Citric Acid Free Kale & Blueberry Salad with Walnut Pesto Dressing
Avoiding citric acid in packaged dressings and store-bought pestos can feel like a full-time job, since the additive hides in so many bottled condiments under various names. This salad sidesteps all of that by building its dressing entirely from scratch ā fresh basil, toasted walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and a squeeze of real lemon juice, so you know exactly what's going in. The result is a vibrant, nutty pesto-style dressing that clings beautifully to every massaged kale leaf. Speaking of which, that hands-on massage step is the secret weapon here: it softens the kale from tough and bitter to silky and deeply savory in just a couple of minutes. Sweet fresh blueberries and paper-thin red onion add pops of color and contrast that make the whole bowl feel genuinely exciting. Toasting the walnuts in a dry skillet before they go into both the dressing and the salad brings out a warm, almost buttery depth that ties everything together. It's the kind of salad that converts skeptics ā hearty enough to stand alone, fresh enough to feel like a treat.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 bunch (about 8 oz) lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- Ā¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Ā¼ cup red onion, very thinly sliced
- Ā¼ cup dry-roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
For the walnut pesto dressing
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- Ā¼ cup dry-roasted walnuts
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Ā¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
- Ā¼ tsp salt
- Ā¼ tsp black pepper
- Ā¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts for the salad (1/4 cup, roughly chopped) and the walnuts for the dressing (1/4 cup) together, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3ā4 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then separate into the two portions.
- 2
Place the torn kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Using clean hands, massage the kale firmly for 1ā2 minutes until the leaves darken, soften noticeably, and reduce in volume by about half.
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