Artificial Food Coloring Free Basil-Pesto Brussels Sprout Salad

Total time30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time0 min

Artificial Food Coloring Free Basil-Pesto Brussels Sprout Salad

This vibrant shaved salad is proof that bold, beautiful color doesn't need anything artificial to make an impression. The pesto comes together entirely from fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, and a hint of ground ginger — every drop of that gorgeous green is completely natural. Tossed with paper-thin Brussels sprouts and sweet dried cranberries, the result is a salad that looks stunning on the table without a single synthetic dye in sight. Store-bought dressings and pre-made pestos are common culprits for hidden colorings and additives, so blending your own in the food processor puts you fully in control of what goes into the bowl. A short 10-minute rest after tossing lets the sprouts soften just enough to soak up all that bright, herby dressing. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and torn basil leaves, and you've got something that tastes as vivid as it looks — no label-reading required.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the salad

1 ½ lb brussels sprouts, tough outer leaves removed, ends trimmed
Fresh Brussels Sprouts, 1 lb Bag Brussels Sprouts - Stalk Simple Truth Organic Bagged Fresh Brussels Sprouts Signature Select/Farms Brussels Sprouts - 12 OZ Signature Farms Brussels Sprouts - 24 OZ
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¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced
¼ cup dried cranberries, unsweetened or honey-sweetened

For the pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
1 tsp lemon zest
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp ground ginger

For serving

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, for finishing (optional)
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

Instructions

1
Shave the Brussels sprouts: working in batches, halve each sprout through the root end, then place cut-side down and slice crosswise as thinly as possible with a chef's knife, or use the slicing disc of a food processor. Transfer the shaved sprouts to a large mixing bowl.
2
Add the thinly sliced red onion and dried cranberries to the bowl with the shaved sprouts and toss to combine.

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