• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Living Well Kitchen
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizer & Snacks
      • Snacks
    • Main Dish
      • Vegetarian
      • Seafood
      • Meat
      • Poultry
      • Pork
    • Specific Recipes
      • Vegetarian
        • Vegan
      • Kid Friendly
      • Gluten Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Nut Free
      • Egg Free
      • Soy Free
    • Sides
      • Vegetables
      • Beans
      • Grains
      • Potatoes
      • Bread
      • Sauce
    • Salad
    • Soup
    • Drinks
    • Dessert
    • Slow Cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Season
      • Winter
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
  • About
    • Meet Meme
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Videos
  • Easy Meals
  • Quiz
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Favorites
  • Easy Meals
  • Main Dish
  • Health
  • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Favorites
    • Easy Meals
    • Main Dish
    • Health
    • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—
    Home ยป Recipes ยป Special Diet ยป Dairy Free

    Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad

    Published: Jul 1, 2018 ยท Updated: Jul 9, 2018 ยท Post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad is a raw broccoli salad covered in a cashew cheese sauce. Nutritional yeast, bell peppers, and lemon juice give this creamy dressing its irresistible flavor that pairs well with the cruciferous vegetable.

    raw vegan broccoli salad with ingredients to make it

    Disclosure: I might make a commission for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you.

    Remember when everyone was raving about kale chips? Did you ever try making them?

    I did, and they made the house smell horrible and tasted worse. So I did a search for making kale chips that weren't gross, and I found a recipe for a cashew cheese sauce that you use to coat the kale before dehydrating.

    Then I ate kale chips by the gallon because that sauce made them better than anything I could imagine, especially after my first attempt at making kale chips.

    Why is this relevant? Well, I still think about that sauce. And since kale is similar to broccoli in that it's a cruciferous vegetable, I decided that it would make a great sauce for broccoli.

    Similar to this train of thought, I realized that I hadn't made a veggie side dish in a while and thought a broccoli salad would be a great thing to add to a summer menu.

    However, I don't love mayo so the idea of making a mayo-based broccoli salad is not my favorite. Plus, I always find mayo-based salads difficult in the hot summer when it can't sit outside for more than an hour without tasting kinda gross.

    Anywho, I decided that I could use that cashew cheese sauce I made many moons ago to use as the binder for a raw broccoli salad. And as you can guess since I'm writing about it... it was fantabulous!

    ingredients for vegan broccoli salad of fresh broccoli, green onion, garlic, salt, nutritional yeast, red bell pepper, cashews, lemon, and parsley

    What is Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad

    Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad is a raw broccoli salad covered in a cheezy sauce made with cashews, nutritional yeast, red bell pepper, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.

    It's a different version than your average mayo covered broccoli salad in the best possible way. There's no mayo-going-bad to worry about, and it tastes great room temperature or cold.

    The nutritional yeast gives this salad a cheesy flavor without adding cheese, so it's a great option for those following a vegan diet or unable to eat dairy. Plus, it adds extra nutrients to your dish.

    [click_to_tweet tweet="This #Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad is a raw broccoli salad covered in a cashew cheese sauce made with nutritional yeast, bell peppers, and lemon juice" quote="This #Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad is a raw broccoli salad covered in a cashew cheese sauce made with nutritional yeast, bell peppers, and lemon juice"]

    raw vegan cheesy broccoli salad

    What is Nutritional Yeast?

    Nutritional yeast is not like regular yeast that you use to make bread or cinnamon rolls. It is an inactive form of yeast that is typically grown on sugarcane or molasses then dried & heated into flakes.

    It is often fortified with Vitamin B12 -- typically found in animal sources -- which is responsible for aiding many functions in the body like red blood cell formation (energy levels) and cognitive function (brain health). It also has other B Vitamins and all 9 essential amino acids which your body needs to produce protein. Plus, it has fiber and protein, but the amounts vary depending on the brand you are using.

    Nutritional yeast comes in flake or powder form. The common type you'll see at the grocery store looks like fish food flakes, but I promise it is delicious and absolutely worth keeping in your pantry for adding extra flavor to your dishes.

    Other recipes with nutritional yeast on the blog are Vegan Creamed Spinach, Cheezy Taco Popcorn, Vegan Greek Tofu Salad, and Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup.

    pouring vegan cashew red bell pepper cheese sauce over vegan broccoli salad

    How to Make Vegan Broccoli Salad with Cashew Cheese Sauce

    Start by making the cashew cheese sauce, and to do this, you need to soften the cashews a little bit. All you have to do is pour hot water over the cashews for about 15-20 minutes, and drain.

    Then add those to a food processor or blender along with the red bell pepper, garlic, lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, and water, and blend until smooth. Pour this over your chopped broccoli, and you're ready to enjoy!

    Tips for Making Vegan Broccoli Salad

    Make Ahead Tips

    You can make the sauce multiple days in advance. However, you might want to double the recipe because it's so delicious that you might run out before you can actually make the broccoli salad.

    Also, this prepared broccoli salad keeps well in the fridge for a few days. I prefer to hold off on adding the chopped cashews until just before serving, so they stay crunchy. However, it still tastes good if the cashews aren't extra crunchy.

    Variations & Substitutions

    I haven't tried it yet, but I think that a jarred roasted red bell pepper would be delicious in this sauce. Make sure to really dry the pepper before adding it to the sauce, or decrease the amount of liquid you add into the sauce when blending.

    This could also be prepared with pre-chopped broccoli from your grocery store's produce section. You need 5 cups of chopped broccoli. And I think that riced broccoli would also work well. Make sure it is fresh and raw though. Oh and you could probably do this with cauliflower in place of the broccoli or a combo of cauliflower and broccoli.

    vegan cashew red bell pepper cheese sauce with bowl of extra sauce

    More about the Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce

    Like I mentioned multiple times, this sauce is heavenly. I highly recommend doubling the recipe for the sauce. It's great over pasta, used as a sandwich spread, or as a topping for veggies, eggs, or chicken.

    The sauce also freezes well. I recommend freezing in single serving container like small jars or ice cube trays, so you can defrost the exact amount you need. When ready to enjoy the sauce you've frozen, let thaw for about 1 hour in the fridge or about 15-30 minutes at room temperature, depending on the size of the container the sauce is frozen in.

    What to serve with this dish

    This veggie side goes well with lots of different picnic dishes like a burger and side salads. I'm a big fan of lots of options for a  buffet, so some that I'd put on my table would be Ranch Burgers, Avocado Salmon Burgers, Cobb Salad Wraps, Caprese Lentil Salad, Potato Salad, Roasted Vegetable Salad, Watermelon Feta Salad.

    I served it with fried chicken and potato chips, and as much as I love those two things, this broccoli salad was definitely a favorite part of my plate.

    vegan broccoli salad with cashews, green onions, nutritional yeast, red bell pepper, and lemon

    Final thoughts:

    I can't remember where I put my keys or my cell phone multiple times a day, so the fact that I can remember a sauce I made a few times almost 10 years ago should speak for itself. In case it doesn't... this sauce is GOOD!

    And it turns plain raw broccoli into a tasty side dish, so you can happily serve extra veggies at your next meal whether it's outside or not.


    MORE VEGAN SIDE DISH RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:

    • Carrot Fries
    • Sautéed Broccolini
    • Vegan Creamed Spinach
    • Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad
    • Five Spice Baby Bok Choy
    raw vegan broccoli salad with ingredients to make it

    Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad

    This Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad is a raw broccoli salad covered in a cashew cheese sauce made with nutritional yeast, bell peppers, and lemon juice
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Author: Meme

    Ingredients

    For the cashew cheese sauce:

    • 1 cup cashews
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 1 medium red bell pepper chopped
    • 1 clove garlic chopped
    • ยผ cup lemon juice
    • ยฝ cup nutritional yeast
    • ยผ teaspoon salt

    For the salad:

    • 1 pound broccoli diced, about 5 cups
    • โ…› teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon cashews chopped
    • 1 green onion chopped, optional
    • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped, optional
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    For the sauce:

    • Add the cashews and water to a food processor or blender. Blend for 30 seconds.
    • Add the red bell pepper, garlic, and lemon juice. Blend for 30 seconds. Add nutritional yeast and salt. Blend until completely smooth.

    For the salad:

    • Add the broccoli to a large bowl. Pour about 1 cup of sauce over the broccoli and sprinkle with the salt, and toss to coat. Add more sauce and/or salt if needed.
    • When ready to serve, sprinkle with chopped cashews and/or green onions. Enjoy!

    Notes

    *Makes 3 cups of broccoli salad
    *The sauce recipe makes 1.5 cups sauce.
    *Nutrition facts are calculated using about 1.2 cups of sauce
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo

    [showhide type="post" more_text="Click here for Nutrition Facts" less_text="Clear Nutrition Facts"]
    *

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad
    Serving Size
     
    0.5 cup
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    142
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    8
    g
    12
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Sodium
     
    174
    mg
    8
    %
    Potassium
     
    474
    mg
    14
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    13
    g
    4
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    13
    %
    Sugar
     
    3
    g
    3
    %
    Protein
     
    7
    g
    14
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1165
    IU
    23
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    96.7
    mg
    117
    %
    Calcium
     
    43
    mg
    4
    %
    Iron
     
    2.1
    mg
    12
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    *
    [/showhide]

    What to use in this recipe:


    Meme

    Pin this recipe:

    vegan broccoli salad collage

    More Bloopers

    • silver fork on a white plate with green beans and pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes covered in gravy.
      Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin
    • two bowls of rotini topped with crawfish Monica sauce next to lemons, green onions, and a green napkin.
      Crawfish Monica Recipe
    • blue pot with sauteed green beans and a wooden spoon on a white countertop
      Sautรฉed Green Beans
    • kitchen counter with small orange and white pumpkins plus a white plate with pumpkin deviled eggs
      Spicy Pumpkin Deviled Eggs
    280 shares
    • Yummly
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Laura says

      July 09, 2018 at 3:38 pm

      Cheese and broccoli just go together! i'm loving this vegan version!

      Reply
      • Meme says

        July 10, 2018 at 10:22 am

        They do indeed! I love that everyone can enjoy this version ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Jamie @ Dishing Out Health says

      July 09, 2018 at 4:00 pm

      5 stars
      Your blooper vids just make my day. And this broccoli salad looks right up my alley!! I want to slather everything with that sauce.

      Reply
      • Meme says

        July 10, 2018 at 10:22 am

        Haha thanks lady!! And yes, yes you do want to slather that sauce on everything!!!

        Reply
    3. Emily Kyle says

      July 11, 2018 at 7:03 am

      I LOVE that this salad is served cold, raw broccoli is the best! I can't wait to make this when the broccoli is ready in the garden!

      Reply
      • Meme says

        July 11, 2018 at 4:22 pm

        Ah thank you!! I am so jealous of that homegrown broccoli you'll have!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Meme (a brunette female) is holding umbrella and spinning around in front of the Eiffel Tower wearing a denim jacket, skirt, and blue shoesHi, I'm Meme, a thirty-something registered dietitian nutritionist from Alabama living in San Diego. Here to help you enjoy food, feel better in your body at any size, and live free of diets & shame.
    Read More

    Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Most Popular

    silver fork on a white plate with green beans and pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes covered in gravy.

    Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

    jar of chocolate sauce with a spoon in it. empty small glass ice cream cups with a bowl of cherries on a wicker table

    Easy Chocolate Sauce

    Slow Cooker with French Toast Casserole syrup and blueberries

    Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole

    chicken salad and a ritz cracker in a glass bowl on white table with green napkin

    No Mayo Chicken Salad

    bowl of turkey white bean chili topped with fresh avocado next fresh avocado and cilantro.

    White Bean Turkey Chili

    white plate with cream cheese stuffed peppers surrounded by baby bell peppers, walnuts, jalapeno, and a napkin

    Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers

    close up of a bowl of lamb curry over rice sprinkled with mint and coconut flakes.

    Instant Pot Lamb Curry

    cream colored plate with veggie egg muffins on blue table with sliced oranges and a white napkin

    Spinach Egg Muffins

    Intuitive Eating

    brunette female holding a heart shaped pizza in a Parisian cafe

    Why Emotional Eating Isn't Bad

    hand holding an apple in front of apple trees

    Should I Eat Conventional or Organic Produce?

    havanese dog standing on arm of cream chair with a quilt in chair

    Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss

    brunette female sitting in a blanket in Versaille garden smiling and holding a container of container of food she is about to be eating

    What is Intuitive Eating

    Easy Meals

    Turkey and Asparagus Roll Ups from Living Well Kitchen

    Turkey Asparagus Roll Ups

    white bowl with black bean salsa tuna salad surrounded by crackers and a can of tuna, black beans, and jar of salsa in background.

    Salsa Tuna Salad

    breakfast burger on yellow napkin, avocado, tea, salsa, egg carton, veggie burger wrapper

    California Breakfast Burger

    3 Lamb Stuffed Zucchini on a white plate with a red napkin and fork and knife

    Curry Lamb Stuffed Zucchini

    Salad

    bag of lentils, fresh tomatoes, and a clear bowl with lentils, mozzarella, walnuts, tomatoes, and basil on a straw mat.

    Caprese Lentil Tomato Salad

    glass bowl of roasted vegetable lentil salad next to fresh rosemary, lemon, and scattered green lentils.

    Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad

    white bowl with avocado egg salad.

    Avocado Egg Salad

    white countertop with clear bowl of miso dressing with a silver spoon next to a container of miso paste and a microplane with fresh ginger

    Miso Dressing

    As Seen On:

    As Seen On

    In Season

    blue baking dish with hot blue cheese dip with bacon and walnuts surrounded by a towel and crackers.

    Blue Cheese Bacon Dip

    baked zucchini slices topped with pizza sauce and cheese on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    Zucchini Pizza Bites

    close up of a white bowl with jalapeno pimento cheese.

    Jalapeno Pimento Cheese

    white bowl with tomato salsa next to fresh cilantro, garlic, onion, and lemon on a wooden table.

    Low Sodium Salsa

    Footer

    Living Well Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    • Home
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Videos
    • Easy Meals
    • Quiz

    Copyright © 2023

    We use cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    280 shares