Peanut Free Basil-Pesto Endive Salad
This bright, fresh salad is the kind of thing that looks like it came from a fancy bistro but comes together in minutes with a handful of real ingredients. The homemade pesto here skips pine nuts entirely — it's built on fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil, blended until silky and vivid green. That matters because store-bought pestos are notoriously unreliable when it comes to nut content, and even "classic" versions can sneak in unexpected ingredients. By making it yourself in a food processor, you stay in complete control of what goes into the bowl. The pesto gets spooned right into crisp Belgian endive leaves, which act as natural little scoops — slightly bitter, wonderfully crunchy, and perfect for holding toppings. Thinly sliced radishes and fresh parsley add color and a peppery bite, while lemon zest and flaky sea salt tie everything together with a clean, zippy finish. It's an elegant starter or light lunch that proves simple ingredients, handled well, are more than enough.
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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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