This Smoky Broccoli Cabbage Pecan Crunch Salad is a must-have for summer picnics and barbeques. You’ll love the irresistible, oil-free dressing. With apples, currants, and tons of veggies. This healthy vegan recipe will soon become a crowd favorite!
Creating an Irresistible Plant-Based Salad
Creating any delicious plant-based salad means creating a delicious balance of textures, flavors, and colors. This is pretty easy to do when you’re working with the world of plants – they naturally have a diverse array of colors and flavors.
For this smoky summer salad, beautiful color comes from red cabbage, green broccoli, and red apples. The crunchy texture of the slaw and chopped pecans balances the chewy zante currants and creamy oil-free dressing. This plant-based recipe is more than a boring salad!
For more Salad Tips: How to Make the Ultimate Vegan Salad: 4 Chef’s Tips for Delicious, Healthy Oil-Free Flavor
Serve this with 2-Ingredient Miso Roasted Corn on the Cob, Chipotle Baked Beans, and Whole Wheat Orzo Ratatouille Vegetable Pasta Salad.
Chef Katie Oil-Free Plant-Based Cooking Tips:
Quick Slicing: A Japanese-style mandolin makes it quick and easy to shave the broccoli, cabbage, and apple.
Smoky Plant-Based Flavor: Sweet smoked paprika is a healthy, plant-based spices that adds smoky flavor. Use it in place of bacon and ham for smoky flavor in your vegan recipes.
Pecan Flavor: For more rich, nutty flavor, toast the pecans first. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 350F for 7-8 minutes, until aromatic and darkened slightly. You can do a big batch of these at once. Store extras in the freezer to prevent the nuts from going rancid. Thaw the frozen toasted pecans on the counter 10 minutes before using in recipes.
Other Veggies and Fruits: Use this recipe as a template for other shaved vegetables and fresh fruit. Substitute shaved cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or shredded carrots for the broccoli and cabbage. Use fresh, crisp pears in place of the apples.
Oil-Free Dressing: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in olive oil. The dressing for this salad gets creamy texture from pecans and apples. Plus, these ingredients add healthy, whole foods, plant-based nutrition.
This colorful slaw comes together quickly for a satisfying side dish
Easy | Servings: 6 | Ready In: 10 minutes | Yield: 7 cups salad; 2 ¼ – 2 ½ cups dressing
Print Recipe
Irresistible Smoky Broccoli Cabbage Pecan Crunch Salad
Ingredients
For the Smoky Sweet Pecan Dressing:
- 1 apple cored and cut into chunks
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¾ – 1 cup water as needed
For the Broccoli Crunch Salad:
- 2 heads broccoli shaved
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage about ¼ head, shaved
- 1 apple shaved
- ¼ cup dried zante currants
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
To make the Smoky Sweet Pecan Dressing:
- Combine all ingredients except the water in a blender. Add just ¾ cup of water. Puree. Add more water, as needed to reach a smooth, pourable consistency. Taste to adjust seasoning.
To make the Smoky Broccoli Pecan Crunch Salad:
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the Broccoli Crunch Salad. A Japanese-style mandolin makes it quick and easy to shave the broccoli, cabbage, and apple. Add the dressing. Use your hands to mix well, thoroughly coating all of the salad with the dressing.
- Let sit 5 minutes and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 6.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 172 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 10 g | 15 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 0 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 193 mg | 8 % |
| Potassium 353 mg | 10 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 18 g | 6 % |
| Dietary Fiber 4 g | 14 % |
| Sugars 12 g | |
| Protein 4 g | 7 % |
| Vitamin A | 11 % |
| Vitamin C | 105 % |
| Calcium | 8 % |
| Iron | 5 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. |
Shopping and Gear List
- CHIQUILIN Smoked Paprika, 75 GR
- Diamond Chopped Pecans-8 oz
- Dried Zante Currants, 1 LB – Unsulfured & Preservative Free
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I made this for a potluck dinner – my husband taste-tested it and said, “Do we HAVE to take it”?, LOL!! He then started listing all sorts of things to use the dressing on – including spread on toasted grainy Dave’s Killer Bread for a his fav lettuce/tomato sandwich! What a wonderful recipe, both dressing and salad! Thanks for making a “welcome to fall” recipe! I used a fresh, smooth-textured Bosc pear in the salad, but did use apple in the dressing. Glorious flavors!!
You’re welcome Candice. Thanks for sharing! I love that dressing — what a great idea on that sandwich. It sounds like it be right up the “BLT” alley. Yum! I also love it on potato salad and roasted portobello mushrooms. Love the idea of using pears in the salad. Yum!