If you’re looking for a vibrant, nutrient-packed salad that comes together quickly and pleases everyone at the table, this Easy Broccoli Salad is for you. It’s full of crunchy veggies, sweet fruit, and a creamy, tangy dressing — all without any nuts, oil or dairy. Perfect as a side dish for potlucks, picnics, or weeknight dinners!
Below you’ll find the full recipe, along with some simple substitutions and the many health benefits of the wholesome ingredients.
🌟 Health Benefits of the Ingredients
- Broccoli: Rich in vitamin C, fiber, and powerful antioxidants like sulforaphane, which supports immune health and may help reduce inflammation.
- Apple: Adds natural sweetness and fiber, and provides flavonoids that support heart health.
- Red Onion: Contains quercetin, an antioxidant that may help lower blood pressure and improve circulation.
- Sunflower & Pumpkin Seeds: Excellent sources of healthy fats, protein, magnesium, and zinc — great for energy and immune support.
- Silken Tofu: A creamy, plant-based source of protein, calcium, and iron, while keeping the dressing dairy-free and low in fat.
- Date Sugar: A natural sweetener that retains the fiber and minerals from whole dates.
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🔄 Easy Substitutions
- Swap the apple for 1 cup green or red grapes, or use a mix of both for color and sweetness. Use an apple and some grapes. So many possibilities.
- Prefer dried fruit? Use ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries (craisins) instead of fresh fruit.
- If you don’t have sunflower or pumpkin seeds, try slivered almonds for a nutty crunch. Toast them for even more flavor.
- Date Sugar – your preferred sweetener, or 1 pitted date or 1 Tbsp raisins
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For the salad dressing I use the shelf stable Mori-Nu Silken Tofu. There are some brands of silken tofu that are refrigerated so be sure to check that section of your grocery store as well as the ethnic food aisle for a shelf stable silken tofu.
🥗 Tofu Substitutes for the Dressing:
I have not tried these substitutions but am providing them as a reasonable substitute for the tofu. You may have to adjust quantities to achieve the consistency desired.
✅ White beans (like cannellini or navy beans) — about 1½ to 2 cups cooked beans. They make a creamy, mild base that blends well and keeps the dressing high in protein and fiber.
✅ Soaked raw cashews — about ¾ to 1 cup, soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) and then blended with 3/4 cup water to make a creamy sauce. This will give a richer, slightly sweeter taste. Add more water if too thick.
✅ Plain, unsweetened yogurt — use about 1½ cups This option adds a little tang and creaminess, and if you choose a almond, cashew or coconut based yogurt it will be soy free.
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Notes:
- If using beans, you might need to add 2–4 tablespoons of water to reach the desired creamy consistency.
- Cashews will make the dressing higher in fat compared to tofu or beans.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, since beans and cashews are less tangy than tofu — you might want an extra splash of vinegar or lemon.
- This salad dressing is also excellent for coleslaw.
This salad is as versatile as it is nutritious — and it only gets better after chilling in the fridge as the flavors meld. Enjoy it as a light lunch, a side dish, or even a hearty snack! Try the dressing for your next bowl of coleslaw. The salad is good for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
If you try this recipe, let me know how you liked it, and feel free to share your favorite variations in the comments below. Please give it a star rating which is located in the comment section.
I have 2 of these casserole dishes, they go with any table setting and can go from oven to table.
Easy Broccoli Salad – Creamy, Crunchy and Delicious!
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium bowl, mix together the broccoli, diced apple, red onion, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
- In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients and process until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust: add more vinegar for tanginess, or more date sugar for sweetness.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and stir well to coat everything evenly.
- Chill until ready to serve. It should last 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
Easy Substitutions
- Swap the apple for 1 cup green or red grapes, or use a mix of both for color and sweetness.
- Prefer dried fruit? Use ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries (craisins) instead of fresh fruit.
- If you don’t have sunflower or pumpkin seeds, try slivered almonds for a nutty crunch.
- This salad is as versatile as it is nutritious — and it only gets better after chilling in the fridge as the flavors meld. Enjoy it as a light lunch, a side dish, or even a hearty snack!
-
🥗 Tofu Substitutes for the Dressing:
- I have not tried these substitutions but am providing them as a reasonable substitute for the tofu. You may have to adjust quantities to achieve the consistency desired.
✅ White beans (like cannellini or navy beans) — about 1½ to 2 cups cooked beans. They make a creamy, mild base that blends well and keeps the dressing high in protein and fiber.
✅ Soaked raw cashews — about ¾ to 1 cup, soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) and then blended with water to make a creamy sauce. This will give a richer, slightly sweeter taste.
✅ Plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt — use about 1½–2 cups. This option adds a little tang and creaminess, and it’s also soy-free.Notes:
- If using beans or cashews, you might need to add 2–4 tablespoons of water to reach the desired creamy consistency.
- Cashews will make the dressing higher in fat compared to tofu or beans.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, since beans and cashews are less tangy than tofu — you might want an extra splash of vinegar or lemon.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
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Hi, Tami, another awesome recipe. Thank you *so* much for sharing!! It’s been such a hot summer that this salad immediately caught my attention. I did make some mods based on what I had on hand: 1. Trader Joe’s silken tofu (a 16oz pkg, so I just halved it to have enough for another recipe) and the consistency was fine, 2. agave nectar (~3/4 TBS), and since I wanted it to be more of a stand alone dish, I added canned garbanzo beans. Like so many of your recipes, this really lends itself to modifications. When I make this again, I’m thinking I might add some sliced black olives, and Persian cucumber slices. I also think your suggestion to sub sliced grapes for the apple would be great and will do that next time as well. Your recipes are so forgiving and adaptable. Love it!
Hi Lynn, I love that you added garbanzo beans to make it a meal instead of just a salad! It’s so much fun to tweak recipes and change them depending on what we are in the mood for or what we have on hand! Thank you for the review!