Celery Free Basil-Pesto Radish & Cucumber Salad
This vibrant salad is a study in freshness — crisp cucumber rounds and peppery radish slices coated in a bright, herb-forward pesto that you blitz together in minutes. The homemade pesto skips pine nuts and cheese entirely, leaning instead on a generous handful of basil, a little parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil for a sauce that's punchy, green, and completely plant-based. Salting the vegetables before dressing them is a small but smart step that draws out excess moisture, so the pesto clings to every slice rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl. The result is a salad that stays crisp and flavorful rather than watery, which makes it just as good for a make-ahead lunch as it is for a last-minute side dish. Torn fresh basil scattered over the top at the end adds an extra layer of aroma that makes the whole platter look and smell like something from a summer garden. It's the kind of recipe that proves simple, well-sourced ingredients don't need much fuss to taste genuinely impressive.
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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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