Soy 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 at a nice restaurant without leaving your kitchen. The homemade pesto is the real star — blitzed together in a food processor with fragrant basil, garlic, lemon juice, and a golden hint of turmeric that gives it a beautiful, unexpected warmth. Instead of pine nuts, tiger nuts do the heavy lifting here, adding a subtle nuttiness and creamy texture while keeping the whole recipe completely free of soy in any form. That matters more than you might think, since store-bought pestos and bottled dressings often sneak in soy-based emulsifiers or oils that can catch you off guard. Crisp baby spinach, cool cucumber half-moons, and paper-thin radish slices give the salad plenty of crunch and freshness to stand up to that luscious, herb-forward coating. You control how dressed you like it — start with a few tablespoons and build from there until every leaf is glossy and coated just right. A squeeze of lemon at the table ties everything together and makes the flavors absolutely sing.
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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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