Pecan Free Basil-Pesto Kale Salad
This vibrant kale salad is the kind of dish that makes you genuinely excited about eating your greens. The homemade pesto is built entirely from fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon, and olive oil — no nuts of any kind — so it delivers that rich, herbaceous punch without any cross-contact concerns you might run into with store-bought versions. A pinch of turmeric gives the sauce a subtle warmth and a gorgeous golden-green hue that looks almost too pretty to eat. Massaging the kale with sea salt before dressing it is the real secret here: it softens the leaves, deepens their color, and transforms what can sometimes feel like a tough, chewy green into something genuinely tender and craveable. Thin-sliced radishes add a satisfying peppery crunch that plays beautifully against the creamy, bright pesto. A squeeze of fresh lemon over the top right before serving ties everything together with a clean, citrusy finish. It's the kind of salad that holds up well as it sits, making it just as good for meal prep as it is for the 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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