Lactose Free Basil-Pesto Endive Salad

Total time15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time0 min

4.9

(29)

This bright, elegant salad is built around crisp Belgian endive leaves that double as natural scoops, each one dressed with a vibrant, dairy-free basil pesto made entirely from scratch. The pesto skips the traditional parmesan entirely — just fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil blended into something silky and intensely green. That simple swap means anyone avoiding dairy can dig in without a second thought, and honestly, the clean citrus-forward flavor might make you wonder why cheese was ever in the mix to begin with. Thinly sliced radishes add a peppery crunch, while fresh parsley and a hit of lemon zest keep every bite feeling lively and fresh. It comes together quickly in a food processor and looks genuinely stunning arranged on a platter, making it the kind of dish that earns compliments without requiring much effort at all. Whether you're serving it as a starter or a light side, it's the sort of recipe that feels a little fancy but stays completely approachable.

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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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