Seed Oil Free Basil-Pesto Arugula Salad

Total time15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time0 min

4.6

(7)

This vibrant green salad is bright, peppery, and packed with fresh flavor — the kind of dish that looks impressive but comes together in minutes. The homemade pesto is the real star, blending fragrant basil, garlic, lemon, and extra-virgin olive oil into a thick, spoonable sauce that clings beautifully to every leaf. Tiger nut flour stands in for the usual pine nuts or cashews, giving the pesto body and a subtle nuttiness without any of the seed oils hiding in store-bought versions. Crisp radishes and cool cucumber slices add crunch and freshness that balance the bold, herby dressing perfectly. Because every drop of fat here comes from cold-pressed olive oil, you can feel genuinely good about what's going into the bowl — no refined vegetable oils, no canola, no surprises. Toss it together right before serving and finish with a pinch of flaky salt for that final restaurant-worthy touch.

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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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