Low Sugar Basil-Pesto Spinach Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and packed with bold green flavor, this spinach salad is the kind of dish that makes you feel good from the first bite. The homemade pesto is the real star — blended from fragrant basil, garlic, lemon juice, and tiger nuts, which stand in beautifully for traditional pine nuts and bring a subtly sweet, nutty depth without any added sweeteners. A pinch of turmeric gives the dressing a warm golden hue and a gentle earthiness that ties everything together. Tossed with crisp baby spinach, cool cucumber half-moons, and paper-thin radish slices, the salad hits every texture you want in a bowl. Because the pesto is made entirely from whole, unprocessed ingredients, there's no need to scrutinize store-bought labels for hidden sugars lurking in bottled dressings. You control exactly what goes in, and the result is something that tastes indulgent but is completely clean. Serve it immediately with a squeeze of lemon for a bright, restaurant-worthy finish.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ⅓ cup tiger nuts, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
For the salad
- 6 oz baby spinach (about 6 packed cups)
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
For serving
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the basil, tiger nuts, and garlic in a food processor and pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely ground and no large pieces remain.
- 2
With the processor running, stream in the olive oil in a slow, steady pour until the pesto is smooth and emulsified, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides, then add the lemon juice, salt, and turmeric. Pulse 3–4 more times until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust salt.
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