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Broccoli kale crunch salad with crisp apples, dried cranberries, walnuts, almonds, red cabbage and vegan coleslaw dressing.

Broccoli Kale Crunch Salad with Vegan Coleslaw Dressing

This Broccoli Kale Crunch Salad with Vegan Coleslaw Dressing is colourful, crisp and full of texture. Fresh broccoli and kale are tossed with crunchy broccoli stems, red cabbage, sweet dried cranberries, thin apple slices, walnuts, almonds and chia seeds. Every bite has something different in it.
The homemade vegan coleslaw dressing is sweet, tangy and lightly golden from turmeric. It is made without mayonnaise or dairy, yet a small amount of xanthan gum gives it a smooth, creamy consistency. This easy broccoli salad is a great make-ahead side dish for barbecues, potlucks, holiday dinners or simple family meals.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Resting time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dressings & Sauces, lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine North American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 303 kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small blender or immersion blender
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Chef’s knife
  • Cutting board
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Box grater or mandoline for the broccoli stems and red cabbage
  • Salad tongs or large spoon
  • Airtight container or glass jar for the vegan coleslaw dressing

Ingredients
  

Salad Ingredients

  • 5 cups broccoli florets small and fresh
  • 2 cups kale tough stems removed and leaves finely chopped
  • 1 cup broccoli stems peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
  • 1 cup red cabbage finely shredded
  • ⅓ cup red onion finely chopped
  • 1 red apple large, crisp, cored, and thinly sliced
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped
  • ⅓ cup almonds roughly chopped or sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Vegan Coleslaw Dressing

  • ½ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon celery seed
  • Scant ⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the broccoli: Cut the broccoli into small bite-sized florets. Peel the broccoli stems and slice them into thin matchsticks. The stems add a really nice crunch, so they are worth keeping.
  • Soften the kale: Place the finely chopped kale in a large salad bowl. Massage it gently with clean hands for about one minute, just until it becomes slightly softer and darker green.
  • Make the vegan coleslaw dressing: Add the canola oil, sugar, water, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, salt, dry mustard, turmeric, onion powder, black pepper and celery seed to a blender. Blend until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
  • Thicken the dressing: With the blender running on low speed, slowly sprinkle in the xanthan gum. Blend for another 20 to 30 seconds, until the dressing is smooth, lightly creamy and golden. Do not add extra xanthan gum, as it thickens quickly.
  • Assemble the salad: Add the broccoli florets, broccoli stems, red cabbage, red onion, sliced apple, dried cranberries, walnuts, almonds and chia seeds to the bowl with the kale.
  • Dress the salad: Pour about three-quarters of the vegan coleslaw dressing over the salad and toss well. Add more dressing as needed until the ingredients are evenly coated but not soggy.
  • Chill before serving: Refrigerate the broccoli kale crunch salad for about 20 minutes before serving. This gives the flavours time to blend while the vegetables remain crisp.
    • Cut the broccoli into small, bite-sized florets and let the finished broccoli kale crunch salad chill for 20 minutes before serving. This gives the sweet and tangy vegan coleslaw dressing time to coat the vegetables while the broccoli, apple and nuts stay crisp.

Notes

  • Cut the broccoli into small, bite-sized florets so the broccoli kale crunch salad is easy to serve and every piece gets coated with the vegan coleslaw dressing.
  • Peel the tough outer layer from the broccoli stems before cutting them into thin matchsticks. The centres are mild, crisp and too good to waste.
  • Massage the chopped kale for about one minute before assembling the salad. This softens the leaves slightly while keeping the salad fresh and crunchy.
  • Use a firm red apple such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or Ambrosia. Leave the peel on for extra colour, then slice it thinly so it blends well with the broccoli and cabbage.
  • Add the xanthan gum to the dressing very slowly while blending. A scant ⅛ teaspoon is enough to create a lightly creamy vegan coleslaw dressing without making it gummy.
  • Start with about three-quarters of the dressing and add more only if needed. The vegetables should be lightly coated, not weighed down.
  • Toast the walnuts and almonds for a few minutes if you have time. It brings out their flavour and adds even more crunch to this broccoli salad with apples and cranberries.
  • Let the finished salad chill for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. The flavours settle in nicely, but the broccoli, apple and red cabbage still stay crisp.
  • For the best texture, add the nuts and apple shortly before serving when preparing the salad ahead.
  • Check the labels on the sugar and dried cranberries when making a strictly vegan broccoli salad, since ingredients and processing methods can vary by brand.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 5gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 245mgPotassium: 353mgFiber: 5gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1018IUVitamin C: 64mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 1mg
Keyword broccoli cranberry salad, broccoli kale crunch salad, broccoli salad with apples, broccoli salad with walnuts, kale and broccoli salad, recipe, vegan broccoli salad, vegan coleslaw dressing
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