High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Pesto-Walnut Egg Spinach Salad
Bright, herby, and deeply satisfying, this spinach salad is the kind of lunch or light dinner that feels indulgent without any of the ingredient anxiety that comes with packaged dressings and store-bought shortcuts. Bottled dressings are one of the sneakiest places high fructose corn syrup hides, so making the vinaigrette from scratch here is the whole game — and it pays off beautifully. Fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil come together in a food processor to create a pesto-style dressing that's vibrant, nutty, and completely clean. The eggs are cooked to that perfect jammy seven-minute mark, giving you yolks that are just barely set and incredibly rich against the tender baby spinach. Toasted walnuts add a warm, golden crunch that makes every bite more interesting, and cherry tomatoes bring a little pop of sweetness to balance the bold dressing. A scatter of shaved Parmesan over the top is optional but honestly worth it. Every single component is whole and recognizable, which means you know exactly what's going into the bowl — no label-reading required.
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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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