This Broccolini Salad with Cashew Mayo Dressing is a dream. I have truly never been as excited about a side salad than I am about this gem—featuring a made-from-scratch cashew mayo dressing and an abundance of broccolini. As a traditionally American dish and as I am by every definition an expat, I have only recently discovered the broccoli salad. So I’m thrilled to have created such a deliciously more-ish plant-based (and inflammatory oil free!) version that leaves me feeling so great.
You can make this salad with broccoli as well, of course. I find broccolini to be even more delicious as it tends to be crispier and a little bit sweeter. I don’t know if it’s a Southern California thing, but I also don’t remember the last time I bought broccoli. It’s always broccolini in our house! If you’re lucky, you’ll also get those beautiful flowers that will add speckles of yellow to your salad.
The cashew mayo dressing is what pulls this dish together. While you can whip up a broccoli salad using store-bought “vegan mayonnaise” I highly recommend that you take the time to make this one. Not only will it be much more delicious and taste like real food, but store-bought vegan mayonnaise always has inflammatory seed oils as one of the main ingredients (let me know if you find one that doesn’t, and that actually tastes good!). These include oils such as canola (or rapeseed) oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil. For optimal health, it’s best to avoid these close to 100% of the time. Instead, you can indulge on this cashew mayo dressing and feel good knowing that it’s good for you!
PrintCreamy Broccolini Salad with Cashew Mayo Dressing (Raw & Plant-Based)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
Salad
8 cups broccolini or broccoli florets
1/2 cup sprouted sunflower seeds or sprouted almonds*, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries (I buy mine from Eden—these are oil-free and sweetened only with apple juice)
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup curly parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Cashew Mayo Dressing
1 cup raw cashews, soaked
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 tbsp purified water
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (use less to taste if using bottled)
1 tbsp organic yellow miso
1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 medium clove garlic
1/8 tsp ground pepper
*Raw sunflower seeds or almonds are fine if you can’t find sprouted; the sprouted ones will be crunchier and more flavorful, in addition to being easier on your digestive system.
Instructions
- After prepping, combine your salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Drain and rinse your soaked cashews, and add all dressing ingredients into your high-speed blender. Blend on high until very creamy and smooth.
- Combine your dressing with your salad ingredients and mix well.
- Let sit for 30 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container, preferably glass, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
I recommend letting the salad sit for 30 minutes before serving, as this allows the raw onion to absorb some of the dressing, neutralizing the harsh onion flavor. If you are planning to serve this immediately, separate your onion from the rest of your salad ingredients and squeeze a little bit of lemon juice on top. Let sit until you are ready to combine the salad with the dressing, at which step you would add the onion.
Nut free? Try subbing the soaked cashews for soaked sunflower seeds!
Avoiding soy? Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans and often also contains rice or barley due to the fermentation process. I really enjoy using small amounts of organic yellow miso in sauces and savory creams, as in certain contexts it can add just the right amount of umami. If you want to make this mayonnaise soy-free, you can absolutely just skip the miso. Instead, you may want to add a touch more vinegar and perhaps a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. (FYSA – I haven’t tried this, these are just some ideas! But I can guarantee it will still taste delicious if you omitted the miso and made no other changes.)
I have very high hopes for the future of this cashew mayo dressing and I look forward to incorporating it into future dishes! Note that the pictures of this salad reflect a half batch of the above recipe. If you do decide to reduce the yield, I highly recommend making the dressing with the quantities instructed and saving the rest for use over the next 1-2 days. This is because most high-speed blenders require a minimum quantity inside the container order to be able to blend everything perfectly (this is true for the standard Blendtec and Vitamix containers; note that they both offer smaller containers for times like these). Either way, I’m sure you will be happy to have extra on hand if you end up in this situation!
I hope you love this Creamy Broccolini Salad as much as I do!
Amanda says
I made this yesterday (just omitted the miso) and it is AMAZING. A huge hit for the whole family and so so clean! THANK YOU – we will be adding this to our favorite family dishes.