Lactose Free Basil-Pesto Arugula Salad

Total time15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time0 min

4.6

(7)

Bright, peppery arugula meets a vibrant homemade pesto in a salad that feels both fresh and deeply satisfying. The dressing is the real star here — blitzed together from packed basil leaves, raw garlic, lemon juice, and a drizzle of good olive oil, it comes together in minutes and coats every leaf beautifully. What makes this pesto genuinely clever is the use of tiger nut flour in place of the usual parmesan, giving the sauce body and a subtle nuttiness without any dairy whatsoever. Crisp radishes and cool cucumber slices add crunch and color, making this far more interesting than your average green salad. A final hit of flaky sea salt and torn fresh basil over the top pulls everything together with that little extra flourish. It's the kind of dish that looks impressive on the table but asks almost nothing of you in the kitchen.

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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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