Beef Free Basil-Pesto Arugula Salad

Total time15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time0 min

4.6

(7)

This vibrant salad is a celebration of fresh, green flavors — peppery arugula, crisp radishes, and cool cucumber all brought together with a bold, herby pesto that you'll want to put on everything. The pesto itself is the real star here, blending packed basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil into a thick, spoonable paste with just enough texture to cling to every leaf. Tiger nut flour steps in as the base instead of traditional pine nuts or parmesan, giving the sauce body and a subtle nuttiness without any animal products in the mix. It's a naturally meat-free dish that doesn't feel like it's missing anything — just bright, clean ingredients doing exactly what they're supposed to do. The lemon juice runs through both the pesto and the salad dressing, tying the whole bowl together with a citrusy lift that keeps things feeling fresh rather than heavy. Toss it right before serving so the arugula stays lively, and don't skip the flaky salt finish — it makes every bite pop.

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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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