Citric Acid Free Basil-Pesto Radish & Cucumber Salad
This crisp, garden-fresh salad is the kind of dish that makes you want to eat your vegetables — cool cucumber rounds and peppery radish slices coated in a vibrant, herb-forward pesto that comes together in minutes. The homemade pesto here skips pine nuts and cheese entirely, leaning on fresh basil, parsley, garlic, and olive oil for a sauce that's bold and bright without any of the usual additives hiding in store-bought versions. For anyone navigating citric acid sensitivities, that store-bought shortcut is often where the trouble starts — it shows up as a preservative in packaged dressings and sauces more often than you'd expect. Making the pesto from scratch means you know exactly what's in every spoonful. The quick salt-and-rest step draws out excess moisture from the cucumbers and radishes, so the pesto clings rather than pools, giving you a salad that stays fresh and flavorful rather than watery. A scatter of torn basil at the end keeps everything looking as lively as it tastes. It works beautifully as a light lunch, a side for grilled proteins, or an easy make-ahead dish for warmer days.
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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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