Gelatin Free Basil-Pesto Radish & Cucumber Salad
Crisp cucumber rounds and paper-thin radish slices come together in a salad that's as vibrant to look at as it is to eat. The real star is the homemade basil pesto — blitzed with fresh parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil until it's a loose, coarse, brilliantly green sauce that clings to every slice. A quick salt-and-rest step draws out excess moisture from the vegetables first, so the pesto actually coats them rather than sliding off into a puddle at the bottom of the bowl. Many store-bought dressings and condiments sneak in unexpected additives, but this one is built entirely from whole, recognizable ingredients you blend yourself — no guesswork required. The lemon juice keeps everything bright and lifts the peppery bite of the radishes beautifully. It comes together in minutes and works equally well as a light lunch, a dinner party starter, or a side dish that disappears fast.
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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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