Eosinophilic Esophagitis Friendly Basil-Pesto Endive Salad
This bright, herb-forward salad is exactly the kind of dish that proves eating with a restricted ingredient list doesn't mean sacrificing flavor or elegance. The pesto here skips the pine nuts, cheese, and other common additions entirely — it's built from fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil, blended into something silky and vivid that works beautifully as a dressing. Belgian endive leaves act as natural little boats, holding a spoonful of that green pesto right at the base so every bite delivers the full flavor. Thinly sliced radishes add a satisfying crunch, while fresh parsley and lemon zest keep the whole plate feeling lively and clean. Because every ingredient is whole and unprocessed, there's no guesswork about hidden additives or trigger foods sneaking in through a packaged sauce or seasoning blend. It comes together quickly in a food processor and looks genuinely stunning on a platter — the kind of salad that earns compliments before anyone even takes a bite.
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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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