Capsaicin Free Basil-Pesto Spinach Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and packed with garden flavor, this spinach salad is the kind of dish that makes you feel good just looking at it. The star is a silky homemade pesto built from fragrant basil, garlic, and tiger nuts — a clever swap that keeps things nut-allergy-friendly while still delivering that rich, creamy texture pesto is known for. A touch of turmeric and bright lemon juice round out the dressing with warmth and acidity, no heat required. Crisp baby spinach, cool cucumber half-moons, and paper-thin radish slices give every bite a satisfying crunch. For anyone avoiding capsaicin, this recipe is a genuine win — there's no pepper of any kind hiding in the dressing or the produce, so you can eat freely without scanning every label. Toss it together just before serving and finish with torn basil and a squeeze of lemon for a salad that tastes like it came from a restaurant, not a bowl of worry.
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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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