This easy vegan broccoli salad is a family favorite! Tossed with dried cranberries and a sweet balsamic vinaigrette it makes a perfect side dish to go with any meal!  Sweet and savory, it turns broccoli into a treat!  Even my kids eat bowl after bowl of this salad and ask for more!

A top view of a bowl of broccoli salad with broccoli slaw and cranberries.

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This salad uses broccoli slaw which is just broccoli stalks cut into skinny long strips similar to how cabbage is cut for coleslaw.  Most grocery stores sell it ready-to-eat in bags.  It comes already washed, cut, and ready to make into a salad, so it makes this broccoli salad incredibly quick and easy to whip up for a side with any meal. 

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s quick and easy to make in minutes.
  • A package of broccoli slaw will keep well in the fridge for about a week, so you can always keep some on hand.
  • The salad stays crispy and delicious in the fridge for hours, so you can make it up ahead of time and it works great for picnics and potlucks.
  • It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free so everyone can enjoy it!
A white bowl filled with broccoli slaw salad with a fork in front and a red tea towel behind it.

Ingredients and substitution

For the salad

  • Broccoli Slaw – I like to use the prechopped bags, but you can also easily make your own by shredding your leftover broccoli stalks.
  • Broccoli Florets – chopped small to add some color and texture to your salad. (optional)
  • Pine Nuts – for a little crunch. You can also use sunflower seeds (optional)

For the dressing

  • Light Olive Oil – or any other neutral-flavored oil. Extra virgin olive oil is too strong of a flavor.
  • Balsamic Vinegar – this is an important flavor in the dressing. I don’t recommend any other type of vinegar.
  • Maple Syrup – for a little sweetness. You can swap it out for any liquid sweetener that you want, like agave nectar or vegan honey.
  • Yellow Mustard – or any type of mustard that you like.
  • Sea Salt – for flavor.

How to make broccoli slaw salad

Step 1 – Start by making a dressing with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and salt in the bottom of a salad bowl.

Step 2 – Wisk up all the dressing ingredients and toss in the dried cranberries allowing them to soak up the dressing for a few minutes.

Step 3 – Next, dump in a bag of broccoli slaw and stir it all up!  (You can also cut up some additional broccoli florets to give it added texture and color if you choose).

Step 4 – Finally, top it with some pine nuts or sunflower seeds for an added little crunch, and enjoy!

A collage of 4 images showing the process of making the maple dressing, adding cranberries and broccoli slaw to make a vegan broccoli salad.

Pro Tips

  • Allow the salad to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the broccoli to release its liquid and marinate in the dressing before serving.
  • It may seem like there is not enough dressing at first, but the broccoli will release its juices after it sits for a few minutes in the dressing.
  • I always keep a bag of broccoli slaw in the fridge for those nights when we need a quick veggie on the side.  The bags keep for about a week, so they work great to have on hand.

Storage

One of the things that’s great about this salad is that it stays fresh and crisp for hours. It’s great to make for a dinner party or picnic since you can make it up a few hours ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.

It will stay good in the fridge for up to 48 hours, but it starts to get a little soggy after about 5-6 hours in the fridge.

How to shred broccoli slaw

You can chop up your own broccoli stalks into tiny pieces if you choose.  It is a great way to use up the whole stems of the broccoli if you have used the florets already and have leftover stems.

Simply use a peeler to peel off any hard outer edges and cut or grate the stems into small strips.  If you have a food processor or salad shooter that cuts into small shreds, it will save you a ton of cutting time!

A white bowl filled with vegan broccoli salad with cranberries and shredded carrots.

More vegan salads

Vegan broccoli salad recipe

A bowl of vegan broccoli salad with cranberries with a fork on the side.
Diet
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5 from 7 rating

Vegan Broccoli Salad

Yield: 4
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A simple vegan broccoli salad with cranberries made with broccoli slaw and a maple balsamic dressing.
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Ingredients

For the dressing

  • 2 tablespoons light olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the salad

  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 (12 oz.) bag broccoli slaw
  • 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped small (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts, or sunflower seeds (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Measure out all of the ingredients for the dressing in a medium-sized salad bowl and stir with a fork or whisk until well mixed.
  • Add dried cranberries and let them soak up the dressing for a few minutes.
  • Add the bag of broccoli slaw (and chopped florets if desired) to the dressing and cranberries and stir well.
  • Top with pine nuts or sunflower seeds. (optional -leave out for nut-free option)

Notes

  • Nutrition facts are calculated without nuts or seeds.
  • It may seem like there is not enough dressing at first, but the broccoli will release its juices after it sits for a few minutes in the dressing.
  • Serve immediately or within 6 hours to avoid it getting too soggy. 
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 150kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 182mg, Potassium: 379mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 480IU, Vitamin C: 99.5mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!

*This broccoli salad recipe was first published on June 26, 2018. It was updated on February 23, 2021 to include new images and more detailed instructions.

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