Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pear, Cranberries, and Vegan Parmesan

I love fresh salads for lunch or sides, and frankly the bigger the better. I wanted a little bit of everything in here; crunch, sweetness, cheesiness, and something that can be prepared ahead of time and thrown together later. I think we all typically boil or roast brussels sprouts, but have you ever had these amazing little greens raw? They have a similar texture to shredded cabbage, but much more flavorful. Shaved Brussels sprouts, chewy dried cranberries, toasted almonds, fresh pear, and vegan Parmesan cheese make this salad irresistible. Recipe and photos contributed from Sophia Zergiotis of Love and Lentils. 

Serves: 6

Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh herbs (I used thyme, rosemary would work great as well)

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

• 1 cup unsalted cashews
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Salad

• 5 cups shaved brussels sprouts
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese (save any extra for future use)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 pear, washed and sliced (I used red anjou)

For the Vinaigrette: Place all ingredients into a mason jar, tightly secure the lid, and shake!

For the Vegan Parmesan: Place all ingredients in a food processor and process for 20 seconds. I like the texture crumbly, but you can continue processing to a fine powder if you like. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

For the Salad: Wash brussels sprouts and trim off ends. Slice in half from top to bottom. Thinly slice each half using a sharp knife then fluff the shreds using your fingers, separating the shreds.

Place shaved brussels sprouts onto a serving dish. Top with toasted almonds, dried cranberries, sliced pear and parmesan cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve. If you want to prepare the salad ahead of time, only add the pear right before serving.

• Here are more of VegKitchen’s Main Dish Salads.