I had a collard greens salad for the first time last year at a restaurant and I had low expectations, but the server assured me I would love it.  He was 100% right and I was blown away.  Collard greens are softer than kale but heartier than lettuce and super, super nutritious.  They have a mild flavor (unlike kale), but a soft, silky texture.  I cannot stop making collard greens salads!  You can try thinly sliced collard greens with any of your favorite dressings. My only caveat is that the greens do not have as long a shelf life as kale, so buy them and eat them!  Once you fall in love with them, you can add them to soups and stir-fries too.  By the way, this dressing is amazing and would be equally good on a chopped salad with romaine or iceberg.  One of the other takeaways from this recipe is using finely crushed crackers or nut meal instead of toasted breadcrumbs for texture. I much prefer smaller crunchy things over big pieces.

Why You’ll Love This Collard Greens Salad with Lemon-Parmesan Dressing

• An easy and delicious way to get in your dark leafy greens;
• Collard greens are less bitter and more tender than kale;
• Collard greens are probably not something you eat every day, so this salad will add some more variety to your diet.

Ingredients

• Shallot
• Dijon mustard
• Cheese – I use Parmesan but Pecorino works too!
• Lemon juice
• Cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil 
• Collard greens – stems removed and leaves sliced into ribbons
• Toppings (optional) – sweet potato, roasted artichoke hearts, roasted  fennel, capers – options are endless really
• Something crunchy – bread crumbs or crushed crackers (even pita chips from the bottom of the bag), finely chopped walnuts or walnut meal OR half crushed crackers and half finely chopped walnuts

How to Make Collard Greens Salad with Lemon-Parmesan Dressing

1. In a serving bowl, combine the minced shallot, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Add the collard greens to the dressing and toss until evenly coated. The greens will shrink a bit. Toss in roasted vegetables, if using, and top with breadcrumbs and capers right before serving.

Tips

• I roast all the vegetables mentioned with a little olive oil, salt and pepper on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400 F until golden and tender, about 20-25 minutes.
• To make this a main course salad, you can add cooked salmon, sardines, tuna in oil, chicken, or chickpeas, as suggestions. 

Substitutions

• Dijon mustard – you can use a stone-ground mustard if you want something more mild
• Parmesan – Pecorino or a plant-based parmesan
• Collard greens – any leafy green

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If you give this Collard Greens Salad with Lemon-Parmesan Dressing a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes,  updates and things I’m loving lately.  If you enjoy this recipe, check out my online class here!  I teach a new class every month, which you watch on your own time.  Give me an hour a month, and I’ll make you a better, healthier cook!