Fish Free Basil-Pesto Radish & Cucumber Salad
This vibrant salad is a celebration of fresh herbs and crisp vegetables, with a homemade basil pesto that comes together in minutes and coats every slice in bright, garlicky flavor. The pesto here skips the anchovies or fish-based ingredients that sometimes sneak into store-bought versions, relying instead on fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil for all its depth. Salting the cucumbers and radishes before dressing them is a small but smart step — it draws out excess moisture so the pesto clings rather than pools at the bottom of the bowl. The result is a salad that stays crisp and punchy rather than watery and limp. Radishes bring a peppery bite that plays beautifully against the herby, citrus-forward sauce, while the cucumbers keep everything cool and refreshing. It works as a light lunch, a crowd-pleasing side at a summer cookout, or an easy weeknight starter that looks far more impressive than the effort involved.
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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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