Raw Broccoli Balls

Gluten-Free Vegan Raw No-Bake Broccoli Balls are an easy and healthy recipe to make with only 9 clean, real food ingredients. They're the perfect plant-based snack ready in about 10 minutes that everyone will enjoy!

Here's Why My Vegan Raw Broccoli Balls Recipe Works

Here's why this recipe works - my top 3 reasons:

1. Can Be Made with or Without a Dehydrator
2. Versatile Plant-Based Snack
3. Made With Only 9 Clean, Real Food Ingredients

Can Be Made with or Without a Dehydrator

The great thing about this recipe is you can make them two different ways:

1. You can make them and roll them into bite-size balls, and because they are raw, enjoy them immediately.  They have a softer and moister texture, but are delicious!
2. You can put them in a dehydrator if you prefer a little crispier texture.

Versatile Plant-Based Snack

This raw food recipe for no-bake broccoli balls is so easy to make and it's also a great way to let your children help - especially making the balls!

While they would make a great side dish for a family meal, appetizer for a party or a super healthy snack, there are other ways you can enjoy the recipe.

For example, add the mixture to a piece of romaine lettuce and make a wrap, sprinkle the mixture over a salad, or use it as a dip with grain-free chips or crackers. 

They're especially fun to dip in your favorite raw dressing or dip, and a couple of my favorites are this Raw Creamy Jalapeno Dressing and my Raw Spinach and Avocado Dip.

And, if you're loving these broccoli balls, I also have another healthy vegetable ball recipe that's really good too...my Clean Eating Vegan Sweet Potato and Pecan Balls, which are perfect during the holiday season.

Made With Only 9 Clean, Real Food Ingredients

Are these raw broccoli balls healthy?

In my opinion, yes!

Let's compare the ingredients in this recipe with traditional broccoli balls that usually have dairy and/or meat in them:

• S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Parmesan Broccoli Balls Ingredients:  broccoli, Parmesan cheese, eggs, butter or margarine, sausage or ground meat, onions, salt, pepper
• Gluten-Free Vegan Raw No-Bake Broccoli Ball Ingredients: organic broccoli, organic raw cashews, organic onion, organic garlic, organic extra-virgin olive oil, organic jalapeno, nutritional yeast, Himalayan pink salt

My healthier plant-based version is made with clean, real food ingredients and is not only raw but vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, keto/low-carb (only 4 net carbs per ball), paleo-friendly, and made with Medical Medium® healing food ingredients.

How To Make This Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions

Here is how to make this recipe and I'll show you with step-by-step instructions below:

This is a really simple recipe to make (and your kids will love to help too!) and all you need is a food processor!

Step 1: Prepare the Broccoli

Firstly, de-stem your broccoli and cut it into bite-size floret pieces.

You don't have to get too crazy with this step because it's all going into the food processor but it will make it easier to process if the pieces are small.

1. Process #1: Here you'll add the broccoli pieces and the cashews to the food processor and process until they are broken down into small pieces, but take care not to over-process.
2. Process #2: Next, you'll add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and instead of processing them, this time you will pulse them about 30-40 times. You want the mixture to have a paste-like consistency.

Step 2: Adjust the Seasonings

Secondly, take a taste of the mixture and see if you want to add a little extra salt, garlic, nutritional yeast or jalapeno.

If you don't like spicy or will be serving these to children, you may want to leave out the jalapenos.

Step 3: Make the Balls

Thirdly, take out a spoonful of the mixture at a time and squeeze it together tightly in your fist and then shape them into a round ball shape with your fingertips.

Step 4: How To Store the Broccoli Balls

Lastly, store the balls in an air-tight BPA-free container in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are Vegan No-Bake Broccoli Balls Recipe Healthy?

In my opinion, yes! Typically, "broccoli balls" are baked or air-fried and can contain ingredients such as cheese, breadcrumbs, or eggs. However, in my recipe, they are 100% vegan and gluten-free and they are not baked yet still have an amazing flavor.

Are Broccoli Balls Kid-Friendly?

Yes! My no-bake broccoli balls are a perfect snack for kids because they are in small bite-size proportions and easy to pack in a school lunch. You can even get them involved to help roll the balls!

Can I Make Broccoli Balls in a Dehydrator?

If you decide to dehydrate the broccoli balls, just put them on a mesh tray and dehydrate them at 115 degrees for 10-12 hours, or until slightly "crispy" on the outsides.

The difference between the two?

The dehydrated ones will have more of a drier texture and will be slightly "crispier" and won't be as moist and sticky as the non-dehydrated ones.

They also won't have the same bright green color but are still raw and delicious!

Karielyn's Expert Tips and Ingredient Substitutions

Here are some of my expert tips to make this recipe perfectly:

Broccoli: You will need 2 1/2 cups for this recipe which is approximately 1 1/2 bundles of broccoli. When you cut off the floret pieces, try to remove as much of the stem as possible. Pack the broccoli florets into the measuring cup tightly.

Cashews: When you buy your cashews, make sure they are "raw" and not roasted and/or salted, which would affect the flavor.

Red Onion: I like to use the red onion variety, but you could also use a white or yellow onion. A 1/4 cup will be approximately 1/4 of a large onion. You don't have to spend a lot of time dicing the onion into small pieces because you will add it the food processor.

Garlic: Fresh garlic will work best in this recipe, but you could also add organic ground garlic in the amount of your preference.

Avocado Oil: This can be substituted with organic extra-virgin olive oil.

Jalapeno: This will give the broccoli balls a little extra flavor but if you don't like spicy foods or will be serving this to children, it can be omitted.

Nutritional Yeast: I added this ingredient to give the broccoli balls a "cheesy" flavor that is found in S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) broccoli balls. However, if you need this recipe to be 100% Medical Medium® Compliant, you will need to omit the nutritional yeast and can substitute it with organic hemp seeds.

Salt: I use Himalayan pink salt as my preference, but feel free to use a healthy sea salt instead. Additionally, I used 1/2 tsp of salt because I don't like my food too salty, but feel free to add more if you prefer.

Ball Size: You should be able to make approximately (10) small balls or (12) medium-size balls. The small balls are one-bite, and the medium balls are two-bites.

Gluten-Free Vegan Raw No-Bake Broccoli Balls

Gluten-Free Vegan Raw No-Bake Broccoli Balls are an easy and healthy recipe to make with only 9 clean, real food ingredients and they're ready in about 10 minutes!

{ Plant-Based | Raw | Vegan | Gluten-Free | Dairy-Free | Egg-Free | Keto/Low Carb | No-Bake | Paleo-Friendly | Medical Medium® Compliant* }

5 from 17 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Yields: 12 servings

Calories : 86

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 1/2 cups organic raw broccoli florets packed tightly
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups organic raw cashews
• ▢ 1/4 cup organic red onion
• ▢ 2 cloves organic garlic
• ▢ 1 tablespoon 100% pure avocado oil
• ▢ 1 organic jalapeno
• ▢ 1/4 cup nutritional yeast*
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon organic ground black pepper
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Add the broccoli pieces and cashews to a food processor and process until they are chopped into small pieces (approximately 20 long pulses) taking care to not over process.
• Add all remaining ingredients to the food processor and pulse approximately 20-30 times, or until everything is well combined and has a wet, crumbly consistency.
• Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
• Take out a spoonful at a time, squeeze it tightly together in your fist, then shape them with your fingertips into small bite-sized balls.
• Option 1: Enjoy and refrigerate any leftovers.
• Option 2 (Dehydrator): Put the balls on a mesh dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 115 degrees for approximately 10-12 hours, or overnight.
• Store in an air-tight BPA-free container in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

Broccoli: You will need 2 1/2 cups for this recipe which is approximately 1 1/2 bundles of broccoli. When you cut off the floret pieces, try to remove as much of the stem as possible. Pack the broccoli florets into the measuring cup tightly.

Cashews: When you buy your cashews, make sure they are "raw" and not roasted and/or salted, which would affect the flavor.

Red Onion: I like to use the red onion variety, but you could also use a white or yellow onion. A 1/4 cup will be approximately 1/4 of a large onion. You don't have to spend a lot of time dicing the onion into small pieces because you will add it the food processor.

Garlic: Fresh garlic will work best in this recipe, but you could also add organic ground garlic in the amount of your preference.

Avocado Oil: This can be substituted with organic extra-virgin olive oil.

Jalapeno: This will give the broccoli balls a little extra flavor but if you don't like spicy foods or will be serving this to children, it can be omitted.

Nutritional Yeast: I added this ingredient to give the broccoli balls a "cheesy" flavor that is found in S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) broccoli balls. However, if you need this recipe to be 100% Medical Medium® Compliant, you will need to omit the nutritional yeast and can substitute it with organic hemp seeds.

Salt: I use Himalayan pink salt as my preference, but feel free to use a healthy sea salt instead.

*Medical Medium®: Omit the nutritional yeast to make this recipe 100% Medical Medium® Compliant. It can be substituted with 1/4 cup organic hemp seeds.

Serving Size: This recipe will make approximately (12) small balls or (10) medium-size balls. Nutritional information is calculated for (2) small balls which is (1) serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1svg | Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 10mg

Course:Snack

Cuisine:American

Recipe Author: Karielyn Tillman

Did You Make This Recipe?Leave a Rating + Comment Below!

Want More Healthy Gluten-Free Vegan Snack Recipes?  

Check out these:

• Garlic and Shallot Fingerling Potatoes 
• Spicy Red Pepper and Spinach Sweet Potato Hash Browns 
• Rosemary and Garlic Sweet Potato Medallions  
• or my CLEAN EATING Cookbook with 75+ plant-based vegan + gluten-free recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!

Did You Make My Vegan Raw Broccoli Balls Recipe?

I'd love to hear about it! Please give it a rating and leave a comment below...it would make my day! 🙂

Karielyn Tillman

Hi, I'm Karielyn! I'm the published cookbook author of CLEAN DESSERTS and content creator of The Healthy Family and Home™ website since 2012. I specialize in creating easy, healthy plant-based and Medical Medium® compliant recipes that are gluten-free + vegan and made with clean, real food ingredients that you can feel good about eating.