Coconut Free Basil-Pesto Kale Salad
Bright, herby, and packed with bold flavor, this kale salad is the kind of dish that converts skeptics one forkful at a time. The secret is in the massage — working salt into the raw kale for a few minutes transforms it from tough and bitter to silky and deeply savory, making it genuinely crave-worthy rather than virtuous-but-boring. The homemade pesto blends fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon, and a touch of turmeric into something vibrantly green and aromatic, with no store-bought shortcuts needed. That matters because plenty of jarred pestos and pre-made dressings sneak in unexpected ingredients, so blending your own in a food processor keeps everything clean and exactly what you want it to be. Crisp radish slices add a peppery crunch that plays beautifully against the lush, herb-coated leaves. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end lifts the whole bowl and makes the flavors pop. It's simple enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to bring to a dinner table.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 2 bunches curly or lacinato kale (about 10 oz), stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, divided
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
For serving
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the torn kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of the sea salt. Using both hands, massage the kale firmly for 2–3 minutes until the leaves darken, soften noticeably, and reduce in volume by about half.
- 2
Combine the basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, turmeric, and remaining 1/4 tsp sea salt in a food processor or blender. Pulse 5–6 times until the herbs are roughly chopped.
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