Caffeine Free Basil-Pesto Brussels Sprout Salad
Raw, shaved Brussels sprouts are the kind of ingredient that can surprise you — sliced paper-thin, they turn tender and almost silky once they've had a few minutes to soak up a bright, herbaceous dressing. The homemade basil pesto here is blended with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and a subtle hit of ground ginger, giving it a flavor that's livelier and more complex than anything from a jar. Tossed with thinly sliced red onion and chewy dried cranberries, the whole salad lands somewhere between fresh and hearty — the kind of thing that works as a light lunch or a standout side at dinner. Every single ingredient in this recipe is naturally free of caffeine, so there's no label-reading required and no hidden surprises to navigate. The pesto comes together in a food processor in under a minute, and a short rest at room temperature is all it takes for the sprouts to soften just enough without losing their satisfying bite. A final squeeze of lemon and a scatter of torn basil leaves before serving keeps everything tasting fresh and vibrant. Make it ahead and refrigerate overnight — it holds up beautifully and the flavors only get better.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 ½ lb brussels sprouts, tough outer leaves removed, ends trimmed
- 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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