Cashew Free Basil-Pesto Endive Salad
Bright, bitter, and impossibly fresh, this endive salad is the kind of dish that looks like it came from a restaurant but comes together in minutes at home. The star is a vibrant basil pesto made entirely from scratch — just fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil blended into something silky and electric green. No nuts of any kind make an appearance here, so anyone navigating tree nut concerns can dig in without a second thought. Each endive leaf acts as a natural scoop, cradling a little spoonful of pesto before being topped with paper-thin radishes, flat-leaf parsley, and a hit of lemon zest. The flaky sea salt finish ties everything together and makes the flavors pop in the best way. It's elegant enough for a dinner party starter but easy enough to throw together on a weeknight when you want something light and genuinely exciting.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pesto
- 2 oz fresh basil leaves (about 2 packed cups)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For the salad
- 3 medium heads belgian endive (about 12 oz total)
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- flaky sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Combine the basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, and fine sea salt in a food processor. Pulse 6–8 times until the basil is roughly chopped and the garlic is minced.
- 2
With the processor running, stream in the olive oil in a slow, steady pour until the pesto is smooth and bright green, about 20–30 seconds. Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice as needed.
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