Seed Oil Free Pesto-Walnut Beet and Kale Slaw

Total time1 hr 10 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time40 min

4.8

(14)

Seed Oil Free Pesto-Walnut Beet and Kale Slaw

This slaw is a serious showstopper — earthy caramelized beet wedges, massaged lacinato kale, and crunchy shredded red cabbage all pulled together by a vibrant walnut-basil pesto dressing. Every component is built on whole, recognizable ingredients, with extra virgin olive oil doing all the heavy lifting in place of the refined seed oils that sneak into so many store-bought dressings and jarred pestos. The pesto itself is blended from fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast — nothing processed, nothing suspicious. Massaging the kale with lemon juice and salt is the move that transforms it from tough and bitter into something silky and deeply savory, making it genuinely crave-worthy rather than virtuous-but-boring. Roasting the beets until their edges caramelize adds a natural sweetness that plays beautifully against the bright, herby dressing. A final scatter of roughly chopped walnuts gives the whole bowl a satisfying crunch. It holds up well in the fridge, making it just as good for a next-day lunch as it is fresh off the counter.

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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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