Seed Oil Free Basil-Pesto Collard Green Salad
Massaged collard greens meet a vibrant, herb-forward pesto in a salad that feels both grounding and genuinely exciting to eat. The key move here is working salt into the raw collard ribbons with your hands until they soften and deepen in color — it transforms what can be a tough, bitter leaf into something tender and almost silky. Instead of pine nuts or cashews, the pesto leans on tiger nuts for body and a subtle earthiness, blended smooth with fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and a warm nudge of turmeric and ginger. Every drop of fat in this recipe comes from extra-virgin olive oil, so there are no hidden industrial seed oils to worry about — just clean, cold-pressed flavor doing all the work. The result is a pesto that clings beautifully to every ribbon and tastes bright, herby, and a little complex all at once. It holds up well in the fridge, making it a smart option for meal prep when you want something that actually gets better as it sits. A final squeeze of lemon and a handful of fresh parsley pull the whole thing together with a pop of freshness.
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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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