Ginger Free Basil-Pesto Endive Salad
Bright, fresh, and genuinely stunning on a platter, this basil-pesto endive salad is the kind of dish that looks like it came from a restaurant but comes together with minimal effort. The homemade pesto is blended from scratch using fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil — no jarred shortcuts, no hidden spice blends, and absolutely nothing that could sneak in unwanted ingredients. That matters more than it sounds, because store-bought pestos and pre-dressed salads often contain flavor additives that aren't always clearly labeled. Here, you control every single component. Crisp endive leaves act as natural little vessels, each one spooned with a swipe of vivid green pesto and topped with paper-thin radish slices, fresh parsley, and a hit of lemon zest. The combination of bitter endive, herby pesto, and bright citrus is bold and layered without being heavy. It works beautifully as an appetizer, a light lunch, or an elegant starter when you want something that feels special without a lot of fuss.
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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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