Hazelnut Free Pesto-Walnut Egg Spinach Salad
This salad is a vibrant, satisfying bowl that hits every note — creamy jammy eggs, peppery baby spinach, bright cherry tomatoes, and a punchy homemade pesto vinaigrette that ties it all together. The dressing is blended from scratch using fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil, so you know exactly what's going into it with zero guesswork about hidden ingredients. Store-bought pestos are a common source of concern since many are made on shared lines with tree nuts beyond what's listed, but making it yourself in a food processor takes only minutes and tastes dramatically better anyway. The walnuts get double duty here — blended into the silky dressing and toasted separately in a skillet until golden and fragrant for a satisfying crunch on top. Those seven-minute eggs are the real showstopper: cooked just long enough to set the whites while keeping the yolk soft and almost custardy in the center. A finishing scatter of shaved Parmesan (totally optional but highly recommended) adds a salty, savory edge that makes the whole plate feel restaurant-worthy. It's the kind of salad that actually fills you up and makes you genuinely excited to eat your greens.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the eggs
- 4 large eggs
For the pesto vinaigrette
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup raw walnuts
- 1 small garlic clove
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for the dressing
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the salad
- 5 oz baby spinach
- ½ cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for toasting
- ¼ tsp salt, for toasting
For serving
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a full boil. Gently lower the eggs in with a spoon and cook for exactly 7 minutes for jammy, slightly soft yolks. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water and let sit for 5 minutes, then peel and halve lengthwise.
- 2
While the eggs cook, heat 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 3–4 minutes until the walnuts are fragrant and lightly golden — watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer to a plate to cool.
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