Wondering what to do with those mixed greens that threaten to go bad before you can eat enough salad? The easiest way is to wilt them into this unusual torta. It’s kind of like a tart, but without the crust, kind of like a frittata but made with just one egg. With a crunchy pumpkin seed topping, this gluten free salad greens torta with green onion and cheese is brilliant!
When you’ve mixed all the ingredients for this healthy torta and you’re ready to spread it in the pan, you will say to yourself, too much lettuce–what on earth is holding it together? Have faith, go with it. Baked, the torta comes out of the oven behaving like a crustless pie!
Click here to PIN Healthy Salad Greens Torta!
A blend of milk, egg, cornmeal and cheese holds the chopped greens together. The cornmeal absorbs moisture from the wilting greens and baking powder gives a bit of a rise to the torta.
Torta is the Italian and Spanish word for cake. Baked in a 9-inch round pan (affiliate link) without a crust, it’s a torta! If you wish, bake this torta with green onions and cheese in a pie crust shell. My rustic press-in whole wheat olive oil pie crust would be perfect.
After it cools, this salad greens torta is sturdy enough to pick up with your hands. You could bake it in a square pan, then cut into bite-size pieces. Decorated with cherry tomato halves–this salad greens torta becomes appetizers.
Serve warm or cold, a wedge (or two) with a big spoonful of your favorite salsa or tomato sauce. I don’t think it’s redundant to serve the torta alongsise a colorful green and veggie salad, because when the torta is baked, it looks and behaves like a torta, not salad!
Salad Greens Torta with Green Onion and Cheese recipe details:
- Look for mixed greens at your farmer’s market. Or you’ll find assorted baby salad green blends readily available in supermarkets, often in see-through clamshells. Earthbound Farms, and Organic Girl, have several different assortments, all would be ideal for this torta. Try baby arugula for an arugula torta with green onions and cheese.
- We’re addicted to fruity red Aleppo pepper flakes (affiliate link). It’s great sprinkled on sandwiches and avocado toast, and on top of this torta. Once you get your taste buds on Aleppo pepper, you’ll know why we can’t stay away. It adds big sparkle to pasta dishes, like this quick-to-make pasta with greens.
- If I don’t have enough cheddar cheese, substitute goat cheese or jalapeño pepper Jack cheese. I’ve even used crumbled salt feta with success.
What is Aleppo pepper?
A common spice in Middle East cuisine, traditionally from Aleppo Syria, Aleppo pepper is milder than red chile flakes. It has a moderate heat that doesn’t overpower its fruity flavor. Sprinkle Aleppo on vegetables and avocado for sparkle and flavor–it could be your new favorite pantry essential.
One time I fed this healthy torta to a picky-eating 13-year-old. He didn’t have a clue what was in it, but he loved it and asked for seconds. Do you suppose it was the pumpkin seed crunchiness and the zingy spicy heat? Or all the cheese?
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Salad Greens Torta with Green Onion and Cheese {gluten-free}
Ingredients
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ⅔ cup milk (dairy-free or dairy)
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 4 ounces salad greens mix, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, like cilantro or basil or parsley
- 5 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (1 ½ cups)
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper ( or 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes)
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese
- ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (see note)
- Your favorite tomato sauce or mild red salsa as needed (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan or an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper. (see note)
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. In another bowl, whisk the cornmeal, salt, baking powder, Aleppo pepper and cayenne. Stir the cornmeal mixture into the egg and milk until blended. Stir in the greens, green onions and fresh herbs.Add the grated cheese, mixing well to make sure all the lettuce is coated.
- Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the chopped pumpkin seeds and Pecorino Romano cheese. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the torta puffs up and is lightly browned. Cool about 20 minutes. You can cut it right in the pan if you don't have the time to let your torta cool. Otherwise, invert the torta onto a plate and then invert again so the nut-sprinkled side is up. Cut into wedges. Serve with a simple tomato sauce or mild red salsa.
Notes
- When you’ve mixed all the ingredients and you’re ready to put the torta in the pan, you will say to yourself, this will never work–too much lettuce–what on earth is holding it together? Have faith, go with it. Baked, the torta comes out of the oven like a pie without the crust!
- If you substitute hot red chile flakes for the milder Aleppo pepper, be careful not to use too much.
- Use a store-bought salsa, or make a light tomato sauce with sautéed onions and diced tomatoes, whirled in the blender and cooked to sauce consistency.
- For appetizer-size bites, bake in an 8-inch square pan.
Nutrition
This is an update of the salad greens torta I posted here in April of 2015!
