This vegan broccoli cranberry salad recipe is a delicious salad for lunch, dinner, or a holiday side dish. It's fresh, healthy, and delicious with a lightly creamy, tangy dressing. Make this cranberry broccoli salad recipe in under 15 minutes. And it lasts all week long in the refrigerator.

I love broccoli! And this vegan broccoli cranberry salad checks all my favorite things boxes! Sweet dried cranberries, crispy apples, tangy red onions, and a delicious combination of ingredients are in every bite. The dressing is smokey, creamy, and sweet! YUM!
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Not all salads are created equally. This vegan broccoli cranberry salad tastes incredible as a side dish, lunch, dinner, or the perfect salad for a potluck or holiday dinner. And you can make this cranberry broccoli salad in under 15 minutes! What's not to love about that?
Broccoli Cranberry Salad Ingredients
- Broccoli: I love broccoli, but I don't like it raw. Instead, I steam it slightly, softening it a little without cooking it all through.
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas give the broccoli cranberry salad texture and additional protein.
- Honey Crisp Apples: I prefer honey crisp apples, with the skins on, for both color and sweet flavor.
- Celery: The celery adds a freshness as well as a crunchy texture.
- Red Onion: Red onion is strong in flavor and enhances the flavors in the salad, giving it incredible flavor.
- Dried Cranberries: Dried cranberries add another sweet dimension to the salad.
- Pepitas: Pepitas are pumpkin seeds and add texture to the salad recipe.
- Raw Walnuts: Raw walnuts add texture and an earthy flavor to the cranberry broccoli salad.
- Cashew Mayo: Cashew Mayo is the base of the broccoli cranberry salad dressing.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is used as a natural sweetener.
- Lemon Juice: I prefer fresh lemon juice whenever possible. It gives the salad freshness.
- Liquid Smoke: I chose hickory-flavored liquid smoke.
Broccoli Cranberry Salad Ingredient Substitutions
- Cauliflower is an excellent substitute for broccoli.
- Instead of chickpeas, white beans work well as a substitute.
- Any sweet apples can be substituted for honey crisp apples. Or, for a sour apple flavor, choose green apples.
- Fennel is often used as a substitute for celery. However, fennel has a slight licorice flavor.
- Green onions are a substitute for red onion for those who prefer a lighter onion presence.
- Dried cherries are a great alternative for dried cranberries.
- Use sunflower seeds in place of pepitos.
- Pecans taste fabulous with these ingredients if you don't have walnuts.
- Choose any vegan mayo, or substitute cashew mayo with plain vegan yogurt.
- Date syrup is often used to replace maple syrup.
- Bottled lemon juice substitutes fresh lemon juice in recipes.
- Smoked paprika is an excellent substitute for liquid smoke.
How to Make Broccoli Cranberry Salad
Since I don't like raw broccoli, I decided to steam it for half the time to cook it slightly, but not all the way through.
- Using a vegetable steamer, steam the broccoli for 3-4 minutes (half the time required to cook the broccoli all the way through).
- Or, boil a pot of water with a teaspoon of salt, add the broccoli, and cook for 1 ½ minutes. Drain and allow to cool in the colander.
- In the meantime, make the dressing.
- Whisk the cashew mayo, lemon juice, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and liquid smoke. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
- Pour the dressing over the top of the salad.
- Toss to combine.
- Cover and allow the salad to chill for about an hour before serving.
- Stir before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Broccoli is an excellent source of antioxidants and may enhance your health by reducing inflammation, improving blood sugar control, boosting immunity, and promoting heart health. It is high in fiber, vitamins C and K, iron, and potassium.
As well as being a low-calorie source of dietary fiber, broccoli may be good for the brain. Broccoli is rich in compounds called glucosinolates. When the body breaks these down, it produces isothiocyanate.
Gram for gram, the stems contain slightly more calcium, iron, and Vitamin C. No seriously. The dark green florets only provide more Vitamin A.
Tips
- Serve the broccoli raw if you prefer. You can also blanch the broccoli and cool in cold water and ice, and add it to the salad when chilled.
- Skip the walnuts and make the dressing with vegan plain yogurt instead of cashew mayo for a nut-free option.
- If you don't like apples, try red grapes cut in half.
- Use a vegetable chopper to expedite chopping the vegetables.
- Broccoli cranberry salad stays fresh for 5 days in the refrigerator.
This broccoli cranberry salad recipe is a delicious side dish, lunch or dinner salad the whole family will love.
More Vegan Recipes to Try!
If you love this cranberry broccoli salad recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you.
📖 Recipe
Broccoli Cranberry Salad
Ingredients
- 3 crowns broccoli cut into equal sized florets
- 1 small red onion diced
- 4 ribs celery diced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 Homey Crisp apples cored and diced
- ½ cup cashew mayo or plain vegan yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke I used hickory flavor
Instructions
- Using a vegetable steamer, steam the broccoli for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the steamer and allow to cook.
- Or, boil a pot of water with a teaspoon of salt, add the broccoli, and cook for 1 ½ minutes. Drain and allow to cool in the colander.
- In the meantime, make the dressing.
- Whisk the cashew mayo, lemon juice, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and liquid smoke. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
- Pour the dressing over the top of the salad.
- Toss to combine.
- Cover and allow the salad to chill for about an hour before serving.
- Stir before serving.
Video
Notes
- Serve the broccoli raw if you prefer. You can also blanch the broccoli and cool in cold water and ice, and add it to the salad when chilled.
- Skip the walnuts and make the dressing with vegan plain yogurt instead of cashew mayo for a nut-free option.
- If you don't like apples, try red grapes cut in half.
- Use a vegetable chopper to expedite chopping the vegetables.
- Broccoli cranberry salad stays fresh for 5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Lorraine
This salad is one of my favourites!!
Could you tell me what kind of steamer you gave?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Lorraine, I have a Hamilton Beach Digital Electric Food Steamer. Here is a link https://amzn.to/4eXbQFw
Victoria
Any combination of these ingredients in any amount cut up anyway you want will work, because the secret is in the sauce! This dressing is spectacular with this combo and probably with just about anything.
Bravo Kathy!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Victoria, the secret is always in the sauce. I love sauces and dressings. This dressing is also good in pasta salad and a regular green salad. I'm so glad you liked it. Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe. I appreciate the feedback.
Chris
About to make it for second time. Cooked broccoli a bit too soft first time so will try 1 1/2 mins and raw together this time. Lasted me three lunches
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Chris, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. It's all up to you how much you like the broccoli cooked.