Artificial Flavors Free Basil-Pesto Radish & Cucumber Salad
There is something genuinely refreshing about a salad that tastes this vibrant without a single shortcut. Crisp cucumber rounds and peppery radish slices get a quick salt rest to draw out excess moisture, which means the dressing clings beautifully instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. The pesto is blended entirely from scratch — fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil — so every bit of flavor comes from real, whole ingredients rather than anything synthetic or bottled. That matters more than it might seem, because so many store-bought dressings and pre-made pestos quietly rely on artificial flavor compounds to boost their taste. Here, the brightness is all lemon, the herbaceous punch is all basil and parsley, and the depth comes from raw garlic doing exactly what raw garlic does best. The result is a loose, coarse, electric-green sauce that coats every slice and makes the whole salad feel a little luxurious. It comes together fast, looks stunning on a platter, and is the kind of thing you'll want to bring to every warm-weather gathering.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
For the salad
- 2 medium english cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 bunch radishes (about 10–12), thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the cucumber rounds and sliced radishes in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt, toss to coat, and let stand for 10 minutes until the vegetables release some of their liquid.
- 2
While the vegetables rest, combine the basil leaves, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and sea salt in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the herbs are roughly chopped.
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