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This Vegan Broccoli Salad is a stunning assortment of fresh green florets, dried berries, and crunchies tossed in a light vinaigrette dressing. A merge of amazing colors, flavors, and textures that create a perfect light and refreshing salad. Make this delectable fall raw salad in just 10 minutes!
While broccoli is available year-round, this cool-weather crop is best when freshly harvested during the fall season. As it can be enjoyed uncooked, it is perfect for raw salad making! Adding some dried cranberries, nuts, and pumpkin seeds give it a fun and festive autumn flair. It will be a great addition to your Thanksgiving and Christmas menu!
Quick and Easy Vegan Broccoli Salad
Fresh raw salads are one of the easiest things to ever make and one of the healthiest too! All you have to do is clean, chop, and toss everything together in a bowl! No cooking required and no pans and pots to clean up later on. And since the broccoli goes into the salad unprocessed, you get the full nutritional value of this superfood!
Fresh broccoli florets are crunchy yet tender enough for chewing. With its fresh, herbaceous taste, it goes well with almost anything you mix it with. Combining it with dried cranberries gives the salad a fruity and chewy element, while the walnuts and pumpkin seeds provide bites of savory crunch!
Ingredients used
For the salad:
- Broccoli – this nutrient-packed and vitamin-rich vegetable is the perfect produce to replace your usual lettuce or leafy greens in salads. You can buy pre-cut florets for less prep time and effort.
- Walnuts – these autumn nuts are perfect for this fall harvest salad. They are crunchy with a mild earthy taste. You can replace it with pecans, cashews, macadamia, or almonds if you’d like.
- Pumpkin seeds – what is a fall salad without a dash of pumpkin, right? These edible seeds, also called pepitas, are nutty and crunchy. You can also try out these delicious Roasted Salt & Pepper Pumpkin Seeds if you’re looking for an additional kick in flavor!
- Dried cranberries – If you do not have these, you can also use dried apricots, plums, or raisins.
For the dressing:
- Olive oil – essential in making the best vinaigrette dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar – I love using this with my dressings because of its fruity and woody undertones.
- Agave nectar – gives the dressing a nice sweetness to balance the tanginess of the apple cider vinegar.
- Mint – adding a bit of minced mint to the dressing will provide a sharp, bright flavor.
- Orange juice – this is optional.
How to make Vegan Broccoli Salad
- Make the vinaigrette by adding all the dressing ingredients to a small mixing bowl.
- In a larger bowl, add all the salad ingredients
- Pour the dressing, toss and serve!
How to Clean Broccoli Properly
Since the broccoli will be served raw, make sure to thoroughly clean them. Since there are a lot of crevices in a floret, merely rinsing them in running water is not enough. It’s better to soak them in cool water for a few minutes first, then place them in a colander and rinse with running water to dislodge loosened dirt.
Can I Blanch the Brocolli?
No problem, if you do not mind the extra step and would like to make the broccoli softer, you can do so. This is also a great way to clean them quickly. Just place the florets in hot water for a minute, then transfer them to a bowl with iced water until they completely cool down.
Helpful Tips when Making Vegan Broccoli Salad
- Make sure that you dry the broccoli pieces really well to prevent a soggy salad. Dry by giving them a few sharp flicks while holding the stem, then placing them on top of an absorbent cloth or paper towels for a few minutes. Or you can use a salad spinner if you have one.
- Chop the broccoli florets into small bite-sized pieces. This will ensure that they are coated with more dressing making them super flavorful. Plus, smaller pieces of broccoli mean more space in a mouthful for the berries and crunchies.
- Toss the salad with the dressing at least 10 minutes before serving them. This will give the broccoli time to absorb the flavors but not lose the crunchiness.
- When making ahead, do not add the nuts and seeds yet. Toss them right before serving to make sure they do not lose their crunchiness.
Variations and Add-Ons
- You can enjoy this salad with other dressings like my Avocado Green Goddess Dressing, Cilantro, and Green Chili, or a simple Lemon Dressing.
- You can also add some chopped red onions and pomegranate seeds for more color and flavors.
Make-Ahead and Storing Leftovers
You can make the salad dressing 3 days ahead of time and store it in the fridge. This will actually give the dressing enough time to meld for a richer taste. You can prep the salad ingredients the day before and store them in separate containers. Just assemble at least 10 minutes before serving.
If you have Vegan Broccoli Salad leftovers, place them in the fridge for up to 3 days. No need to reheat as they are great eaten cold!
What to do with Leftover Broccoli?
Don’t just store them in the fridge and forget about them. There are so many ways to enjoy this cruciferous veggie!
- Broccoli Soup – If you are looking for a super easy weekday dinner, then you are in luck! This broccoli potato soup is quick, healthy, and delicious!
- Garlic Broccoli with Coco-Peanut Sauce – A simple creamy coco-peanut sauce is draped over tender garlic broccoli, creating a perfect union of savory flavors. It’s one of those dishes that comes together so quickly.
- Broccoli and Potato Soup – Simple, very affordable, and really delicious. It’s the best way to turn a bag of potatoes into a fantastic meal with minimum effort.
- Broccoli and Onion Pakora – Traditionally served as snacks in India, pakora is chickpea flour fritters made with a wide variety of vegetables.
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Vegan Broccoli Salad
Equipment
- standard bowl
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ⅛ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons agave
- 1 ½ teaspoon minced mint
- 1 tablespoon orange juice optional
For the salad:
- 4 cups chopped broccoli
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a standard bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, agave, mint, and orange juice (if using), until thoroughly combined.
- In a large bowl, add the broccoli, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries.
- Pour in the dressing and toss it together
Notes
- Make sure that you dry the broccoli pieces really well to prevent a soggy salad. Dry by giving them a few sharp flicks while holding the stem, then placing them on top of an absorbent cloth or paper towels for a few minutes. Or you can use a salad spinner if you have one.
- Chop the broccoli florets into small bite-sized pieces. This will ensure that they are coated with more dressing making them super flavorful. Plus, smaller pieces of broccoli mean more space in a mouthful for the berries and crunchies.
- Toss the salad with the dressing at least 10 minutes before serving them. This will give the broccoli time to absorb the flavors but not lose the crunchiness.
- When making ahead, do not add the nuts and seeds yet. Toss them right before serving to make sure they do not lose their crunchiness.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Tried this tonight because I had leftover lightly-steamed broccoli that I wanted to use up. I skipped the mint and used some curry powder in the dressing instead, but otherwise followed the recipe, using toasted pumpkin seeds and walnuts and dried cranberries with the chopped broccoli. It was fantastic! I’ll definitely make this again.
the added curry powder sounds amazing!
So glad you enjoyed the salad! It’s a yummy one!
Very good! I substituted pecans and sunflower seeds instead of the walnuts and pumpkin seeds because I’m allergic to walnuts and pumpkin seeds were too pricy, but they worked just fine. I also used the optional orange juice. Multiple people complimented the salad–especially the dressing. This salad tastes light and healthy, but still very yummy! I’d definitely make it again. 🙂
So glad everyone enjoyed it! Love the walnut and pumpkin subs!
Fantastic salad recipe for winter! Whole family enjoyed it, and I will make it again, for sure!
I love broccoli and I’m always looking for more ways to cook it. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Yay! You’re going to love it! It’s so delicious!
This broccoli salad looks super tasty, definitely can see it being a great holiday meal.
I love all of the crunch in this broccoli salad. It’s perfect year round!