Delightfully unusual and surprising–who would expect salad greens baked in a cake pan? Here you have it–handfuls of mixed greens, with fresh egg, sharp cheddar cheese and cornmeal, baked until golden—healthy salad greens torta.
It’s kind of a pie or a tart without the crust. Let’s call it a torta, which is the Italian and Spanish word for cake.
After it cools, the salad greens torta is sturdy enough to pick up with your hands. Bake in a 9-inch round pan or square pan, then cut into bite-size pieces, and decorate with slices of cherry tomato–it becomes appetizers. Double bonus–it’s gluten free.
Click here to PIN Healthy Salad Greens Torta!
When you’ve mixed all the ingredients for healthy salad greens torta and you’re ready to put it 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 looking just like the photos!
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?
Serve warm or cold, a wedge (or two) along with a big spoonful of your favorite tomato sauce. I don’t think it’s redundant to serve the torta with a colorful veggie-full salad, because when baked, it looks and behaves like a torta, not salad!
Healthy Salad Greens Torta recipe details:
- Blends of young, small salad greens, aka baby salad mixes, are readily available in supermarkets, sometimes in bulk, often in see-through clamshells. Earthbound Farms, Organic Girl, and Cut ‘N Clean Greens all package several assortments that are perfect in this torta. Try baby arugula too.
- We’re addicted to fruity red Aleppo pepper flakes–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.
Make it a fabulous week–get in the kitchen and cook something delicious!
Thanks for being here. To get my latest recipe posts and exclusive monthly newsletters, subscribe here.
For more vegetarian recipe ideas, peruse my Pinterest boards.
Find daily vegetarian and healthy living ideas on my Facebook page.
Follow me on Instagram! It’s my favorite!
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase a product via my link, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps defray the costs of Letty’s Kitchen blog. Thank you for supporting me.
If you like this recipe, I’d be grateful if you’d give a ✮✮✮✮✮ rating on the recipe card below.
Healthy Salad Greens Torta
Ingredients
- 1 egg , lightly beaten
- 2/3 cup milk (dairy-free or dairy)
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces salad greens mix , coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs , e.g. cilantro or basil
- 5 ounces cheddar cheese , grated (1 ½ cups)
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup chopped pumpkin seeds or walnuts
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
- ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red chile flakes (see note)
- Your favorite tomato sauce , 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 a circle of parchment. (see note)
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. In another bowl, whisk the cornmeal, salt, baking powder and cayenne. Stir the cornmeal mixture into the egg and milk until blended. Stir in the greens, and fresh herbs, if using, as well as 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 Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the tart puffs up and is lightly browned. Cool about 20 minutes. Invert the tart onto a plate and then invert again so the nut-garnished side is up. Cut into wedges. Serve with a simple tomato sauce.
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 looking just like the photos!
- If you substitute hot red chile flakes for the milder Aleppo pepper, be careful not to use too much.
- Use a store-bought tomato sauce, or make your own with sautéed onions, and seasoned diced tomatoes whirred in the blender.
- For appetizer-size bites, bake in an 8-inch square pan.
