My No Mayo Coleslaw with Lemon Sumac Dressing is a Middle Eastern spin on a classic coleslaw. It’s crunchy, fresh, vibrant, and loaded with texture from crisp cabbage, fragrant herbs, peppery radish, and toasted sunflower seeds. It comes together in under 30 minutes.
Serve as a starter or side with one of my Grilling Recipes or Mediterranean Main Dishes.
No Mayo Coleslaw: Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time
20 mins
Rest Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings
6 People
Calories*
142 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
Green cabbage, radishes, parsley, mint, green onions, dill, lemon, olive oil, sumac, sunflower seeds and honey.
Technique
Shredding cabbage, whisking salad dressing, and assembling a salad.
*Calories are estimated
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Super Fast: This slaw comes together quickly with simple chopping and tossing, making it an easy make-ahead side dish for busy weeknights or entertaining.
- The lemon sumac dressing is what really makes this slaw shine. There is no mayonnaise in this recipe, so it feels light and refreshing, not heavy.
- Easy Pairings: It pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, kebabs, burgers, roasted vegetables, or Mediterranean-inspired spreads.
- Tested and Reliable: Groceries are expensive! All my Salad Recipes are tested by me, my team or recipe testers before posting.
Ingredients
You don’t need anything too fancy to make this recipe. Everything should be readily available at your local supermarket. Sumac is much more common now, but if you can’t find it in a store, you’ll definitely find it online. Here is what you will need:
- Green Cabbage: The crunchy base of the salad. You can also use napa cabbage or a mix of green and red cabbage. Slicing thinly by hand using a sharp knife works well, but using a mandoline is my preferred method.
- Radish: Fresh radish plays double duty. It adds much-needed color to the salad, but it also adds a peppery bite. Radish comes into season in the spring, around the same time as the fresh herbs and cabbage in this recipe. So it all just makes sense! You’ll find radish in some of my other salads, like my Authentic Fattoush Salad and Cucumber Radish Feta Salad.
- Fresh Herbs: I love this salad because it’s just so herb-forward. Fresh parsley, fresh mint, fresh dill and fresh onions make this a perfect Spring Recipe. You could also use or swap in fresh cilantro.
- Sunflower Seeds: Toasted for extra crunch and nuttiness. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) work well, too. Or you can sub in your favorite nut here.
- Lemons: You will need both fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for the salad dressing. You can use vinegar instead. White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar would work too.
- Sumac: This tangy Middle Eastern spice is one of my favorites. It adds a lemony, citrusy flavor. Buy some from your local Middle Eastern market and use it in some of my other recipes like Sumac Onions, Musakhan (Palestinian Sumac Chicken) and Lebanese Fattoush Salad.
- Honey: Balances the acidity with a touch of sweetness. Maple syrup can be substituted or agave syrup, which would make the coleslaw vegan.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make this Middle Eastern Coleslaw Recipe
Step 1. Shred and Salt. Add the shredded cabbage to a large bowl. Sprinkle with a small pinch of kosher salt and massage the cabbage gently with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes until it softens slightly.
Step 2. Make Dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, sumac, honey, grated garlic, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
Step 3. Assemble. Add the parsley, mint, green onions, dill, sunflower seeds, and sliced radish to the cabbage.
Step 4. Drizzle. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
Step 5. Rest and Adjust. Let the slaw rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps the cabbage soften slightly while allowing the flavors to meld together. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Pairing and Menu Ideas
This no mayo coleslaw is incredibly versatile and works with so many different meals.
It’s a perfect salad to serve for your next BBQ, picnic, cookout or potluck. I think it pairs beautifully with my Grilled Chicken Shish Tawook, Middle Eastern Beef Shish Kebabs, Greek Chicken Souvlaki, Harissa Chicken Skewers or Marinated Greek Lamb Chops.
It also works well as a side with one of my many Mediterranean Mains like my Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes, Za’atar Chicken Thighs, Pulled Lamb or Chicken Shawarma.
For a vegetarian meal, pair it with one of my Mediterranean Vegetarian Recipes or Mediterranean Vegan Recipes.
Expert Tips
- Finely shred the cabbage for the best texture. Thin strands absorb the dressing more evenly and soften nicely as the salad rests. A mandoline works best here. I wouldn’t use a food processor here, as you will end up with uneven pieces.
- Massaging the cabbage briefly with salt helps break down the fibers slightly, making the slaw more tender without losing crunch.
- Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes until fragrant to enhance their nutty flavor.
- Fresh herbs are essential here. Use plenty and avoid substituting with dried herbs, which won’t provide the same brightness.
- Sumac can vary slightly in tartness depending on the brand. Taste the dressing before tossing and adjust the lemon juice if needed.
- Letting the slaw rest before serving is key (10-15 minutes is enough). Avoid overdressing the slaw too early if serving it much later, as the cabbage can release excess moisture.
- For meal prep: If you plan to prep this to enjoy over the course of a few days, keep the dressing separate. Check more of my Mediterranean Salad Recipes, many of which are perfect for meal prep.
- Other additions: Dijon mustard, sliced red onion, jalapenos, and/or celery seeds.
No Mayo Coleslaw with Lemon Sumac Dressing Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can prepare the salad a few hours ahead and refrigerate it until ready to serve. In fact, the flavors improve slightly as it sits in the fridge. If you want to prepare a day ahead, keep the dressing on the side and mix it 10 minutes before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cabbage will soften over time but will still taste delicious.
Absolutely. Thinly sliced carrots, fennel, cucumber, or red cabbage would all work well in this slaw.
Other Salad Recipes
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No Mayo Coleslaw with Lemon Sumac Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 cup Finely shredded cabbage – About ½ large head
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Sumac
- 2 teaspoon Honey
- 1 Garlic clove (minced or grated)
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ cup Fresh parsley (chopped)
- ¼ cup Fresh mint (chopped)
- ¼ cup Fresh dill (chopped)
- 3 Green onions (chopped)
- 5 Radishes (thinly sliced)
- 3-4 tablespoon Sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Shred and Salt. Add the shredded cabbage to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and massage the cabbage gently with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes until it softens slightly.
- Make Dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, sumac, honey, grated garlic, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
- Assemble. Add the parsley, mint, dill, green onion, radish and sunflower seeds to the cabbage.
- Drizzle. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
- Rest and Adjust. Let the slaw rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps the cabbage soften slightly while allowing the flavors to meld together. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Notes
- Green Cabbage: You can also use napa cabbage or a mix of green and red cabbage. Slicing thinly by hand works well, but using a mandoline is my preferred method.
- Fresh Herbs: I love this salad because it’s just so herb-forward. Fresh parsley, fresh mint, fresh dill and fresh onions make this a perfect Spring Recipe.
- Sunflower Seeds: Toasted for extra crunch and nuttiness. Pumpkin seeds work well, too. Or you can sub in your favorite nut here.
- Sumac: This tangy Middle Eastern spice is one of my favorites. It adds a lemony, citrusy flavor. Buy some from your local Middle Eastern market.
- Honey: Balances the acidity with a touch of sweetness. Maple syrup can be substituted or agave syrup, which would make the coleslaw vegan.
- Finely shred the cabbage for the best texture. Thin strands absorb the dressing more evenly and soften nicely as the salad rests.
- Massaging the cabbage briefly with salt helps break down the fibers slightly, making the slaw more tender without losing crunch.
- Fresh herbs are essential here. Use plenty and avoid substituting with dried herbs, which won’t provide the same brightness.
- Letting the slaw rest before serving is key (10-15 minutes is enough). Avoid overdressing the slaw too early if serving it much later, as the cabbage can release excess moisture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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