Homemade Vegetarian Broccoli Salad

If you ask me, a good broccoli salad is one of the best things you can bring to a potluck.

This vegetarian salad brings together crisp broccoli florets with a creamy, tangy dressing that keeps things interesting. The sweetness of dried cranberries plays nicely against crunchy almonds and pepitas.

Those nuts and seeds get tossed with tamari and maple syrup, then toasted until they’re golden and addictive. Red onion adds a sharp bite, while the dressing—made with mayo, apple cider vinegar, and dijon mustard—ties it all together.

It’s a crowd-pleasing side dish that works for picnics, barbecues, or just a regular weeknight dinner.

What Kind of Broccoli Should I Use?

Fresh broccoli is definitely the way to go for this salad – you want those crisp florets and crunchy stems that hold up well when tossed with dressing. Look for heads with tight, compact florets that are deep green in color, and avoid any that look yellowing or have flowers starting to open. You can use regular broccoli crowns from the grocery store, or if you find broccoli with longer stems at the farmers market, even better – those stems are totally edible and add great crunch when chopped up. Just give your broccoli a good rinse and make sure to dry it well before cutting, since excess water can make your salad watery.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Broccoli: While broccoli is the star here, you can mix in some cauliflower florets if you want to stretch the salad or add variety. Just keep the same total weight.
• Mayonnaise: If you’re looking for a lighter option, Greek yogurt works well as a substitute. You can also use vegan mayo to keep the salad plant-based.
• Apple cider vinegar: White wine vinegar or lemon juice will give you that same tangy kick if you’re out of apple cider vinegar.
• Cranberries: Dried cherries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots make great substitutes and add a similar sweet-tart flavor.
• Almonds and pepitas: Feel free to swap these with whatever nuts and seeds you have on hand – sunflower seeds, walnuts, or pecans all work nicely. Just keep the total amount around 1 cup.
• Tamari: Regular soy sauce works just fine here. If you need a gluten-free option and don’t have tamari, coconut aminos will do the trick.
• Maple syrup: Honey or agave nectar can replace the maple syrup in both the dressing and the nut mixture.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with broccoli salad is cutting the florets too large, which makes them hard to eat and prevents the dressing from coating evenly – aim for bite-sized pieces about the size of a quarter.

Another common error is adding the toasted nuts and seeds while they’re still hot, which can wilt the broccoli and make everything soggy, so always let them cool for the full 5 minutes first.

Don’t skip chopping the red onions finely, as large chunks can overpower the other flavors, and if you find raw onion too sharp, soak the pieces in cold water for 10 minutes before adding them to mellow out the bite.

Finally, this salad actually tastes better after sitting for 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge, giving the broccoli time to soften slightly and soak up all that tangy dressing.

What to Serve With Broccoli Salad?

This broccoli salad is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but it’s also perfect alongside grilled chicken, salmon, or your favorite protein for a complete lunch or dinner. I love serving it at summer barbecues next to burgers, hot dogs, or pulled pork sandwiches since it’s a fresher alternative to traditional mayo-heavy sides. It also pairs really well with grain bowls – just add some quinoa or farro underneath and maybe a fried egg on top for extra protein. If you’re packing it for lunch, throw it in a wrap with some hummus and chickpeas, or serve it on top of mixed greens for an even bigger salad.

Storage Instructions

Store: This broccoli salad keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The broccoli actually gets better as it sits and soaks up all that tangy dressing. Just give it a good toss before serving since the dressing might settle at the bottom.

Make Ahead: You can prep this salad a day or two in advance, which makes it perfect for potlucks or meal prep. If you want the almonds and pepitas to stay extra crunchy, store them separately and toss them in right before serving.

Serve: This salad is great served cold straight from the fridge. If you stored the nuts separately, just sprinkle them on top and give everything a quick mix before digging in.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1050
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 60-75 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1.25 lb broccoli (cut into small bite-sized florets)
• 3.5 tbsp olive oil (I prefer California Olive Ranch for the best taste)
• 3.5 tbsp mayonnaise (I always use Hellmann’s for extra creaminess)
• 1.75 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 0.3 tsp salt
• 0.33 cup red onions (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 0.33 cup dried cranberries
• 0.13 tsp black pepper

For the toasted topping:

• 0.5 cup almonds (slivered or roughly chopped)
• 0.5 cup pepitas
• 1 tbsp tamari (I recommend San-J for a rich, savory depth)
• 0.75 tsp maple syrup
• 0.25 tsp smoked paprika

Step 1: Prepare the Broccoli and Toast the Nuts and Seeds

• 1.25 lb broccoli
• 0.5 cup almonds
• 0.5 cup pepitas
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 0.75 tsp maple syrup
• 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
• 0.33 cup red onions

While preheating your oven to 350°F, cut the broccoli into small bite-sized florets—aim for uniform pieces so they’ll have the same texture in the final salad.

On a lined baking sheet, toss together the almonds, pepitas, tamari, maple syrup, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.

Place in the oven and toast for 10 to 14 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and fragrant.

I recommend checking them around the 10-minute mark since oven temperatures vary and you want them crunchy, not burnt.

While the nuts and seeds toast, dice the red onions into 1/4-inch pieces for consistent bites throughout the salad.

Step 2: Build the Creamy Dressing Base

• 3.5 tbsp olive oil
• 3.5 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1.75 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove
• 0.3 tsp salt
• 0.13 tsp black pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.

Whisk until the dressing is smooth and well-emulsified—this creates a cohesive base that will coat every piece of broccoli.

The combination of mayo and oil creates richness, while the vinegar and mustard provide brightness and tang.

I like to taste the dressing at this point and adjust the seasoning if needed before adding the vegetables.

Step 3: Combine Broccoli and Vegetables with Dressing

• broccoli florets from Step 1
• red onions from Step 1
• 0.33 cup dried cranberries
• creamy dressing base from Step 2

Add the prepared broccoli florets, diced red onions, and dried cranberries to the dressing in the bowl.

Gently toss everything together until the broccoli and vegetables are evenly coated with the creamy dressing.

Make sure to coat every piece so you get maximum flavor in each bite.

Step 4: Cool the Toasted Nuts and Seeds, Then Finish the Salad

• toasted nuts and seeds from Step 1
• broccoli salad from Step 3

Remove the nuts and seeds from the oven and spread them on the baking sheet to cool for about 5 minutes—this allows them to crisp up further as they cool.

Once cooled, add them to the broccoli salad and gently toss to combine.

The toasted nuts and seeds add crunch and a savory depth that contrasts beautifully with the creamy dressing and tender broccoli.

Homemade Vegetarian Broccoli Salad

Delicious Homemade Vegetarian Broccoli Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 975 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 1.25 lb broccoli (cut into small bite-sized florets)
• 3.5 tbsp olive oil (I prefer California Olive Ranch for the best taste)
• 3.5 tbsp mayonnaise (I always use Hellmann's for extra creaminess)
• 1.75 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 0.3 tsp salt
• 0.33 cup red onions (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 0.33 cup dried cranberries
• 0.13 tsp black pepper

For the toasted topping::

• 0.5 cup almonds (slivered or roughly chopped)
• 0.5 cup pepitas
• 1 tbsp tamari (I recommend San-J for a rich, savory depth)
• 0.75 tsp maple syrup
• 0.25 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

 

• While preheating your oven to 350°F, cut the broccoli into small bite-sized florets—aim for uniform pieces so they'll have the same texture in the final salad. On a lined baking sheet, toss together the almonds, pepitas, tamari, maple syrup, and smoked paprika until evenly coated. Place in the oven and toast for 10 to 14 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and fragrant. I recommend checking them around the 10-minute mark since oven temperatures vary and you want them crunchy, not burnt. While the nuts and seeds toast, dice the red onions into 1/4-inch pieces for consistent bites throughout the salad.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until the dressing is smooth and well-emulsified—this creates a cohesive base that will coat every piece of broccoli. The combination of mayo and oil creates richness, while the vinegar and mustard provide brightness and tang. I like to taste the dressing at this point and adjust the seasoning if needed before adding the vegetables.
• Add the prepared broccoli florets, diced red onions, and dried cranberries to the dressing in the bowl. Gently toss everything together until the broccoli and vegetables are evenly coated with the creamy dressing. Make sure to coat every piece so you get maximum flavor in each bite.
• Remove the nuts and seeds from the oven and spread them on the baking sheet to cool for about 5 minutes—this allows them to crisp up further as they cool. Once cooled, add them to the broccoli salad and gently toss to combine. The toasted nuts and seeds add crunch and a savory depth that contrasts beautifully with the creamy dressing and tender broccoli.