Rice Free Pesto-Walnut Egg Spinach Salad
This salad is a genuinely satisfying meal that proves you don't need grains or starches to feel full and nourished. Baby spinach gets tossed in a bright, herbaceous pesto vinaigrette made from scratch — fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, and lemon juice blended into something far more vibrant than anything bottled. The jammy 7-minute eggs are the real showstopper here, with yolks that are just barely set and impossibly creamy when you cut into them. Toasted walnuts add a warm, nutty crunch that plays beautifully against the juicy cherry tomatoes and tender greens. A scatter of shaved Parmesan at the end ties everything together with a salty, savory finish. Every component in this bowl is naturally free of rice and rice-derived ingredients, so there's no swapping or substituting required — it just works as written. It's the kind of salad that actually makes you look forward to eating 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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