Vegan Broccoli Salad- Chopped broccoli florets, matchstick broccoli stems, sweet apple pieces, red onion, raisins, and sunflower seeds are tossed in a sweet yet tangy dressing made with apple cider vinegar and maple syrup. This salad is fresh, simple to make, and surprisingly delicious!
Whether there is an Apple Hill or an Apple Valley around your home - get going! You can pick your own or buy a bushel.
Well, okay. The grocery store and farmer's markets are full of apples too so it is all good.
I never met an apple I didn't like. Especially fresh off a tree. We were lucky enough to live down the street from Apple Hill in Placerville, California.
If you know the area and Snows Rd. then you know what I mean by down the street. Long, steep, narrow and windy but there we were. Close to the very end.
Even though I had four apple trees in my yard I still bought a couple of bushels of two different varieties from my favorite farmer.
He lived at the top of the hill and had a much smaller farm than the ones that were mapped out for the visitors. I canned like crazy back then.
This vegetable and fruit salad can be made with your favorite apple although Granny Smith is probably too tart.
I used Gala for this apple broccoli salad but believe me there are so many great ones out there.
cropped black and white bowl filled with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Of course, broccoli always seems to be around but its true growing season is in the cooler weather.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
For The Salad:
Broccoli - gives a great crunch and taste along with major health benefits.
apples - are fruity sweet and are the perfect flavor compliment.
red onion - is milder and sweeter than any other onion when eaten fresh.
raisins - are also sweet but there aren't too many of them so the balance is just right.
sunflower seeds - aren't used enough and they give extra taste and are even high in protein.
For The Dressing:
apple cider vinegar - is super healthy and the flavor is even better than red wine vinegar.
extra virgin olive oil - balances out the acidity of the vinegar.
garlic - adds a pungent seasoning for depth.
maple syrup - just goes so well with a mixed veggie and fruit salad.
salt and pepper - seems to be a seasoning necessity in almost every recipe in existence.
How To Make Apple Broccoli Salad At Home
To make homemade broccoli salad, you'll want to break the process down into two parts, the salad and the dressing for the salad.
Wash your broccoli under running water, cut the florets from the stalks, and set the stalks aside. Cut the florets into small pieces and place them into a large bowl.
Cut the hard outer skin off for the stems to get to the more tender inside and discard the skin. Cut the inner stems into matchstick-like pieces. Add the matchstick broccoli pieces to the large bowl. Dice your red onion and apples and add them to the bowl with the broccoli, raisins, and sunflower seeds.
Now it's time to make the dressing. Add all the dressing ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Once the dressing is mixed well, pour it over the broccoli apple salad, and toss it, coating everything evenly.
Chill the broccoli salad in the refrigerator until it is ready to serve.
How to pare broccoli stems
Fresh broccoli is easy to prepare. It's just a matter of cutting with a knife.
People often wonder if they eat the steams. Yes, you do but after cutting away the hard outer part.
First, cut the stem off close to the florets.
Then stand it on it's cut end or lay it on its side. Cut far into the stem until you get to the lighter pale green insides.
Roll on it's just cut side and repeat the cut. Do this for the whole stem and you're left with the tender inside the stem.
Slice the stem thinly as in julienne and then cut into shorter strips. Done.
Now cut close to the base for each floret. Cut those florets into smaller clumps for this salad. You can see none of them are very big.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
While this sweet and tangy salad is delicious as written, there are a few substitutions and additions you could make.
Nuts- If you don't have sunflower seeds on hand or are looking for a different flavor, try using chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans. You could also use roasted peanuts for a bit of a salty crunch.
Fruit- I like the sweetness that apples add to this salad, but if you don't have apples, you could use pears, grapes, or mandarin oranges.
Veggies- You could also add in other chopped veggies such as carrots, celery, or radishes.
Cheese- For a great cheesy flavor, add vegan crumbled feta cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, or sprinkle on some nutritional yeast.
How To Reheat & Store Broccoli Apple Salad
This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Broccoli apple salad is best served cold or at room temperature when you're ready to eat it; give it a good stir and enjoy!
FAQ
Can I freeze homemade vegan broccoli salad?
I do not recommend freezing this salad as the broccoli will get mushy when thawed. If you have leftover broccoli that you won't be able to eat within a few days, I suggest chopping it up and storing it in the freezer so you can use it for other recipes like stir fry or soup.
📋 Recipe
Vegan Apple Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 4 cups broccoli cut up and shredded (about 2 medium heads)
- 3 apples of your choice, diced right before you add them to the salad, I used Gala
- ¼ cup onion red, diced
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup sunflower seeds shelled
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup you could use up to 2 tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
To prepare the salad:
- Wash broccoli under running water. Cut the florets from the stalks and set the stalks aside.
- Cut the florets into very small pieces. See the photo for a visual. Place in a large bowl.
- Cut the hard outer skin off of the stems to get down to the tender inside. Discard the outer peelings.
- Cut the tender inside stems into matchsticks. Or if you have a mandolin that would work well too. If your food processor has an attachment that will cut the stems into long strips (not grated) then that would work also. Scissors work too. The idea is to have very small sticks of raw broccoli stems. They will hold their shape.
- Add to the large bowl along with the florets. Add the apples, red onion, raisins and sunflower seeds.
To make the dressing:
- In a medium bowl whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
- Add the dressing to the salad and toss. Chill until ready to serve.
Ginny McMeans
Ahhhh Valentina, thank you for all those kind words!
Susan
This salad is so delicious!!! Great for fall when apples are in season. I used half of the oil that the recipe called for and it turned out perfect!
Ginny McMeans
That is wonderful Susan! I'm glad that the change turned out so well. Thanks for letting me know!
Margaret
What can I use instead of the cider vinegar?
Ginny McMeans
2 tablespoons lemon juice and two tablespoons dry white wine would be good Margaret. All lemon juice might be too strong.
Lindsay
I love our Apple Hill! This looks so tasty.
Angela
I just made this and it turned out delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe! I made a couple adjustments: I added celery and instead of red onion I just minced more garlic. I also chopped up some almonds instead of the sunflower seeds, and didn’t use quite as much maple syrup considering there was plenty of sweetness from the apples and raisins. So happy with how it turned out, thanks again!
Sandy
How far ahead can you make this.
Ginny McMeans
My hesitation for saying how far you can make it ahead of time is because of the apples. They would keep but if they aren't covered very well with the dressing they will turn brownish. If it works for you, you can make it up to three days ahead and add the apple the day of serving. That would be safer to keep the salad looking much prettier Sandy.
Kimberly Berry
Why couldn’t you put apples in lemon or lime juice to keep from turning brown? Just briefly dip them in it.
Ginny McMeans
You certainly can Kimberly. That's very commonly used with apples. I just didn't want either of those flavors in this salad so it isn't mentioned. I think the recipe is better without and makes the dressing flavor more unique.
Teresa Jesionowski
I really like this salad. Thank you so much. I have made it twice now. I omit the oil from the dressing--but that's just me. It is so delicious and so cool in the summer. Thanks again.
Ginny McMeans
That is great Teresa and thank you so much for telling me. I am so glad you are enjoying it!
Gail Kennedy
The Vegan Apple Broccoli Salad was FABULOUS, EXCELLENT. Keep salad recipes coming please. Need a special listing for them. Looking forward to more.
Ginny McMeans
Thank you so much Gail, I made a salad category and put it on the recipes page. Click on recipes on the menu and you'll find it alphabetically.
Shelly
Thanks for the recipe. I made this and it was delicious. My sunflower seeds had gone bad so I substituted sliced almonds. They worked perfectly. Thanks again.
Marguerite Shaw
I made this today, delish!
I blanched broccoli & sautéed onions since I have a hard time digesting raw veggies.
Turned out great!
Steven
Thank you for this recipe. I tried making it and everybody loved it!
Ginny McMeans
That is very wonderful and you are very welcome Steven.
Tammy
How does this salad hold up the following day?
Ginny McMeans
Excellent Tammy! It's perfect for about 3 to 4 days. We've never had it that long but the dressing should keep the apples from turning.
Emily Marchant
Wow, so yummy! I made a 1/2 batch just to see if hubby and I liked it and we will be making a full batch next time! He also wants to take it to all of our family get-togethers as our side dish! We didn't have red onion on hand, so subbed green (spring) onion and it was great!
Ginny McMeans
That is fantastic Emily! I am so happy and I am really glad it's becoming a family tradition!
Jeanette Harrison
MY family just ate every bite of Your salad. Great recipe. WELL HAVE IT MANY TIMES. THANK YOU
Carina Keller
I had to prepare NO COOK MEALS THIS WEEK AS MY STOVE IS OUT. So happy for this challenge as I came across this recipe. It's so delicious! The only thing I changed was I used the cruciferous crunch collection (bagged salad) from Trader Joe's, in place of the broccoli and some golden raisins.
brown
thankyou it so easy^^
JodiB
I am eager to make this, looks so much more appetizing than other broccoli salads I have seen. Two questions, at the end of the video it looks like you pour more dressing on the salad?? Is that just for the video or do you recommend that? And about how many servings is this recipe?
Ginny McMeans
Thanks Jodi! Yes, the extra dressing at the end is just for the video. It serves 6 people. Just follow the directions from the recipe card and not the video and you can't go wrong.
Jennifer
I made this and it is one of the bests I have tasted. Very refreshing and actually I couldn’t stop taste testing it before I put it in the refrigerator. Something so simple but good. Thanks for the recipe!
Jeanne
Made this for one! Used cranraisins cause thats what I had but it is awesome!!!!! Delicious!
Kayla
This was so good! Everyone loved it! Thank you for the recipe !
Kalya
So heath and yummy
Julie
I lovef this salad! It has just the right amount of sweet & tangy. My husband is very picky, but he liked it! It stays crisp the second day, which is a bonus. A definite keeper!:-)
Khrystyna Landry
Will the apples keep for a few days?
Ginny McMeans
Yes, they will Khrystyna. The dressing helps to keep them white and crisp.
Kim
Absolutely delicious. I've made this four times in two months because we have broccoli in the garden. Thanks so much for this recipe.
MaruManion
I loved this recipe!!!, my daughter took it to her first day of school today and it made her day happier too!!!, thank you for sharing your recipe ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Miroslava
This is very good!!! You can use orange insted apple too.
Malina Owens
I noticed one person omitted the oil which is what I would do. Would I need to double the rest of the dressing ingredients to compensate?
Ginny McMeans
Probably Malina. I think it would need more if the oil was omitted.
Andrea
This might be my new favorite summertime cookout dish to share! I'm always looking for recipes that can stand to be out of the fridge for a little while. Also...love using the broccoli stems! The dressing was a perfect tangy sweet (though I did slightly reduce the oil and increase the vinegar to 1/3c of each as I'm watching my macros and I'd rather have extra sunflower seeds than extra oil). Thanks for a delicious combination of fresh flavors!
Ada
What can I substitute with apple cider vinegar?
Ginny McMeans
A white wine vinegar will work very well Ada. Tarragon vinegar would be very good too.
Emily
I took an improvisation approach, and had a great time concocting a modified version of your great recipe. I used raw broccoli and cauliflower, a golden delicious apple, dates instead of raisins, a scallion instead of red onion. It was a big hit! I will definitely make it again. I like that it lends itself to improvising, and being able to use what's on hand.
Susan Ochoa
I'm making this for my church potluck tomorrow but I have a question. Will the apples brown if I put the salad together today and keep sealed in fridge?
Josie
So Emily, you gave your recipe 5 stars.
Ginny McMeans
They might be ok for a day if you put them in an airtight container. I'd probably try and add apples the day off if at all possible.
Maggie
Just put this together to have for dinner later. It looks so good. I’ve topped with walnut pieces instead of sunflower seeds. I have been trying to up my vegetable intake the past month and this dish will truly satisfy.
Ginette
From a husband who really doesn't like salads.. "OMG! This is absolutely delicious! I really like this! Put it on our rotation!" Yay!
Dianne
Loved this salad. Subbed the maple syrup with Agave Nectar and added sliced almonds to the salad.👌