Celery Free Basil-Pesto Arugula Salad
Bright, peppery arugula meets a vibrant homemade pesto in a salad that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in minutes. The pesto skips the usual pine nuts entirely, using tiger nut flour instead to create that thick, spoonable texture — which also makes it a smart pick for anyone navigating nut concerns alongside celery avoidance. Fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil do all the heavy lifting, so the flavor is anything but compromised. Crisp radishes and cool cucumber slices add crunch and freshness to every forkful, balancing the bold, herby dressing beautifully. A final scatter of torn basil leaves pulls the whole bowl together with a little extra color and fragrance. This is the kind of salad that converts skeptics — the kind of people who think a salad can't be a real meal — into true believers.
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Learn more →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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