Legume Free Basil-Pesto Spinach Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and packed with bold herby flavor, this spinach salad is the kind of dish that makes you genuinely excited about eating your greens. The star is a silky homemade pesto built from two cups of packed basil, garlic, lemon juice, and a touch of turmeric for a warm golden hue that looks stunning against the deep green leaves. Traditional pesto leans on pine nuts, which are fine on their own but can be a headache for anyone avoiding legumes due to cross-processing concerns — here, tiger nuts step in as the base, delivering a subtly sweet, nutty richness without any of the worry. Everything comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses, so the pesto is smooth, emulsified, and ready to coat every leaf beautifully. Crisp radishes and cool cucumber half-moons add crunch and freshness that balance the richness of the olive oil dressing perfectly. You dress it gradually, tablespoon by tablespoon, so you get exactly the coating you want — never overdressed, never dry. Finish with torn basil and a squeeze of lemon, and this salad is genuinely hard to stop eating.
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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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