Vegetarian Basil-Pesto Fruit Harvest Salad
This salad is a stunning collision of sweet, juicy fruit and a bright, herby dressing that you genuinely won't see coming. Fresh basil gets chiffonaded and stirred into a lemon-olive oil base with a hint of garlic and a whisper of ginger, then left to infuse for ten minutes until the whole thing smells incredible. That dressing gets tossed over a generous mix of red grapes, blueberries, strawberries, apple, and pear — a lineup that covers every texture from crisp to plump to tender. The result is something that sits comfortably between a side dish and a light dessert, elegant enough for a brunch spread but easy enough for a weeknight. Every single ingredient here is plant-based and naturally free of meat or fish, so there's zero guesswork about whether it fits your table. A scatter of torn fresh mint over the top before serving adds one more layer of freshness that really ties it all together. It's the kind of dish that disappears fast and always gets asked about.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the basil-pesto dressing
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
For the salad
- 2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 medium pear, cored and thinly sliced
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, fine sea salt, and ground ginger until fully combined and slightly emulsified.
- 2
Stack the basil leaves, roll them tightly lengthwise, and slice into thin ribbons (chiffonade). Add the basil to the dressing and stir to combine. Let the dressing sit for 10 minutes so the basil flavor infuses into the oil.
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