Nutrient-dense and delicious, this creamy, cheesy leafy green salad is fantastic as a side dish or a light main, especially with extra protein on top. Made with healthy leafy greens like kale, parsley and rocket (arugula), this salad is brimming with vitamins and antioxidants, and is low-carb, keto and gluten-free. 

I got addicted to this cheesy, creamy and garlicky green salad while doing the Low-Carb Challenge. I would often make a batch to have for lunch with some protein on top like chicken, prawns or crispy bacon (hello!). We also had it as a side dish with meatballs and pan-fried fish for dinner. 

This leafy salad is low in carbohydrates, high in fibre, and plenty of fats to keep you satiated. It’s great for vegetarians too as you will get a fair bit of protein from the cheeses in the dressing.

Leafy Green Salad Ingredients

Full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, green vegetables are a must-have in a healthy diet. Dark leafy greens in particular – like kale or Swiss chard – contain very high amounts of vitamin K (and calcium!). These support bone health and protect from osteoporosis.

Because of their high content of antioxidants, green leafy vegetables may be one of the best cancer-preventing foods. They are needed for good eyesight, heart health, a well-functioning immune system and radiant skin, to mention just a few benefits.

As such, you can use any leafy greens in this salad. I went with kale, rocket (arugula), iceberg lettuce and parsley (yes, green herbs are concentrated sources of all those nutrients!). 

Cheesy Creamy Dressing

This creamy dressing is SO SO tasty! It’s thick and heavy, which gives substance to the light, low-calorie greens. With ingredients like Parmesan and Cheddar cheese, mustard, onion powder, garlic and mayo, this dressing is full of umami flavours. It’s a little bit like the Caesar or Ranch dressing but with its own character. 

If you can’t do dairy, you can try my creamy avocado dressing instead. 

How To Make Cheesy Leafy Green Salad

Wash and drain the leafy greens and chop them roughly. If using kale, I recommend massaging it first to break down its fibres and making it less chewy or sturdy, so to speak. It’s going to be more gentle on the tummy. I sprinkle kale with a tiny bit of salt and lemon juice, grab handfuls and scrunch them a few times between my fingers until it is bruised. 

Try This Next Very Incredible Basil Sauce Recipe

In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. It will look quite thick at this stage. Once you add the greens, use your hands to mix everything. 

More Healthy Salad Recipes

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Description

Healthy and delicious leafy green salad with creamy, cheesy and garlicky dressing. Made with nutritious greens like kale, arugula and parsley. Enjoy this gluten-free, low-carb and keto salad as a side dish (4 servings) or as a light main (2 servings). You can top it with your favourite protein of choice for a more substantial meal.

Wash and drain the leafy greens and chop them roughly. If using kale, I recommend massaging it first to break down its fibres. This will make it softer and less chewy, and gentler on the tummy. To do so, sprinkle kale with a tiny bit of salt and lemon juice (if you like it tangy), grab handfuls and scrunch them a few times between your until wet and bruised.

In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. It will look quite thick at this stage. Once you add the greens, use your hands to mix everything through.

Notes

Make-ahead tip: The leafy greens and the salad dressing can be prepared ahead but keep them separate until you’re ready to serve. 

Leftovers: Pre-mixed salad leftovers will keep for a day. After that, the leaves will get quite soggy.  

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1.5 cups
• Calories: 145
• Sugar: 1.4 g
• Sodium: 276.6 mg
• Fat: 11.3 g
• Saturated Fat: 4.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 4.7 g
• Fiber: 1.4 g
• Protein: 6.7 g
• Cholesterol: 18.9 mg

Keywords: Salad, Kale, Parsley, Arugula, Cheese, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Keto, Vegetarian, Side

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Very Incredible Basil Sauce Recipe

Punchy, salty, bright green sauce packed with fresh basil, chives, garlic, and a bit of oregano. This sauce can be poured out just about anything!

This creamy basil sauce is going on EV-ER-Y-THING in my life: sandwiches, eggs, grilled chicken and veggies, dipped with chips?! It’s so good, packed with green goodness, it’s beautifully summery, and I’m doing the most with it.

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In This Post:

The main thing:

Other stuff:

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How To Make This Basil Sauce

Step 1: Get All Your Ingredients Ready

You can use a blender, food processor, or a mini-chopper-type gadget. I love this mini-chopper (affiliate link). It’s not meant for sauces necessarily, but I use it all the time because it’s super compact.

Step 2: Blend Your Basil Sauce

That’s it! Just blend, taste, and adjust!

This sauce can be a bit chunky / textured, so keep it going until it has the consistency you want. I prefer something right before completely pureed – where it has just barely noticeable flecks of herbs, but it’s mostly smooth and creamy.

Step 3: Put It On All Your Yummy Things

Like so. (Here’s that recipe.)

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Lindsay’s Notes

Ooh baby. Basil, chives, garlic, and a tiny hit of oregano all in a creamy, salty, bright green sauce – I love this so much.

The first time I made this, my toddler (who mostly just eats crackers) found a spatula and just sat at the counter licking the remnants of the sauce out of the blender with me. And I hear that from a lot of people – many kids seem to be very into this for unknown reasons. Sometimes it just hits right, ya know? A+ for that experience.

My favorite thing about this sauce, besides that it tastes like heaven, is that makes healthy-ish eating something I really, actually look forward to.

Baked salmon goes up about 100 notches in my book when smothered in this creamy green sauce. Same goes for shrimp, chicken, and a big fresh salad or lots of roasted veggies.

This will not be the last we see of this sauce, which is why I decided to give it its own post on POY. Welcome home, little basil sauce.

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Things You Could Put It On

The possibilities! They are endless.

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Popular Recipe Mexican Salad With Black Beans, Corn & Avocado

Description

Punchy, salty, bright green sauce packed with fresh basil, chives, garlic, and a bit of oregano. This sauce can be poured out just about anything!

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1. Place all your sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. (I use this mini chopper for the vast majority of my sauces because it’s nice and compact!)
2. Blend until you get your desired consistency – I usually go for an almost-completely-smooth texture that is flecked with small bits of herbs.

Notes

Taste and adjust! More lemon juice will wake it up, Parmesan adds more umami and saltiness, and if it gets too salty for you, add a bit more mayo to dilute the pungency a bit!

Keywords: basil sauce, basil dressing

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Frequently Asked Questions For Basil Sauce

What can I use instead of mayo?

I’ve seen some people on Instagram say they used Greek yogurt and liked it. I haven’t made it this way and I know I wouldn’t like it with Greek yogurt because it’s so tangy and has a different flavor. BUT, if you’re okay with it being a bit different than the original, I think Greek yogurt could work!

I have an egg allergy – what can I use?

Vegan mayo has no eggs and tastes great! That’s what I’d use!

How long does the basil sauce last?

I usually keep it in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Can you make this vegetarian / vegan?

Yes! Use vegan mayo and vegan Parmesan! If you can’t find vegan Parmesan, just throw in a bit of extra salt to compensate for the change in flavor. And if you don’t want to use vegan mayo, try using an avocado like we did in this avocado mojo sauce.

Can you freeze this basil sauce?

I would not recommend freezing this.

More Of My Favorite Sauce Recipes

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