Pregnancy Friendly Basil-Pesto Endive Salad
This bright, fresh salad is exactly the kind of dish that feels both effortless and impressive — crisp endive leaves acting as natural little boats for a vibrant homemade basil pesto. The pesto skips the pine nuts and parmesan entirely, leaning on good olive oil, fresh garlic, and a squeeze of lemon to deliver all that herby, aromatic punch without any of the ingredients that can raise concerns during pregnancy. Radishes add a satisfying crunch and a pop of color, while fresh parsley and lemon zest keep every bite tasting clean and lively. Because you're blending the pesto yourself from whole, recognizable ingredients, you know exactly what's going into it — no mystery additives or preservatives hiding in a jar. The assembly is genuinely simple: spread, scatter, and finish with a pinch of flaky salt. It works beautifully as a light starter or a side that holds its own next to almost anything on the table.
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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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