Honey Free Basil-Pesto Spinach Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and packed with bold green flavor, this spinach salad is the kind of dish that makes you feel like you're eating well without any compromise. The homemade pesto is the real star — blended from fragrant basil, garlic, lemon juice, and tiger nuts, which lend a subtle richness and a satisfying nuttiness without relying on any sweeteners whatsoever. A pinch of turmeric gives the dressing a warm, golden undertone that's as beautiful as it is unexpected. Many store-bought dressings and even some pestos sneak in honey or other sweeteners to balance acidity, but here the lemon juice does that work naturally and brightly. Crisp baby spinach, cool cucumber half-moons, and paper-thin radishes give the salad great texture and a little peppery bite that plays perfectly against the creamy pesto coating. Toss it together right before serving and finish with torn basil and a squeeze of fresh lemon for a dish that looks and tastes genuinely impressive.
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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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