Leafy Greens With Turmeric Dressing and Spicy Pistachios

Name: Leafy Greens With Turmeric Dressing and Spicy Pistachios
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, pecans or walnuts; 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons honey; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper; Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper; 2 small lemons; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 12 ounces varied bitter greens (such as escarole, endive, mature arugula or watercress), radicchio or Castelfranco; 2 medium radishes, thinly sliced; 3 ounces Parmesan, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup chopped dill

By Andy Baraghani

Updated Jan. 13, 2025

Leafy Greens With Turmeric Dressing and Spicy Pistachios — Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 5(142)
Comments: Read comments

If there’s going to be a salad at any celebration, it deserves to feel as festive as the rest of the menu — but it should also be simple. Golden turmeric dressing will add brightness to any greens you choose, but it works especially well with bitter ones. The quick candied nuts add crunch, plus a dose of heat that keeps guests coming back for another forkful. If you tend to snack on what you’re cooking as you go, make a double batch of nuts so there will be enough to go around.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

½cup shelled pistachios, pecans or walnuts
1tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons honey
½teaspoon crushed red pepper
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper
2small lemons
1tablespoon Dijon mustard
1teaspoon ground turmeric
3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12ounces varied bitter greens (such as escarole, endive, mature arugula or watercress), radicchio or Castelfranco
2medium radishes, thinly sliced
3ounces Parmesan, thinly sliced
½cup chopped dill

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Combine the pistachios and 1 tablespoon honey in a small skillet over medium. Cook, stirring often, until the honey reduces and crystallizes around the nuts, 4 to 6 minutes. The nuts will darken and smell very nutty. Off heat, immediately sprinkle with the crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a small, shallow bowl and let cool before coarsely chopping, if desired.
Step 2
Using a microplane, zest both lemons into a large bowl. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice (about ¼ cup) into the bowl. Whisk in the mustard, turmeric, oil and remaining 2 teaspoons honey until a golden dressing forms.
Step 3
When ready to serve, add the greens and radishes, season with salt and pepper, and toss until the greens are dressed. Add the cheese, dill and candied nuts and toss once more.

Ratings

5 out of 5

142 user ratings

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Comments

RunBakeEat5 months ago

Wow! Creative, colorful and crunchy salad. Worked well with arugula and will try arugula. Tossed in sliced boiled eggs, which added to the medley of ingredients. colors, and textures.

Josh5 months ago

Amazing salad! Made with 50% rocket and 50% bag mixed leaves and it was 10/10

RunBakeEat5 months ago

Regarding my previous comment, I meant arugula worked well and will try with watercress. :)

Angela Fremont-Appel.2 weeks ago

Any suggestions for honey substitute? My daughter is allergic

Judith S Bee2 weeks ago

Used arugula, radicchio and a bit of romaine to balance it out. Tasty. One tip (which perhaps the more experienced cooks on here than I already know) is that if you put freshly carmelized walnuts on a plate they ADHERE to it. So, I recommend using parchment paper. Also, forgot the dill, but it was still pretty good.

kirs10m3 months ago

I’m used to more oil than acid in salad dressings, so 1/4 cup of lemon juice and only 3 tablespoons of oil sounds very acidic! For those who have made the recipe, did you find the dressing very acidic?

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