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Creamy and dairy-free this Vegan Broccoli Salad with onion, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds is a healthy take on the original. Perfect for picnics, a casual side dish at BBQs, and more!

When I hear people say they don’t like broccoli I tend to give them the side eye! Everyone in my family LOVES broccoli! We enjoy it steamed with a drizzle of sauce, roasted, and raw!

My kids likely eat broccoli a few times a week, so when my husband hits Costco he always comes home with a HUGE bag of broccoli. Usually he gets frozen broccoli as it’s easiest to store, and the kids enjoy steamed broccoli the most, but on his last trip he came home with gigantic bag or organic fresh broccoli florets.

Inspired to make something different than our usual dishes, I created this Vegan Broccoli Salad using ingredients I had in my pantry and fridge.

Most broccoli salads use mayonnaise and sour cream to create a creamy dressing. I didn’t have either, but I did have plain unsweetened coconut milk yogurt!

With the added spices and flavors the coconut yogurt is savory and creamy creating an out of this world dressing. It’s also healthier and less processed than vegan mayo.

The kids weren’t sure about the raw broccoli, but they gave it a try. Cutting the florets into smaller pieces works best for the kids. The husband thought it was great and ate it for lunch and dinner!

broccoli salad topped with cranberries onion, and pumpkin seeds

Why You’ll Love this Vegan Broccoli Salad…

Quick and Easy Recipe
A few simple ingredients
Healthy and filling
Perfect for Summer Picnics and BBQs
Gluten-Free and Dairy Free
Vegetarian and Vegan
Oil-Free
Whole Food Plant-Based Ingredients

Ingredients You’ll Need

raw broccoli, onion, cranberries, yogurt, salt, pepper maple syrup in bowls

Before you get started you’ll need the following ingredients. Then scroll down to the recipe card for complete measurements, and instructions, including a free printable version of the recipe you can bring with you to the store!

For the Salad:

Raw broccoli florets
Dried cranberries
Pumpkin Seeds or Sunflower Seeds
Red Onion

For the Dressing:

Plain Unsweetened Coconut Milk Yogurt (Dairy Free)
White Wine Vinegar
Maple Syrup
Salt
Pepper

Tools and Equipment You’ll Need

To help you get your kitchen prepped to prepare your salad you’ll need the following…

How to Make Vegan Broccoli Salad – Step by Step

Step 1: Chop broccoli into small florets. Dice onion. In a large bowl combine broccoli, onion, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds.

broccoli, pumpkin seeds, onion, and cranberries in bowl

Step 2: Make the dressing. In a small bowl whisk together coconut milk yogurt, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and white wine vinegar.

Step 3: Pour yogurt dressing over broccoli. Fold until well combined and dressing covers all of the broccoli florets. Serve immediately or allow to marinate for an hour to meld the flavors together.

Do you steam broccoli for broccoli salad?

If you do not like raw broccoli you can add an additional step by blanching the broccoli for 1-2 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli by placing it in a wire basket and lowering it into the boiling water. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Remove from boiling water and immerse broccoli in an ice bath for 1-2 minutes.

Pat dry with a dish towel, and continue with the recipe.

Top Tips for Making the Perfect Vegan Broccoli Salad

It’s easiest if you used pre trimmed broccoli. I cut the broccoli into even smaller florets to make them bite sized.
Use a dairy free plain unsweetened yogurt for the dressing. You do not want a flavored yogurt.
If you do not like raw broccoli blanch the broccoli first. Pat dry of an excess water before combining with the other ingredients.
Blanch the broccoli before prepping the salad if you don’t like raw broccoli.

Variations

No Dairy Free Yogurt-If you do not have dairy free yogurt you can use ¼ cup of vegan mayonnaise and ¼ cup of vegan sour cream. I have to say that I prefer the yogurt. It’s more natural than the others, and less heavy.
No Cranberries-Use raisins, currants, or even dried cherries.
No Pumpkin Seeds-Use sunflower seeds, or chopped walnuts for texture and crunch.

How to Serve and Keep

I suggest serving this dish at picnics, BBQs, or a side dish for a laid pack dinner or lunch. Pairs nicely with black bean quinoa burgers. I added these vegan chorizo crumbles on top of this salad to create a heartier main dish salad. The crumbles mimic bacon bits which are common in traditional broccoli salads.

Keep leftovers in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

overhead of broccoli salad in serving bowl

Check out these other healthy salad recipes!

If you’ve tried this Vegan Broccoli Salad recipe, please rate it and let me know how it turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!

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