Pecan Free Basil-Pesto Endive Salad
Bright, bitter endive leaves act as natural little scoops here, cradling a vivid homemade basil pesto that comes together in under a minute in the food processor. The pesto itself is beautifully simple — fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil — with zero nuts of any kind, so there's no swapping or substituting required. That makes it a genuinely stress-free option for anyone navigating tree nut concerns, since the recipe is built nut-free from the ground up rather than adapted around an absence. Thinly sliced radishes add a satisfying crunch and a pop of color, while fresh parsley and lemon zest keep every bite tasting clean and lively. The finishing touch of flaky sea salt pulls everything together in a way that feels restaurant-worthy but takes almost no effort. This is the kind of salad that disappears fast at a dinner party, and it's just as good as a light lunch straight from the platter.
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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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