This flavorful No Mayo Broccoli Salad is the perfect side dish for summer picnics and cook outs. We love this the most after it’s sat in the dressing for the day (or overnight), making it great for meal prep. Kids and adults alike will love this healthy broccoli salad recipe with no mayo!
A Healthy Broccoli Salad without Mayonnaise
I have never understood mayonnaise. Especially in terms of summer salads. Mayonnaise is made of eggs, which added to heat over the course of several hours spells food poisoning, right?
Overall, I am just not a fan of mayo at all. Give me a simple vinaigrette any day.
Also, a typical store bought mayo is loaded with sodium, and also has a myriad of preservatives along with different types of processed sugars. Making your own dressing at home is simple, and you swap these unhealthy ingredients for flavorful alternatives that are bursting with nutritional benefits.
There is no need to add a ton of mayo to a broccoli salad. This healthy broccoli salad recipe proves that a light and creamy tahini dressing is all it takes to really let the other ingredients shine!
Tahini and lemon juice is my favorite simple salad dressing — when I am making a quick lunch for myself, just a little drizzle of both adds all the flavor I need, plus tahini is packed with Vitamin E, and even adds a dose of protein and fiber to whatever you drizzle it on.
Plus, tahini has the best toasty flavor and combined with a few other simple ingredients, really allows the other ingredients in this no mayo broccoli salad to shine.
Make this Easy Broccoli Salad Ahead of Time
This recipe is simple, but spectacular in it’s own right. Broccoli is one of those veggies it’s hard not to love — it’s typically a favorite among kids also, making this salad ideal for summer gatherings.
Broccoli is a sturdy vegetable that holds up well to dressings, so you can make this the morning before, the evening before, or even keep this salad around for a few days, and it actually just gets better!
I like to mix the creamy dressing into the broccoli, and prepare the rest of the ingredients and keep them separate. Right before serving, I mix everything together. This keeps all the ingredients the freshest.
Adapt this No Mayo Broccoli Salad
- Make it Vegan: This can easily be made into a vegan broccoli salad by subbing a dairy free cheese in place of the cheddar, or simply omitting it.
- Make this Paleo or Whole30: This salad is great for the Whole30. Omit the cheddar (it doesn’t need it!), and omit the small amount of honey in the dressing as well.
Broccoli Salad No Mayo
Ingredients
- 6 cups broccoli chopped small
- 1 bell pepper orange or red
- 1 cup red grapes halved
- 1/3 cup cashews toasted
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar or sub red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey or date syrup, optional
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix all the dressing ingredients together. They can be whisked together, but for the creamiest dressing, add to a blender and process for a minute.
- Add the chopped broccoli to a colander, and then pour boiling water over the broccoli to quickly soften it. Rinse it with cool water afterwards.
- Mix the dressing into the broccoli and stir to fully coat.
- Right before serving, add the rest of the ingredients. It's okay to add the raisins, grapes, and peppers, but keep the cheese and cashews reserved until serving.
Nutrition
Other Healthy Summer Salad Recipes:
- Summer Greek Quinoa Salad, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Kale Salad with Blueberries and Quinoa, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Addictive Asian Cabbage Salad, by Sunkissed Kitchen
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