Carrageenan Free Pesto-Walnut Red Lentil Dip with Veggie Dippers
This vibrant, plant-based dip brings together creamy red lentils and a bold walnut-basil pesto for something that feels way more exciting than your average hummus situation. The lentils simmer down into a naturally smooth, velvety base — no dairy, no thickeners, no additives — just whole ingredients doing all the heavy lifting. That's exactly what makes it such a reliable choice when you're avoiding carrageenan, a common additive that sneaks into store-bought dips, spreads, and even some nut milks. Everything here is made from scratch with ingredients you can actually read on a label: lentils, walnuts, fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. The pesto gets pulsed just enough to stay a little rustic and textured before it's blended into the lentil base, creating layers of herby, nutty, citrusy flavor in every scoop. Served alongside crisp carrots, celery, cucumber, and red bell pepper, it's a full snack spread that looks impressive without requiring much effort at all. Whether you're setting it out for a crowd or meal-prepping for the week, this dip is the kind of thing people keep coming back to for one more dip.
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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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