Xanthan Gum Free Basil-Pesto Arugula Salad
Bright, peppery arugula meets a deeply herby basil pesto in a salad that feels both light and satisfying — the kind of thing you want to eat straight from the bowl. The pesto here skips pine nuts and parmesan entirely, using tiger nut flour instead to build body and a subtle nuttiness without any of the usual thickeners or stabilizers that can sneak into store-bought versions. That makes it a genuinely clean option for anyone avoiding xanthan gum, which turns up in a surprising number of jarred pestos and salad dressings. Everything comes together in a food processor with just a handful of whole ingredients — fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil — so you know exactly what's in it. The salad itself gets tossed with crisp radishes and cool cucumber slices, then dressed with a few generous spoonfuls of that thick, spoonable pesto for a coating that clings beautifully to every leaf. A finishing scatter of torn basil and a pinch of flaky sea salt pulls it all together. It's the kind of recipe that looks impressive but comes together fast, and it's endlessly riffable depending on what's in your fridge.
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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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