Rice Free Basil-Pesto Collard Green Salad
Massaged collard greens meet a vibrant, herb-forward pesto in a salad that feels both rustic and surprisingly elegant. The key move here is working salt into the raw collard ribbons with your hands — it breaks down their tough, bitter edge and transforms them into something silky and deeply savory before a single drop of dressing is added. The pesto itself swaps traditional pine nuts for tiger nuts, which bring a subtly sweet, nutty richness while keeping the whole dish completely grain- and rice-free without any awkward substitutions. Blended with fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and warm spices like turmeric and ginger, it's a sauce that punches well above its weight. Every ribbon gets coated in that glossy, fragrant pesto, making this the kind of salad that actually holds its own as a main. A finishing squeeze of lemon and a handful of fresh parsley brighten the whole bowl right before serving. It's the sort of recipe that makes you rethink what a salad can be.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 large bunch collard greens (about 10–12 leaves), stems removed
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ⅓ cup tiger nuts, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, for finishing (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Stack the stemmed collard green leaves and roll them tightly lengthwise, then slice crosswise into thin ribbons about 1/4 inch wide. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and massage the ribbons firmly with both hands for 1–2 minutes until they darken, soften noticeably, and reduce in volume by about half.
- 2
Let the massaged collard greens rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the pesto.
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