Vegan Broccoli Salad (No Mayo)
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.
Equipment
high speed blender
Cutting Board
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
Calories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 9gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 310mgPotassium: 477mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 631IUVitamin C: 82mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 3mg
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