Coconut Free Basil-Pesto Endive Salad
This salad is a study in contrasts — the slight bitterness of Belgian endive leaves, the peppery snap of thinly sliced radishes, and a vivid, herb-forward pesto that ties everything together in the most effortless way. The pesto here is made entirely from fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil, so it's naturally bright and clean without any of the creamy additions that can complicate a dish. Each endive leaf acts as its own little vessel, cradling a spoonful of that green pesto right to the tip — it's almost too pretty to eat, but you absolutely will. A scatter of fresh parsley and a hit of lemon zest at the end lifts the whole platter and keeps every bite feeling light and lively. Finishing with flaky sea salt is a small touch that makes a genuinely noticeable difference, adding a little crunch and pulling the flavors into focus. This is the kind of recipe that looks like you spent real effort on it but comes together in minutes with a food processor and a sharp knife.
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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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