Barley Free Basil-Pesto Cucumber Salad

Total time30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time0 min

4.7

(11)

Crisp, cool cucumbers meet a vibrant, herb-forward pesto in a salad that feels both refreshing and surprisingly bold. The pesto here skips the pine nuts and cheese entirely, leaning instead on fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and a touch of turmeric for color and warmth — meaning every ingredient is straightforward and easy to verify. That simplicity is a genuine win when you're navigating grains and hidden additives in store-bought dressings, because this one is blended entirely from scratch in a food processor with nothing ambiguous in sight. Salting the cucumbers first and letting them drain is a small step that makes a big difference, pulling out excess moisture so the pesto clings beautifully rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl. The finished dish is bright green, glossy, and gorgeous on a platter — the kind of thing that looks like you spent far more effort than you actually did. A drizzle of good olive oil and a handful of torn fresh basil at the end push it from weeknight side to dinner-party worthy. Serve it immediately while the cucumbers are still crisp and the pesto is at its most vivid.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the salad

2 large english cucumbers
½ tsp fine sea salt

For the pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric

For serving

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

Instructions

1
Slice the cucumbers into thin rounds or use a vegetable peeler to cut them into long ribbons, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a colander set over the sink, toss with 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and let stand for 10 minutes until the cucumbers have released some liquid. Pat dry with paper towels.
2
Combine the basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, and turmeric in a food processor or blender. Pulse 5–6 times until the herbs are roughly chopped.

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