Emulsifier Free Basil-Pesto Endive Salad
This bright, fresh salad is exactly the kind of dish that makes you feel like you're eating well without any effort at all. The pesto here is blended from scratch — just basil, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt — so there's nothing hidden in it, no additives, no stabilizers, no store-bought shortcuts that sneak in unwanted extras. That matters a lot when you're trying to keep emulsifiers out of your diet, because even "simple" condiments and dressings can be surprisingly full of them. Spooning that vivid green pesto into crisp endive leaves turns the whole thing into something almost elegant, with the bitterness of the endive playing beautifully against the herby, citrusy dressing. Thinly sliced radishes add a peppery crunch, and a scatter of flat-leaf parsley and lemon zest lifts every bite with a little extra brightness. It comes together on a platter in minutes and looks genuinely impressive, whether you're serving it as a starter or a light lunch alongside something heartier.
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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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