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This Raw Veggie Chopped Salad is proof that you don’t need a single leaf of lettuce to make a stunning, satisfying salad. Crunchy raw broccoli, colorful bell peppers, crisp cucumber, spicy radishes, juicy red grapes, and a generous handful of fresh herbs all get tossed in a bright, tangy oil-free lemon dressing — and the result is absolutely incredible.
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What makes this salad so special is the combination of textures and flavors in every single bite — crunch from the broccoli and peppers, freshness from the herbs, a spicy bite from the radishes, and a burst of sweetness from the grapes. The oil-free dressing is bold and punchy — it needs to be to stand up to all those hearty raw vegetables.
This is the salad you bring to every summer party, potluck, and BBQ. It travels beautifully, gets better as it sits, easily doubles for a crowd, and gets devoured every single time. Ready in just 15 minutes with zero cooking required.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ready in just 15 minutes — no cooking required
- No lettuce needed — stays fresh and crispy for days
- Completely vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free
- Perfect for potlucks, BBQs, and parties — travels beautifully
- Gets better as it sits — perfect make-ahead salad
- Easily doubled or tripled to feed a crowd
- Endlessly customizable — swap in your favorite vegetables
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Broccoli ~ One of the key ingredients that gives this salad its staying power and satisfying crunch. Chop it into small, uniform florets — you want them bite-sized so they’re easy to eat. Raw broccoli holds up well in the dressing and doesn’t wilt the way leafy greens do, which is why this salad keeps so well.
- Bell peppers ~ Orange and yellow peppers are my favorites here for their mild sweetness and beautiful color. Red bell pepper is equally great. Green pepper has a more bitter flavor so I don’t recommend it for this salad. Not a pepper fan? Substitute diced carrots, sugar snap peas, or cauliflower florets.
- Radishes ~ Thinly sliced radishes add a peppery, spicy bite that wakes up the whole salad. Slice them thin so the flavor isn’t overwhelming.
- Cucumber ~ Cool, crisp, and refreshing. English or Persian cucumbers work best here as they have fewer seeds and thinner skin. No need to peel if the skin is thin.
- Red grapes ~ This might sound surprising but the grapes are absolutely essential — they add a burst of juicy sweetness that balances all the savory, tangy elements perfectly. Use seedless red grapes and halve them so they’re easy to eat. Don’t substitute raisins — the fresh juiciness is what makes this work.
- Fresh herbs ~ This is non-negotiable — please use fresh herbs, not dried. The combination of fresh dill and fresh parsley is what gives this salad its incredible brightness and flavor complexity. Dried herbs will not give you the same result. If you can only find one of the two, double up on whichever you have.
- Seeds ~ Sunflower seeds and hemp hearts add texture, substance, and a subtle nuttiness. Swap for chopped walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds if you prefer.
- Oil-free dressing ~ The dressing uses a combination of red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and garlic. All the dressing ingredients go into the bowl together — including the garlic. The dressing is intentionally bold and tangy — it might taste strong on its own, but once tossed with all those hearty vegetables it will be perfect.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Step 1: Prep the vegetables. Chop all the salad ingredients into small, uniform bite-sized pieces — about the same size as each other. Halve the grapes. Roughly chop the fresh herbs.
- Step 2: Combine the salad. Add the chopped broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers, and radishes to a large mixing bowl. Add the halved grapes, fresh parsley, fresh dill, sunflower seeds, and hemp hearts. Toss everything together well.
- Step 3: Make the dressing. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or mason jar until well combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Step 4: Dress and rest. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat every piece. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours before serving, tossing once or twice during that time to redistribute the dressing.
You can serve immediately if needed, but the flavor payoff for letting it rest is significant!
Variations
Swap the peppers: Not a bell pepper fan? Substitute diced carrots, sugar snap peas, chopped cauliflower florets, or diced zucchini.
Add jicama: It’s a fantastic addition that fits perfectly with the raw, crunchy theme of this salad.
Add avocado: Dice and fold in right before serving.
Add beans: Stir in a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas or white beans for extra substance — turns this into a more complete meal.
Add olives or vegan feta: Both add a salty, briny depth that complements the tangy dressing beautifully.
Toss with quinoa: Cook quinoa, let it cool completely, and toss it through the salad for a hearty grain salad that’s filling enough for a full meal.
Add romaine or spinach: If you want some greens, toss in chopped romaine or baby spinach.
Swap the grapes: If you don’t have grapes, diced apple adds a similar sweet, juicy element. Mandarin orange segments would also be delicious.
Serving suggestions
This salad is incredibly versatile:
- As a side dish — a perfect accompaniment to grilled mains, veggie burgers, or any summer cookout
spread - As a light meal — serve over a bed of cooked and cooled quinoa for a more substantial dish
- In a lunchbox — packs beautifully and holds up for hours without wilting
- At a potluck or BBQ — doubles easily and travels well in a sealed container
- With crackers — serve alongside crackers as a party appetizer or snack
Pro tips and tricks
Chop everything the same size. This is the most important tip for a great chopped salad — uniform pieces mean every forkful has a little of everything and the salad is easy to eat.
Use fresh herbs — not dried. The fresh dill and parsley are what make this salad taste so vibrant and special. Dried herbs simply won’t give you the same result.
Let it rest. The dressing needs time to soak into those hearty raw vegetables. At minimum give it an hour in the fridge — two is even better. Toss it once or twice during that time to redistribute the dressing.
Make it ahead. This salad keeps beautifully in the fridge for 3-4 days — which actually makes it better, not worse. The vegetables absorb the dressing and soften just slightly while still maintaining their satisfying crunch.
Double it for a crowd. This recipe scales up easily and is perfect for feeding a large group. Make a double or triple batch the day before your party and refrigerate until serving.
Don’t skip the grapes. I know it sounds unusual but they are absolutely essential to the flavor balance of this salad. The sweetness and juiciness cut through the tangy dressing and savory vegetables in a way that nothing else quite replicates.
Storage
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. This salad actually gets better after a day or two as the vegetables absorb the dressing and the flavors develop. Give it a toss before serving.
Freezer: Do not freeze this salad — the raw vegetables will lose all their texture and crunch upon thawing.
Make ahead tip: This is one of the best make-ahead salads around. Make it the night before your event, refrigerate overnight, and it will be at peak flavor when you’re ready to serve.
FAQs
It’s intentional! The dressing needs to be bold and punchy to stand up to all those hearty raw vegetables. Once tossed with the broccoli, peppers, cucumber, and other ingredients, the flavor will be perfectly
balanced. Trust the process!
Fresh herbs are strongly recommended here — they’re a key part of what makes this salad taste so vibrant. Dried herbs have a much more muted, earthy flavor that won’t give you the same bright, fresh result. If you
can only find one fresh herb, double up on it rather than substituting dried for the other
Yes — and you should! This salad is best made at least 1-2 hours ahead and actually improves overnight. The vegetables absorb the dressing and the flavors meld beautifully. It keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
More vegan salads with no lettuce
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Raw Veggie Chopped Salad
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
Chopped Raw Veggie Salad
- 1 orange bell pepper chopped small (about 1 cup)
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped small (about 1 cup)
- 5-8 radishes cut in half and sliced thin (about ¾ cup)
- 1 head broccoli chopped small (about 2 cups)
- 1 seedless cucumber chopped small (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup halved red seedless grapes
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
- ⅛ cup raw hemp hearts
Oil-free Dressing
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper or to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients and mix well.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the chopped veggies and toss well to coat.
- Cover and place in the fridge for an hour or two, tossing the salad once or twice during that time to coat evenly.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Meredith
This is utterly delicious! I don’t care for broccoli, but adding grapes really masked the taste for me. The dressing was amazing too.
Jenn Sebestyen
Wonderful! So glad you love it. Thanks, Meredith!
Jay
I really have no idea what’s the ratio for dressing should be??? Is garlic in the dressing too?
Jenn Sebestyen
Use all of the dressing. And garlic is only in the dressing. Enjoy.
Samantha
Made this for the beach today – YUM! Even my kiddos loved it! Added jicama and I subbed maple syrup with honey. THANKS!
Jenn Sebestyen
That’s wonderful, Samantha! I love jicama – what a great addition!
Joshua Kilgore
Hi!
Is the dressing included in the nutrition information for this post? Thanks!
Jenn Sebestyen
Yes it is!
Alexandria Phillips
I made this for a dinner at my sister’s house tomorrow. It is really yummy. Peppers don’t agree with me so I subbed them out with carrots and sugar snap peas. The herbs are an amazing addition.
Jenn Sebestyen
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and were able to adjust it your tastes! Thanks, Alexandria!
Alexandria Phillips
what do you think that I could replace the peppers with?
Jenn Sebestyen
You could just leave them out or add any of your favorite veggies…small chopped cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, etc.
Alexandria Phillips
Carrots and I think sugar snap peas!! Thanks. My brain is a little dead today. Can’t wait to make this tomorrow!
Jenn Sebestyen
Perfect! Let me know how it turns out!