This healthy broccoli salad is fresh, tasty and crunchy......topped off by a lush creamy dressing.
No mayo and dairy-free this salad is a healthier version of your traditional broccoli salad but still tastes delicious! This broccoli salad is Paleo, Whole30, and Vegan.
I love easy to make, healthy salads. Fresh broccoli, creamy avocado, dried blackcurrants, crunchy sunflower seeds topped off by a creamy cashew dressing make this broccoli salad one to enjoy again and again!
Why you will love this salad:
- It is lovely and crunchy! It has the perfect amount of crunch from the broccoli and sunflower seeds.
- The currants give this salad a natural sweetness which is just right - not too sweet.
- The creamy goodness from the avocado and creamy cashew dressing tops the salad off nicely and tastes sooo good! You won't know that this salad is dairy-free or miss the mayo.
- This healthy broccoli salad makes a great side for dinner or to take to a potluck or enjoy as-is for a healthy lunch.
- Packed full of plant-based goodness this salad is a great way to get your greens in!
A few simple ingredients are thrown together in a bowl but all mixed together they taste delicious!
Broccoli is one of my favourite vegetables, it not only tastes great but it is a good dairy-free source of calcium and a good source of vitamins C and K (source).
Additional Recipe Tips
This broccoli salad works best with either steaming or blanching the broccoli. Steaming the broccoli preserves the nutrients in the broccoli the best. Blanching is another quick-cooking option that only slightly cooks the broccoli, this preserves its crunchiness and by plunging it into icy water you can preserve the bright green colour.
How to steam Broccoli:
In a saucepan bring a couple of inches of water to the boil. Insert a steamer basket over the top of the water making sure the water does not seep through. Add the broccoli florets and cover with a lid.
Turn down to a medium heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the broccoli is only slightly tender and still has its bright green colour. For this salad I like it to be quite crunchy so if you prefer the broccoli to be more tender cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
How to blanch Broccoli:
Get a bowl, fill with cold water and add a handful of ice. Fill a pot with water, bring to the boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 1.5 - 2minutes until only very slightly tender.
Remove the broccoli, drain the boiling water and plunge the florets immediately into the bowl of iced water. This halts the cooking process. Drain when you ready to use the broccoli.
For other tasty salad recipes you may like to try:
Beetroot, Avocado & Quinoa Salad with Spiced Walnuts & Mint
Sweet Potato & Feta Salad with Pomegranate & Pecans
For more tasty recipes and to see what I’ve been getting up to you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter.
If you make this healthy broccoli salad, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me #lovefoodnourish on Instagram – I love seeing your creations! Hope
(This recipe for healthy broccoli salad was first published on Love Food Nourish in January 2019)
Healthy Broccoli Salad (Vegan – No Mayo)
Healthy Broccoli Salad with a Creamy Dairy Free Dressing
Ingredients
Broccoli salad
- 1 cup broccoli cut into florets
- ½ red onion, diced
- ½ cup dried blackcurrants
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ avocado chopped into small chunks
Creamy Cashew "Cheesy" Dressing
- ½ cup raw cashews *soaked
- 2 Tbspn water - Add more to get thinner consistency if desired
- 1 Tbspn almond milk unsweetened
- 1 Tbspn olive oil
- 1 Tbspn lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tspn nutritional yeast
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add cashew nuts to a bowl and enough warm water to cover them, cover bowl and let them sit for 10 minutes while you make the rest of the salad. Alternatively you can use cashews that you have soaked overnight.
- In a saucepan bring a couple of inches of water to the boil. Insert a steamer basket over the top of the water making sure the water does not seep through. Add the broccoli florets and cover with a lid. Turn down to a medium heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the broccoli is only slightly tender and still bright green. Remove and set aside.
- Add the broccoli and all of the ingredients for the salad into a large salad bowl.
- Make the cashew dressing. Add the soaked cashews and the remainder of the ingredients into a high speed blender and blitz until smooth. If it is too thick add more water to get the consistency you desire. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through the all the ingredients until they are all mixed up and have an even coating of dressing through the salad. You may have some dressing leftover, if so store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Notes
For further information on blanching or steaming broccoli for this salad please see the additional notes in the blog post.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 184Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 2gSodium 140mgCarbohydrates 9gSugar 1gProtein 5g
This nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy to readers. It was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed in the recipe card. Please feel free to use your preferred nutrition calculator. Please consult your doctor about any specific dietary requirements.
