Vegan Basil-Pesto Endive Salad
This bright, refreshing salad is the kind of dish that looks like it took serious effort but comes together with just a food processor and a few minutes of assembly. The pesto here skips the traditional parmesan and pine nuts entirely, leaning on fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil to create something vibrant and deeply flavorful on its own terms. Crisp Belgian endive leaves act as natural little boats, each one cradling a spoonful of that vivid green sauce in a way that's as beautiful as it is practical. Thinly sliced radishes add a peppery crunch, while fresh parsley and a hit of lemon zest keep every bite tasting clean and alive. A final pinch of flaky sea salt ties it all together and makes the flavors pop. This is the kind of salad you bring to a dinner party when you want people to ask for the recipe — and it just so happens to be entirely plant-based without making any compromises on taste.
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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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