This vegan broccoli salad is loaded with flavor and crunch! Made with fresh broccoli florets, smoky almonds, sunflower seeds and raisins in a creamy, zippy dressing, it's a must have for all your summer get-togethers.
My family always served broccoli salad as a side dish at cookouts when I was growing up. You know the one right? With mayo and raisins and bacon. But mom's was made with bacon bits because I was vegetarian and most store-bought bacon bits aren't actually made from meat.
When I decided to create a vegan broccoli salad recipe, it mom's old version was the obvious starting point. And while I could probably make it with bacon bits (they're vegan, right? I'm really not sure), I decided to go with something a bit more wholesome and even tastier: smoked almonds!
This salad has everything I love about classic broccoli salad (broccoli, crunch, smoky and sweet flavor!), and nothing I don't (eggs, dairy, processed soy bacon flavored whatever bacon bits are made of???). And it's delish!
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Vegan mayonnaise. Look for this near where regular mayo is sold, or in the natural foods section at your store. I used Hellman's vegan.
- Sugar. Use organic sugar to keep the recipe vegan.
- Apple cider vinegar. White vinegar or red wine vinegar can be substituted if needed.
- Raw broccoli.
- Red onion.
- Raisins. Substitute another dried fruit if you'd like. Dried cranberries or cherries would work well!
- Sunflower seeds. Use roasted and salted seeds.
- Smoked almonds. Be careful when buying these. I almost grabbed a bag containing butter, and many brands of commercial nuts are processed with gelatin. Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds are vegan and available at many supermarkets.
- Salt & pepper.
Tip: You only need the raw broccoli florets for this recipe. Save the stems for another use, like vegan cream of broccoli soup.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- Optional step: soak your red onion. Do this if you'd like to mellow out the raw onion bite. Simply dice it, place it in a container and cover it with water. Let it soak while you prep the other ingredients.
- Mix your broccoli salad dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl: vegan mayo, sugar, and vinegar. Be sure to stir everything well to dissolve the sugar.
- Add broccoli florets, raisins, smoked almonds, and sunflower seeds. If you soaked your onion, drain it. Add the onion to the salad.
- Stir everything up!
- Give your broccoli salad a taste-test. Season it with salt and pepper, and adjust any other seasonings to suit your taste.
- Cover and chill the salad for later, or serve it right away. I like mine best when it's been chilling in the fridge for a few hours.
Leftovers & Storage
Store any leftover vegan broccoli salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is as long as your smoked almonds are gluten-free — some brands may not be!
It's great as a side at cookouts and potlucks. Pair it up with another side like vegan baked beans or cornbread, and a main dish like vegan ribs or black bean burgers.
More Cool Vegan Summer Salads
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons organic granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets (Note 1)
- ¾ cup raisins
- ½ cup smoked almonds (Note 2), roughly chopped
- ½ cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Optional step: place the diced onion into a small cup or bowl and cover it with cold water. Let it soak while you prep the remaining ingredients. This will reduce the bite of the onion.
- Stir the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar together in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in the broccoli, raisins, almonds, and sunflower seeds, along with the onion, draining it first if you soaked it.
- Stir everything together.
- Taste-test the salad and season it with salt and pepper. Adjust any other seasonings to your liking.
- Serve immediately or chill for later.
Notes
- If you buy about 28 ounces of fresh broccoli (1 ¾ pounds) you should get the required 6 cups of florets for this recipe.
- Check the ingredients before you buy your smoked almonds, in order to ensure that they're vegan.
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The smoked almonds were genius in this. They were an easy replacement for bacon, healthy and added a nice crunch. Thank you for the recipe.
Why soak red onion? Why not just use yellow onions which are sweeter,milder and taste better to begin with?
My husband asks me to make this at least once a week. He even wants it for his special birthday meal! I substitute craisins for raisins, but otherwise make it as directed. It is amazing! Thank you!
This was great! I blanched the broccoli because I don't like raw broccoli and it worked perfectly.