Capsaicin Free Pesto-Walnut Red Lentil Dip with Veggie Dippers
This vibrant, creamy dip brings together earthy red lentils and a rustic walnut-basil pesto for something that feels genuinely special on a snack board. The lentils are simmered until completely soft with turmeric and sea salt, then blended right into the pesto base for a smooth, protein-rich result that's way more interesting than your average hummus. The pesto itself is kept rough and textured — walnuts, fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice pulsed just enough to hold together — so every bite has real depth and a little brightness from the citrus. Because capsaicin is the compound behind the heat in chili peppers, this recipe is designed to work beautifully without it — the red pepper flakes are clearly marked optional, and the red bell pepper in the dipper lineup is naturally sweet with zero heat. You get all the color and freshness of a pepper-forward spread without any of the burn. Crisp carrots, celery, cucumber, and those sweet bell pepper strips make the perfect scoop, turning this into a full snack situation that looks gorgeous on the table. A final drizzle of good olive oil over the top is a small touch that makes it look like you really know what you're doing.
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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)
Can be omittedred pepper flakes
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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