No Mayo Coleslaw with Purple Cabbage (Healthy and Vegan)

No mayo coleslaw with purple cabbage is a healthy, crunchy addition to your next brunch spread. Made without mayo, you'll love how tangy and flavorful this vegan coleslaw is.

This no mayo coleslaw is a healthier alternative with an addictive crunch.  

This healthy coleslaw recipe is made with fresh purple and green cabbage, shredded carrots, and mixed seeds. It gives it a wonderfully addictive crunch with every bite. 

And in place of mayo, this vibrant purple slaw is tossed in a simple yet flavorful lemon olive oil dressing. 

This no mayo coleslaw is not only healthy. In addition, it’s also packed with flavor and texture. It's easy serve some vegan coleslaw with your next brunch! 

Is coleslaw healthy to eat?

The good news: coleslaws are are made from a lot of veggies!

But despite being made from shredded fresh vegetables, many coleslaw recipes are high in saturated fat and calories. Plus, traditional recipes are also sweetened with white sugar. 

So in many senses, coleslaw isn't always healthy to eat.

Yet, I love the idea of coleslaw because it contains so many crunchy veggies. As such, I decided to make my own healthy option instead. 

This vegan coleslaw is a more nutritious option

This is a delicious coleslaw recipe, no mayo required. It’s also free of white sugar.

Instead, this vegan coleslaw recipe is made from a handful of nutritious ingredients, including: 

• Green and purple cabbage: high in fiber and a good source of important nutrients like vitamins C and K. 
• Carrots: rich in beta-carotene, which is a type of antioxidant that’s important for eye and immune health. 
• Mixed seeds: seeds provide a dose of healthy fats and protein, as well as are good sources of essential minerals like magnesium and calcium. 
• Raisins: provide natural sweetness as well as little fiber. 
• Olive oil: rich in healthy, monounsaturated fats. 

Why I love using purple cabbage in this no mayo coleslaw recipe 

I love using purple cabbage in coleslaw. That's because it’s both colorful and nutritious. 

Purple cabbage adds a pop of color to no mayo slaw

Purple cabbage’s vibrant color really makes this vegan coleslaw recipe stand out. 

Plus, because there isn't any mayo in the recipe, the purple really pops. It's gorgeous!

If you haven’t cooked with purple cabbage before, you may be surprised to see the water turn a purplish-blue color when you wash it. But, there’s no reason to worry. It’s totally okay and normal. 

Health benefits of using purple cabbage in slaw 

Purple cabbage is more than just pretty to look at. 

According to an article from Harvard, its purple coloring is actually due to a group of antioxidants called anthocyanins.

Purple cabbage is also an excellent source of vitamin C, which is important for keeping our immune systems running strong, as well as vitamins K, A, and B6. 

And don’t forget about fiber! Both green and purple cabbages are good sources of fiber. They are both good for gut health!

Seeds aren’t traditional, but they do add a wonderful crunch to this no mayo coleslaw

I love the taste and texture of the seeds in this no mayo coleslaw. They give it such a good crunch.

For this purple cabbage slaw, I used a combination of seeds including:

• Sunflower seeds
• Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• Brown flax seeds
• Golden flax seeds 

TIP: While you can make your own seed mix, I like the convenience of buying a pre-mixed option like this one.

How to make this healthy coleslaw recipe

Making this healthy coleslaw recipe is easy. But it takes a bit of time to slice and chop all the ingredients by hand. 

TIP: To speed things up, I like to use my food processor to do all the knife work for me. 

Tips for prepping vegetables with a food processor 

To make no mayo coleslaw using a food processor I recommend using two different disks: 

• A grating disk for the carrots. 
• A slicing disk for the cabbage

Not only do these disks make the process faster, but they also make you cabbage slices nice and uniform in size. (See example pictures here.)

The olive oil and lemon dressing is simple, yet so flavorful 

Instead of a mayo-based sauce, this vegan coleslaw is dressed with a simple, yet flavorful olive oil and lemon dressing. 

It’s a very straight-forward dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. But then, for a little middle eastern flare, I also add a pinch of ground cumin. 

While the flavor is faint, I highly recommend keeping the cumin in this dressing as you can definitely taste the difference without it. 

No mayo coleslaw can be made ahead of time  

I usually make this no mayo coleslaw a few hours before serving. That way the flavors have time to develop. 

But if you’re not going to serve it until the next day, to save time, I recommend prepping all the veggies the night before. Then in the morning, just toss on the dressing.

While it will get softer a day or two after making it, this purple cabbage slaw still makes for tasty leftovers. Simply keep it stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Can vegans eat coleslaw?

Usually vegans cannot eat coleslaw. Mayo typically is made with egg yolks, which aren’t vegan.

However, since this healthy coleslaw recipe doesn’t use mayo, it’s vegan-friendly! 

This no mayo slaw is also perfect for parties. Especially if you are catering to different dietary requirements and allergies. 

Not only is it suitable for vegans, but it’s also:

• Nut-free
• Gluten-free
• Egg-free
• Dairy-free. 

Does coleslaw contain egg?

Usually coleslaw contains eggs because of the mayo.

But as my son has an egg allergy, it prompted me to make this recipe. I needed to skip the mayo. So, this healthy coleslaw recipe is completely free of egg.

This no mayo slaw makes for a great brunch salad

Coleslaw is usually reserved as a side dish for dinner. Or even as a topping on pulled chicken sandwiches. But, I actually love serving this no mayo coleslaw as a brunch salad. 

To make it a little more brunchy, I recommend adding a poached egg on top. Or serve it alongside a breakfast sausage.

Both my homemade turkey sausage patties and pork breakfast sausage recipes would work really well.

This no mayo slaw also pairs well with my keto tuna omelette recipe. 

How to make a big brunch board 

Throwing a brunch party? I recommend making a big brunch board. Not only does it look nice, but it takes the pressure off of you at bit. Let your guests mix and match foods to create their ideal breakfast. 

There’s no limit when it comes to foods that you can add to your brunch board.

To go with this purple cabbage slaw, I included bagels, cream cheese, hummus, smoked salmon, hard boiled eggs, grapes, olives, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. 

And to display all this food, I used a large wooden cutting board with a handle. 

While the handle isn’t necessarily, I like how it looks. Love it too? This is the big brunch board I used in the photo. 

No mayo coleslaw with purple cabbage is a deliciously healthy addition to your next brunch party

I really hope this healthy coleslaw recipe makes it on your table soon. 

It’s definitely a recipe we make when we need an easy, yet healthy side dish. Any questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below.