Emulsifier Free Basil-Pesto Radish & Cucumber Salad
Crisp cucumber rounds and peppery radishes come together in a vivid, herb-forward salad that tastes as fresh as it looks. The real star is the homemade basil-parsley pesto — blitzed in a food processor with garlic, lemon juice, and a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil until it becomes a loose, coarse, brilliantly green sauce that clings to every slice. Because the pesto is made entirely from whole, recognizable ingredients, there are no hidden additives or emulsifying agents that often sneak into store-bought dressings and sauces. A quick salt-and-rest step draws out excess moisture from the vegetables first, so the pesto coats everything evenly rather than getting watered down on the plate. The result is bright, punchy, and a little bit peppery — the kind of salad that disappears fast at a dinner table. Torn fresh basil scattered over the top at the end keeps the flavors lively and the presentation gorgeous.
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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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