Candida Diet Friendly Pesto-Walnut Red Lentil Dip with Veggie Dippers
This vibrant dip brings together creamy red lentils and a punchy walnut-basil pesto in a way that feels indulgent but is built entirely from whole, clean ingredients. The lentils simmer with turmeric until silky soft, then get blended with fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil — no dairy, no refined anything, just bold, layered flavor. Sticking to a candida-conscious eating plan often means sacrificing the kind of satisfying, shareable snacks that make social eating fun, but this dip genuinely delivers on that front. The raw veggie dippers — crisp carrots, celery, cucumber, and sweet red bell pepper — keep everything fresh and crunchy without any of the starchy crackers or bread that tend to be off the table. A rough, textured pesto folded into smooth lentils creates a dip that's interesting enough to serve at a gathering but simple enough to prep on a weeknight. The drizzle of extra virgin olive oil at the end pulls it all together and makes it look like something you'd order at a restaurant.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the dip
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 2 ½ cups water
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
For the pesto
- ½ cup raw walnuts
- 1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For serving
- 2 medium carrots, cut into sticks
- 2 medium stalks celery, cut into sticks
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced into rounds or spears
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rinsed red lentils, water, turmeric, and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are completely soft and have absorbed most of the water, about 15–18 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- 2
While the lentils cool, add the walnuts, basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) to a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is finely chopped and cohesive but not completely smooth — it should look like a rough, thick pesto.
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