Paraben Free Pesto-Walnut Egg Spinach Salad
This vibrant salad is the kind of meal that feels indulgent but comes together with nothing but whole, recognizable ingredients. Baby spinach gets tossed in a bright, herbaceous pesto vinaigrette made from scratch — fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil blended into something far more alive than anything from a jar. The eggs are cooked to that perfect jammy seven-minute sweet spot, with yolks that are just barely set and deeply golden when you slice them open. Toasted walnuts add a warm, nutty crunch that plays beautifully against the tender greens and burst-ripe cherry tomatoes. Every component is a clean, unprocessed ingredient, which means no hidden additives or synthetic preservatives to worry about — just real food doing exactly what it's supposed to do. A scatter of shaved Parmesan at the end is optional but genuinely worth it for that salty, savory finish. It's the kind of salad that converts people who claim they don't like salad.
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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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