Citric Acid Free Pesto-Walnut Beet and Kale Slaw

Total time1 hr 10 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time40 min

4.8

(14)

Citric Acid Free Pesto-Walnut Beet and Kale Slaw

Earthy roasted beets, massaged lacinato kale, and shredded red cabbage come together in a slaw that's as stunning to look at as it is satisfying to eat. The real star is the homemade pesto dressing — blended from fresh basil, raw walnuts, nutritional yeast, and garlic — which coats every ribbon of vegetable in something deeply savory and herbaceous. Lemon juice stands in as the acidifying agent here, which is worth noting for anyone navigating sensitivities to manufactured citric acid commonly found in bottled dressings and store-bought slaws. Because everything is made from scratch with whole, recognizable ingredients, you stay in full control of what goes into the bowl. Massaging the kale with a little lemon juice and salt is the move that transforms it from tough and bitter to silky and mellow, making it genuinely crave-worthy rather than virtuous-but-boring. A final scatter of chopped walnuts adds crunch and ties back to the nutty depth of the dressing. This one works just as well as a make-ahead lunch as it does alongside a weeknight dinner.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the roasted beets

2 medium beets (about 12 oz total), scrubbed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt

For the pesto dressing

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
½ cup raw walnuts
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the slaw

1 large bunch lacinato kale (about 8 oz), stems removed, leaves thinly sliced
¼ small red cabbage (about 2 cups), thinly shredded
¼ cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp salt

For serving

2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Trim the beets, cut each into 6–8 wedges, and toss on a baking sheet with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer.
2
Roast the beets for 35–40 minutes, turning once halfway through, until tender when pierced with a knife and the edges are caramelized. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.

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