Almond Free Basil-Pesto Arugula Salad

Total time15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time0 min

4.6

(7)

Bright, peppery arugula meets a lush homemade pesto in this vibrant salad that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together with minimal effort. The pesto is the real star here — built from packed fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil, it's bold and herbaceous with a satisfying, slightly textured consistency. The clever swap that makes this work is tiger nut flour in place of the usual ground nuts, giving the pesto that classic body and richness without any almond or tree nut involvement. Crisp cucumber half-moons and thinly sliced radishes add crunch and a cool contrast to the peppery greens, while a final hit of flaky sea salt ties everything together beautifully. Store-bought pestos are notoriously tricky territory when you're avoiding almonds, since many recipes lean on them as a budget-friendly pine nut substitute — making this from-scratch version a genuinely reliable alternative. Toss it all together right before serving so the arugula stays lively and fresh, and don't skip the torn basil garnish if you have it on hand.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp tiger nut flour
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp fine sea salt

For the salad

5 oz baby arugula (about 6 cups loosely packed)
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
flaky sea salt, to taste

For serving

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the 2 cups packed basil leaves, garlic cloves, tiger nut flour, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and fine sea salt in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and the garlic is broken down.
2
With the processor running, stream in the 1/3 cup olive oil in a slow, steady pour until the pesto comes together into a thick, spoonable paste — it will be slightly textured, not completely smooth. Scrape down the sides and pulse once more to incorporate. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

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