Honey Free Pesto-Walnut Egg Spinach Salad
This salad is a serious weeknight upgrade — vibrant, satisfying, and packed with flavor from a homemade pesto vinaigrette that pulls double duty as both dressing and finishing drizzle. The dressing comes together in a food processor using fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil, giving you that bright, herby punch without any sweeteners in the mix. Many store-bought dressings and even some restaurant vinaigrettes sneak in honey or agave, so blending your own here is a genuinely smart move. The eggs are cooked to that perfect jammy seven-minute mark — still a little soft in the center — and they sit right on top of a bed of baby spinach and halved cherry tomatoes like they own the place. Toasted walnuts add a warm, nutty crunch that plays beautifully against the creamy yolk and the zippy dressing, and optional shaved Parmesan takes the whole thing over the top. It's the kind of salad that actually fills you up, and every single component earns its spot on the plate.
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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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