Mediterranean Diet Friendly Pesto-Walnut Egg Spinach Salad
This salad is the kind of lunch that makes you feel genuinely good about what you're eating — vibrant, satisfying, and built almost entirely from whole, minimally processed ingredients. Baby spinach and cherry tomatoes form the base, while jammy seven-minute eggs add richness and staying power that keep you full long after the last bite. The real star is the pesto vinaigrette, blended from fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil — essentially a lighter, brighter take on classic pesto that doubles as a dressing. Walnuts appear twice here, once toasted in olive oil until golden and fragrant, and once blended into the dressing, which means you get both crunch and deep, nutty flavor woven throughout the whole dish. Olive oil, legumes, nuts, leafy greens, and fresh herbs are cornerstones of this style of eating, and this recipe leans into all of them without any compromise on taste. A scatter of shaved Parmesan at the end is optional but adds a salty, savory finish that ties everything together beautifully. It comes together in one skillet, one food processor, and one pot — simple enough for a weeknight, impressive enough to serve to guests.
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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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