AIP Friendly Basil-Pesto Sardine Salad

Total time15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time0 min

4.6

(5)

This bright, herb-forward salad is one of those meals that feels far more indulgent than the ingredient list suggests. A blender pesto made from packed fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil comes together in minutes and doubles as both dressing and flavor bomb — no cheese or nuts required, which is exactly what makes it work here. Wild-caught sardines bring serious protein and those all-important omega-3s, and flaking them into chunky pieces means every forkful has a satisfying, meaty bite. The base of mixed greens, crisp cucumber, peppery radishes, and thin-sliced red onion keeps things cool and crunchy against the rich, garlicky pesto. One of the trickier parts of following an elimination-style protocol is finding meals that feel genuinely craveable rather than just compliant — this one clears that bar easily. It comes together in about the time it takes to wash the greens, and it serves two, so it's ideal for a quick weeknight dinner or a lunch that actually keeps you full.

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp lemon zest
¼ tsp fine sea salt

For the salad

2 cans (4 oz each) wild-caught sardines in olive oil, drained
4 cups mixed salad greens
½ english cucumber, thinly sliced
4 radishes, thinly sliced
¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt, to taste

For serving

1 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sea salt in a food processor or blender. Pulse 5–6 times until the basil is roughly broken down.
2
With the machine running, stream in the 1/4 cup olive oil in a slow, steady pour until the pesto is smooth and bright green, scraping down the sides once as needed. Taste and adjust salt.

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