This Healthy Broccoli Salad (No Mayo) is a healthier version of everyone’s favorite broccoli salad. A perfect combination of crunch and tangy creaminess. Made with dried cranberries, raisins, almonds, pumpkin seeds, red onions and a delicious homemade dressing, and it’s ready in less than 15 minutes! Perfect for meal prep.
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- 💖Why we love broccoli salad without mayo recipe:
- 🛒 Ingredients in broccoli salad:
- Ingredients in Broccoli Salad Dressing:
- Equipment you need to make broccoli salad no mayo:
- Should I blanch broccoli for salad?
- How to cut broccoli ?
- 🍽️ How to make Broccoli Salad:
- What to serve with best broccoli salad?
- 🫙 Leftover and storing broccoli salad with raisins:
- 📃 Substitutions & Variations for broccoli vegetable salad:
- ☑️ Lora's Tips for the Best Creamy Broccoli Salad:
- ❓ FAQ'S
- Some other recipes you'll love:
- 📖 Recipe
- Healthy Broccoli Salad (No Mayo)
I’m super excited to present to you this healthy broccoli salad recipe is a fresh and delicious twist on the classic broccoli salad. It’s a Whole30 + paleo broccoli salad with the most refreshing orange almond dressing. It really is oh so flavorful and easy to put together. You’ll be totally smitten by this healthy and crunchy salad with the dreamiest and creamiest dressing.
I have seen broccoli salads made with chunks of cheddar, typically raw broccoli, bacon and loads of mayo. Instead of the traditional mayonnaise-based dressing, this version uses a tangy blend of red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar, making the creamy and dreamy salad dressing lighter and more refreshing. Did I mention that this is the healthy salad you need in your life?
Packed with nutritious broccoli, crunchy nuts, and sweet dried cranberries, this salad is perfect for a quick lunch or a tasty side dish. Using a large mixing bowl, you can easily toss together the broccoli salad ingredients and enjoy a healthy and delicious salad in minutes.
Creating this easy broccoli salad is simple and straightforward. Start by chopping fresh broccoli florets and mixing them with your favorite add-ins like red onions, sunflower seeds, and dried fruits.
The most time consuming part of this salad is prepping the broccoli. All you have to do is cut the pieces into smaller bite size chunks and blanch in water for 60 seconds! Once you do that, the dressing comes together in no time. That’s the only prep work!
For the broccoli salad dressing, combine red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and a touch of honey for sweetness. Toss everything together in a large mixing bowl, and you have a vibrant and satisfying salad that's perfect for any occasion. This broccoli salad recipe is not only nutritious but also bursting with flavor and texture.
This broccoli salad is gluten free, grain free, dairy free, sugar free and vegan…a healthy side dish that fits so many styles of eating. And maybe you make it just for you!
If you like this recipe you might like my Mediterranean Cucumber Salad or my Chicken Avocado Salad.
💖Why we love broccoli salad without mayo recipe:
- Healthy Alternative: No mayo means it's lighter and healthier than the classic broccoli salad.
- Quick and Easy: Simple to prepare with minimal ingredients and effort.
- Versatile: Perfect as a side dish or a main course with added protein.
- Delicious Flavor: The tangy dressing complements the fresh broccoli and other ingredients perfectly.
- Nutrient-Rich: Packed with vitamins, fiber, and healthy fats.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Great for picnics, potlucks, and family gatherings.
It really is oh so flavorful and easy to put together. Let's get onto this salad!
🛒 Ingredients in broccoli salad:
For the salad, this is what you'll need.
- Broccoli florets: Cut into small chunks for a crunchy, nutritious base. You could keep in bigger pieces if you like.
- Cabbage: Adds additional crunch and color; use chopped salad kit or red cabbage.
- Roasted sliced almonds: Provides a nutty flavor and crunchy texture.
- Pumpkin seeds (unsalted): Adds crunch and a boost of healthy fats.
- Red onions: Chopped for a sharp, savory taste.
- Raisins: Adds natural sweetness and chewiness.
- Cranberries: Provides a sweet-tart flavor contrast.
- Salt and pepper to taste: Enhances overall flavor.
Ingredients in Broccoli Salad Dressing:
This dressing is made with almond butter and orange juice (use freshly squeezed to keep it as low sugar as possible!). I had shallots on hand and used them. If you don’t have shallots you could use green onions or white onions.
- Orange juice: You could sub in lime juice or even lemon juice.
- Almond butter, no salt and no sugar: Peanut butter could work, in case you're following Whole30, it is not Whole30.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: I prefer to use a very good quality olive oil. You could use whatever mild flavored oil.
- Vinegar: Red or white wine or rice vinegar is fine
- Coconut aminos: I really love to use coconut aminos in so many recipes. I use it in place of soy sauce. It adds great flavor in this dressing.
- Shallots: Shallots add a really nice flavor to the dressing. Use red or sweet onion. Also garlic could be used, but will have a stronger flavor than the shallots or onions.
- Sea salt: Add it in only if you need it, to taste, but coconut aminos could add enough salt for your taste.
I added coconut aminos, extra-virgin olive oil and a bit of vinegar (white wine vinegar, but red wine vinegar also fine). Season with salt and pepper. Taste it when you’re making it and add more oil or vinegar if needed or even another splash of orange juice. The dressing may be too thick so you can adjust it with more of the liquid ingredients to make it consistency you like.
You need a food processor to pulse it all together. I have a large one and also a mini one. The mini processor is great to whip up dressings and doesn’t take up much storage space (I see them all the time for sale at my local thrift shops). You could also use a blender.
Store whatever is leftover of the dressing in a jar and use it all week on other salads you make.
It will thicken up so you could loosen it by adding a little bit of oil and vinegar and give it a good shake. Taste for flavor. Season it if it’s missing something. I’m telling you this dressing is so good! Make extra, because you will be using it on every thing all week long.
Equipment you need to make broccoli salad no mayo:
- Cutting board: I like my bamboo cutting board, but use whatever cutting board you have on hand.
- Sharp knife: I always use my sharp knife to prep.
- Food processor: I like to use my mini food processor. You could use a nutribullet. You could also use a blender or a hand mixer to make the dressing.
- Mini + large bowls: Mini glass bowls help for prepping all the ingredients. Any large bowl would work to combine and also to serve the salad.
Should I blanch broccoli for salad?
- It's best to blanch the broccoli. I always blanch my broccoli for a broccoli salad, but so many people like the broccoli completely raw.
- You bring a pot of water to boil and toss in the broccoli florets. It only takes about 60 seconds in the boiling water. You’ll see the broccoli turn a beautiful bright green color and they will still have a nice crunch (a crispy crunch as opposed to a hard broccoli crunch). Best not to boil more than 2-3 minutes.
- Just be sure to dry the broccoli with a clean towel before adding the salad (you don’t want a watery salad!).
How to cut broccoli ?
- Hold the broccoli crown with stem facing up and cut the florets around the stem, leaving at least an inch of stem on each piece.
- When you get to the center of the crown, holding the crown flat on the cutting board, slice just a bit down with your knife to cut the large bunch of florets away from the thick stem
- Hold a floret with the stem facing up on the cutting board, and slice through the centre of the stem vertically about 1” inch down.
- The stem should be thin enough to use hand force to pull apart the two florets.
- Cut the thick stem off the floret at the base where the buds are starting, and set aside the stem (for stock). Cut through just a little more, and the small floret will break off into two pieces. Place the florets in a colander and rinse. Shake dry. Now it's ready to blanch for the salad.
- If you're not using for this salad, pat dry and store for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
🍽️ How to make Broccoli Salad:
Gather up all your salad ingredients.
- Step 1: You could buy broccoli florets or buy a whole broccoli and cut into florets. Whatever you like is fine. Cut the broccoli into smaller portions (bite size is preferable).
- Step 2: Blanch the broccoli so it’s not totally raw yet will still be nice and crunchy (you’re just placing it in pot of boiling water for about 1 minute…that’s it!).
Look at this vibrant and gorgeous broccoli (am I the only one that gets excited about broccoli??)
- Step 3: Next step is to totally dry the broccoli (you don’t want a watery salad).
- Step 4: Add the broccoli and the rest of the salad ingredients to a bowl. I happened to have about 2 cups of a chopped cabbage salad leftover, so that got added in. You could add 2 cups of shredded red cabbage if you have any on hand. You could make it your own and add whatever seeds you have on hand or nuts (even pecans are nice…I added sliced almonds, because that’s what I had!).
- Step 5: I like to add the dressing and let it sit for a little bit (not more than 15-30 minutes) in the fridge. The flavors really combine.
- Step 6: If you’re not serving it for hours, I would not add the dressing and store. Store it without the dressing in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
📃 NOTE: Recipe card with detailed instructions are below! Print it out for later!
What Makes This The Best Broccoli Salad
- Fresh Ingredients: Crisp broccoli, crunchy nuts, and dried fruits create a perfect texture combination.
- Flavorful Dressing: A tangy and not too sweet dressing with red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar.
- No Mayo: Lighter and healthier, yet not sacrificing flavor.
- Easy Preparation: Quick to assemble with minimal cooking. Only need to blanch the broccoli in boiling water for a minute!
- Versatility: Goes nicely with different proteins and other dishes.
- Nutrient-Rich: Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber for a nutritious side dish or enjoy as a light meal.
What to serve with best broccoli salad?
This healthy broccoli salad recipe could be a meal on it's own. You could serve it with any other, side dish, or bread.
Here are some ideas:
Proteins:
- Grilled Chicken: Lightly seasoned or marinated grilled chicken breasts or thighs.
- Salmon: Baked, grilled, or pan-seared salmon fillets.
- Steak: Grilled or pan-seared steak, such as ribeye or sirloin.
- Shrimp: Grilled or sautéed shrimp, seasoned with garlic and lemon.
- Tofu: Marinated and grilled or baked tofu for a vegetarian option.
Sides:
- Quinoa: A light and fluffy side that complements the crunch of the salad.
- Brown Rice: Nutty and hearty, pairs well with the fresh flavors of the salad.
- Sweet Potatoes: Roasted or baked sweet potato wedges or cubes.
- Grilled Vegetables: A medley of grilled bell peppers, zucchini, and asparagus.
Breads:
- Crusty bread: Nothing beats a really great homemade crusty bread!
- Garlic Bread: Lightly toasted garlic bread adds a flavorful crunch.
- Rosemary breadsticks: If you love breadsticks, these are easy to make and delicious breadsticks!
🫙 Leftover and storing broccoli salad with raisins:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If dressed, the salad will last for 1-2 days. If you don't mix with the dressing, it can stay fresh for a few days longer.
📃 Substitutions & Variations for broccoli vegetable salad:
- Leafy Greens:
- Spinach or Kale: For extra nutrients and flavor, you could add chopped spinach or kale.
- Protein Boost:
- Grilled Chicken: Add diced grilled chicken for a protein-packed meal.
- Tofu: For a vegetarian option, add in some marinated and grilled or baked tofu.
- Chickpeas: Add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas for a plant-based protein boost.
- Bacon: If you have bacon, you could cook it up and add the crumbles on top.
- Different Nuts and Seeds:
- Walnuts or Pecans: For different flavor, substitute roasted sliced almonds with walnuts or pecans.
- Sunflower Seeds: Use sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin seeds for a milder taste.
- Dried Fruits:
- Dried apricots or Cherries: Swap raisins for chopped dried apricots or cherries for a tart and sweet variation.
- Dates or Figs: Chop and add dates or figs for a unique sweetness.
- Fresh Fruits:
- Apples or Pears: Add diced apples or pears for a fresh, sweet crunch.
- Grapes: Halved grapes can add a burst of sweetness and juiciness.
- Vegetables:
- Carrots: Shredded or julienned carrots add color and crunch.
- Bell Peppers: Add diced red, yellow, or orange bell peppers for a sweet and crunchy addition.
- Alternative Dressings:
- Greek Yogurt Dressing: Use Greek yogurt mixed with lemon juice, honey, and dill for a creamy, tangy dressing.
- Tahini Dressing: Blend tahini with lemon juice, garlic, and water for a nutty, creamy alternative.
- Avocado Dressing: Puree avocado with lime juice, cilantro, and olive oil for a creamy and healthy dressing.
- Grains:
- Quinoa or Farro: For a hearty and nutritious twist, add in some cooked quinoa or farro.
- Cheese:
- Feta or Goat Cheese: Crumbled feta or goat cheese can add a creamy, tangy flavor. The traditional way to make is with chunks of cheddar cheese. Go ahead and use that if you have it on hand.
- Spices and Herbs:
- Fresh Herbs: Add chopped fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, or dill for extra flavor.
- Spices: A dash of spices like smoked paprika, cumin, or chili flakes for added depth and a bit of heat.
You could prep this Whole30 + Paleo broccoli salad up to 3 days in advance before serving. So it’s really great idea for the holidays and prepping side dishes.
☑️ Lora's Tips for the Best Creamy Broccoli Salad:
Use Fresh Ingredients:
- Frozen broccoli does not work for this salad. You definitely need to use fresh broccoli. Choose high-quality nuts and seeds to enhance flavor and texture.
Blanch the Broccoli:
- Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer to an ice bath to keep their bright color and crispness.
Chop Ingredients Uniformly:
- All the ingredients could be chopped into similar-sized pieces for even distribution and better texture.
Balance the Dressing:
- Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add more orange juice or vinegar if you prefer a tangier taste.
Use a High-Speed Blender:
- For a smooth and well-emulsified dressing, blend the ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor.
Toast Nuts and Seeds:
- Lightly toast the almonds and pumpkin seeds to enhance their flavor and add extra crunch.
Mix Well:
- Toss the salad thoroughly to ensure all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
Serve Immediately:
- For the best texture, serve the salad soon after adding the dressing. If preparing in advance, keep the salad and dressing separate until just before serving.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If dressed, the salad will last for 1-2 days. If undressed, it can stay fresh for a few days longer.
Customize Add-Ins:
- Go ahead and customize the salad with your favorite add-ins, like dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, or diced apples for added sweetness and texture.
❓ FAQ'S
Why does my broccoli salad get watery?
Broccoli salad can get watery if the broccoli releases moisture after you add on the dressing. It's best to thoroughly dry the broccoli after washing and add the dressing just before serving.
What goes well with broccoli?
Broccoli pairs really nicely with different ingredients, including cheese, bacon, nuts, dried fruits, and a tangy vinaigrette. It also complements proteins like tofu, chicken, or beef.
Why is broccoli salad good for you?
Broccoli salad is a nutritious option as it's packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It contains antioxidants that promote health and well-being.
Can you make broccoli salad in advance?
Yes, you can make broccoli salad in advance. Keep the dressing separate and mix it in just before serving to keep the salad’s crisp texture and freshness.
Is broccoli cooked in broccoli salad?
Broccoli in broccoli salad is usually raw or lightly blanched so it stays crunchy with a vibrant color. Broccoli is not fully cooked for a salad.
How long is broccoli salad good for?
Broccoli salad is good for 1-2 days after you make it. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Does broccoli salad have cheese in it?
Yes, broccoli salad can have cheese in it, like cheddar cheese or feta, but it is optional. Cheese adds creaminess and flavor.
Does broccoli salad have bacon in it?
Yes, traditional broccoli salad often includes bacon for a savory, crunchy element, but you can omit it for a vegetarian version.
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Broccoli Salad (No Mayo)
Equipment
- Food Processor with the s-blade attachment, or mini-prep food processor
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 heads of broccoli florets cut into small chunks
- 2 cups of cabbage I used a chopped salad kit that has cabbage but you could use red cabbage
- ½ cup roasted sliced almonds
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds unsalted
- ½ cup red onions chopped, or sweet onion or shallots
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup cranberries use more raisins if you don't have dried cranberries
- ½ tsp sea salt more to taste
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper more to taste
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup orange juice sugar-free (freshly squeezed is ideal)
- ¼ cup almond butter no salt and no sugar
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar red, white wine, or rice vinegar could be used
- 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos soy sauce or tamari could also be used
- 1 shallot finely chopped, or red, sweet onion, or garlic
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
For the salad
- Blanch broccoli: In a pot of boiling water, blanch the broccoli florets for about one minute. You want them to turn bright green, so should not take longer than a minute. The broccoli will still be crisp and crunchy without the raw edge.
- Assemble salad: In a medium bowl, place the broccoli, cabbage, almonds, sunflower seeds, red onions, raisins and cranberries. Season with salt and pepper.
For the dressing
- Blend dressing: Add ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor (or mini-prep food processor) and blend for 20-30 seconds, or until smooth. If dressing is too thick, you can thin it out with a little more orange juice or a few drops of olive oil. Check the flavor and adjust with more vinegar, if needed. Set aside.
- Or whisk together: Alternatively, you can whisk ingredients together in a bowl or shake until incorporated in a mason jar.
- Drizzle on dressing: Add amount you want to coat all the broccoli salad. Toss to combine. Check flavoring and add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve: Enjoy the salad at room temperature. Or you could store in the refrigerator until ready and serve cold.
- Storing: If you add the dressing to the salad, it will store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. If you don’t add dressing, the salad should stay fresh for a few days in an airtight storage container.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Lizzie says
This dressing is really good! I have made it a few times. Sometimes I use peanut butter and it's very flavorful! I added dried cherries and last time I made it some grilled chicken pieces. My daughter loves it too!