Pork Free Basil-Pesto Brussels Sprout Salad
Raw Brussels sprouts get a serious glow-up here — shaved paper-thin, they turn tender and almost silky once they've had a few minutes to soak up that vibrant homemade pesto. The dressing itself is bright and herby, built from fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a whisper of ground ginger that gives it a subtle warmth you won't see coming. Dried cranberries and thin-sliced red onion round out the bowl with little pops of sweetness and a gentle bite that keep every forkful interesting. Everything here is completely plant-based and naturally free of any meat products, so there's zero label-checking required — just fresh, whole ingredients doing all the heavy lifting. It's the kind of salad that works just as well as a weeknight side as it does on a holiday spread, and it actually holds up in the fridge overnight, which makes it a meal-prep dream. A final squeeze of lemon and a handful of torn basil right before serving keeps the flavors sharp and the color stunning.
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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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