Oats Free Basil-Pesto Spinach Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and packed with bold herby flavor, this spinach salad is the kind of dish that makes you feel like you're eating something truly special without spending much time in the kitchen. The star is a homemade pesto blended from fragrant basil, garlic, lemon juice, and tiger nuts — a clever swap that keeps the sauce completely grain-free and safe for anyone avoiding oats and oat-based thickeners that sometimes sneak into store-bought dressings. Tiger nuts bring a subtle nuttiness and creamy texture that binds the pesto beautifully, so you're not missing a thing. Crisp baby spinach, cool cucumber half-moons, and peppery radish slices give the salad great crunch and color, while a pinch of turmeric adds a warm, golden undertone to the dressing that feels a little unexpected in the best way. You control how much pesto goes in, so every bowl can be dressed exactly to your taste. A squeeze of fresh lemon right before serving brightens everything up and makes the flavors pop. It's the kind of salad that converts skeptics — the ones who think salad can't be a real meal — on the very first bite.
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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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