Mushroom Free Basil-Pesto Cucumber Salad
Crisp, cool cucumbers meet a vibrant homemade pesto in a salad that feels both refreshing and surprisingly satisfying. The pesto here skips the pine nuts and parmesan you'd find in a classic version, leaning instead on fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil — and the result is still deeply herby and bright. A pinch of turmeric gives the sauce a gorgeous golden-green hue that makes the whole dish look like it came straight from a restaurant kitchen. Salting the cucumbers first and letting them drain is the small but smart step that keeps everything from turning watery, so each bite stays crisp and well-coated. Because every ingredient here is a whole, straightforward plant-based staple, there's zero guesswork about hidden fungi or cross-contamination from processed sauces and store-bought dressings. Finish it with a drizzle of olive oil and a handful of torn fresh basil, and you've got a showstopper side that comes together in minutes.
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Learn more →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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