemade. And I say that as huge fan of cashew-based sauces and tofu!
→ Raw broccoli: I find the texture of diced raw broccoli florets wonderful in broccoli salad - as long as I chop the florets into tiny pieces! If you don't love munching on raw broccoli, feel free to microwave the broccoli florets for a minute or two, until they soften.
→ Swap almonds for chopped walnuts or pecans, or use sunflower seeds for a nut-free broccoli salad.
→ Try a different cheese, such as shredded vegan pepper Jack for a little spice, or crumbled vegan feta for more creaminess.
→ Swap dried cranberries for raisins or sliced grapes for some sweetness.
→ Make it lighter: swap half the mayo for plain plant-milk yogurt.
→ If you're skipping the bacon bits, you can add smoke flavor by using smoked paprika (make sure to get the sweet kind, otherwise you’re going to have a spicy broccoli salad!), or use regular paprika and a few drops of liquid smoke.
→ Try adding finely diced bell pepper, sliced olives, cooked chopped potato, or chopped cauliflower florets to the salad. Not all at once, probably. Although maybe?? 😉
Related recipe: Vegan Pasta Salad
Instructions:
Step 1: Combine the finely minced red onion and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in the bottom of a large bowl and stir. Allow to marinate for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This is key to getting the most flavorful broccoli salad dressing, and it really helps soften the sharp flavor of raw onion. (I use this same trick in my creamy vegan stuffed avocado salad!)
Marinating the onions is the key to a super delicious salad dressing!
Step 2: Chop the broccoli florets into smaller bite-sized pieces. Don’t worry if the broccoli crumbles a little – you want all those tiny bits for your salad.
Tip: If you don't like raw broccoli, microwave the florets for 1-2 minutes, or until they are softened.
Step 3: Toast the slivered almonds: Place them in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, or until they are golden brown and fragrant.
Step 4: Add ALL the ingredients to the large bowl with the marinating onions. Mix well, taste and adjust the flavor with salt, pepper, or fresh lemon juice. Enjoy immediately, or you can chill the salad in the fridge for up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to meld and mellow.
This salad will keep well for at least 2-3 days in the fridge, I have not tested it any longer than that because we eat it all no matter how large of a salad I make!!
Related recipe: Asian-style Cucumber Salad
What to serve with vegan broccoli salad:
This broccoli salad makes an amazing side dish for just about any BBQ, cookout, or sandwich. Try it with:
- Vegan lentil burgers
- Vegan BLT
- Vegan chicken salad sandwich
- Vegan egg salad
- Vegan mushroom-oat burgers
- Vegan smoky quinoa burgers
Other fun vegan salads to try:
- Vegan Caprese salad with chickpeas
- Chopped salad with tofu and tahini dressing
- Curried vegan potato and tofu salad
- Vegan Mexican quinoa salad
- Vegan Mexican pasta salad
- Favorite black bean salad
I would LOVE to hear what you end up adding to your broccoli salad! I you end up making this recipe, please take a picture and tag me on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK. I love seeing your creations!
Recipe
Amazing Vegan Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 5 cups broccoli florets, (from 2-3 broccoli heads)
- ½ small red onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds
- ⅓ cup vegan dried cranberries, (craisins)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, finely diced
- 2 scallions, diced
- ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise, (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon organic sugar, optional
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, each (or to taste)
- ½ cup vegan shredded cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup vegan bacon bits
Instructions
- Combine the finely minced red onion and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in the bottom of a large bowl and stir. Allow to marinate for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This is key to getting the most flavorful broccoli salad dressing, and it really helps soften the sharp flavor of raw onion.
- Chop the broccoli florets into smaller bite-sized pieces. Don’t worry if the broccoli crumbles a little – you want all those tiny bits for your salad.
- Toast the slivered almonds: Place them in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, or until they are golden brown and fragrant.
- Add ALL the ingredients to the large bowl with the marinating onions. Mix well, taste and adjust the flavor with salt, pepper, or fresh lemon juice. Enjoy immediately, or you can chill the salad in the fridge for up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to meld and mellow. This salad will keep well for at least 2-3 days in the fridge
Notes
- Vegan lentil burgers
- Vegan BLT
- Vegan chicken salad sandwich
- Vegan egg salad
- Vegan mushroom-oat burgers
- Vegan smoky quinoa burgers
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