This Vegan Broccoli Salad is creamy, crunchy, sweet, and salty. Made with vegan bacon bits and a Cashew & Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing, this No-Mayo Broccoli Salad is a healthier version of the potluck classic! Perfect for sharing at your next BBQ, cookout, or holiday party.
You've gotta love a healthy update on a classic dish, and this Vegan Broccoli Salad definitely hits the mark. I adapted this recipe from the many broccoli salads I've tried over the years, but it was particularly inspired by the one my mother-in-law makes at all of the family gatherings. To make this vegan, I swapped real bacon for vegan bacon bits and a dairy dressing for the cashew version. I also added dried cranberries for tartness and sunflower seeds for extra crunch.
This is easily the best broccoli dish for sharing at a BBQ or potluck because it's perfect for making ahead. Just wait to stir in the sunflower seeds and bacon bits until right before serving to keep them crunchy. Your non-vegan friends won't even know the difference!
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You'll love this recipe because it's:
- Crunchy & Delicious
- Vegan / Vegetarian
- Dairy-free
- Easy to make WFPB
- A Healthy Version of the Classic
- Nostalgic
- Perfect for BBQs, Potlucks, Fourth of July, and more!
Can this be gluten-free?
Most of the components of this salad are already gluten-free. However, the vegan bacon bits do contain soy sauce. So be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or tamarind sauce if you're making the bacon bits from scratch.
Can this be nut-free?
To make this nut-free you can swap out sunflower seeds for the cashews. Alternatively, you could try it with 1 cup of silken tofu or unsweetened vegan yogurt.
Is raw broccoli healthier than cooked broccoli?
This is a tricky question, best explained by an expert. The short version is that raw broccoli (along with raw cauliflower and raw brussels sprouts) have a cancer-fighting enzyme that's destroyed in cooking. However, if you cut the broccoli 40 minutes or so before cooking, then it still has those cancer-fighting effects. It's really fascinating, and you can read more about Dr. Michael Gregor's findings at NutritionFacts.org.
What to do with the leftover broccoli stems?
This broccoli salad recipe just calls for the broccoli florets. If you don't want to waste the stems, you can save them to use in other recipes like broccoli slaw, stir fry, or soup. Here are a few examples of delicious vegan recipes that use broccoli stems.
- Easy Vegan Broccoli Soup
- Vegan Broccoli & Pea Soup by The Vegan Lunchbox
- Low-Waste Broccoli Stem Stir Fry by Grateful Grazer
Ingredients
- 8 cups broccoli florets
- ½ red onion
- ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup vegan bacon bits
For the Dressing
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
- ¾ cup water
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- fresh cracked pepper (to taste)
Substitutions
- You could try pumpkin seeds or pecans in place of the sunflower seeds
- Substitute raisins or halved red grapes for the dried cranberries.
- Almonds or sunflower seeds can be subbed for the cashews in the dressing.
- You can substitute store-bought vegan bacon bits for the homemade version.
- To keep this WFPB, used diced tempeh bacon (or air fryer tempeh bacon) instead of the TVP bacon bits.
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a small pot of water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the cashews and add them to a high-speed blender with the other dressing ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste to adjust seasonings and set aside.
- While the cashews are boiling, wash and prep the veggies. Dice the onion and chop the broccoli into small florets.
- Add the broccoli florets, diced onion, dried cranberries, and dressing to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
- Place the broccoli mixture in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour but up to 24 hours.
- (If you need to make the bacon bits from scratch, you can do that while the salad is resting in the refrigerator, following the linked instructions.)
- Right before serving remove the broccoli salad from the refrigerator. Add the bacon bits and sunflower seeds. Mix to combine. Serve and enjoy!
How to serve
- This broccoli salad makes a perfect accompaniment to veggie burgers or tofu kebabs. You can find some great ideas in this collection of Vegan Grill Party Recipes.
- Serve as a side dish to my favorite Vegan Chick-fil-A Style Tofu Nuggets or Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets.
- Bring this to your next Potluck, BBQ, or Cookout to share with friends.
- It's also an easy make-ahead lunch recipe.
Can I make it ahead?
Definitely! Since this recipe is perfect for bringing to Potlucks and BBQs, I've included instructions for how to make this recipe ahead. You can make this anywhere from several hours to 2 days in advance. The most important thing is to make sure that you keep the bacon bits and sunflower seeds separate from the rest of the salad so that they don't get mushy in the fridge. Just mix them in right before serving and you're good to go!
How to store
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Do not freeze!
Related recipes
- 25+ Vegan Summer Salads
- Spinach Avocado & Strawberry Salad
- Thai Salad with Sesame-Crusted Tofu
- Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Creamy Vegan Coleslaw
📖 Recipe
Vegan Broccoli Salad (No Mayo)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 cups broccoli florets
- ½ red onion diced
- ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup vegan bacon bits
Dressing
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
- ¾ cup water
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- fresh cracked pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a small pot of water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the cashews and add them to a high-speed blender with the other dressing ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste to adjust seasonings and set aside.
- While the cashews are boiling, wash and prep the veggies. Dice the onion and chop the broccoli into small florets.
- Add the broccoli florets, diced onion, dried cranberries, and dressing to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
- Place the broccoli mixture in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour but up to 24 hours.
- (If you need to make the bacon bits from scratch, you can do that while the salad is resting in the refrigerator, following the linked instructions.)
- Right before serving remove the broccoli salad from the refrigerator. Add the bacon bits and sunflower seeds. Mix to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If you plan to make this ahead, keep the sunflower seeds and vegan bacon bits separate. Wait to mix them in right before serving (to keep them from getting soggy)
- 8 cups of broccoli florets are roughly equivalent to 2 pounds of broccoli, or roughly 2 broccoli heads (stems included).
- If you buy pre-cut broccoli you probably only need 14 to 16 oz. You will need to cut the florets into smaller pieces.
- Some broccoli salads have a TON of dressing, this recipe tends to go on the lighter side, so if you're used to having more dressing, reduce the amount of broccoli to 6 or 7 cups.
- If you want to make it WFPB, use diced Tempeh Bacon instead of the bacon bits.
Nutrition
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Carmelle Jean-Francois
I enjoyed this thoroughly!! It was refreshing, filling and super tasty!! Packed with flavor and nutrients, I felt great that I was doing my body and my taste buds good! I tried to photograph it to look as much like yours as possible. lol. Proud of my turn out. Looking forward to trying out more of your recipes!
Julianne Lynch
Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it! This is one of my favorite recipes too! If you have a photo, you can post it on Instagram and tag me, or you can join my Facebook group and post it there. I'd love to see it! (Here's the group: Easy Vegan Recipes and Tips:https://www.facebook.com/groups/167911941187899)