Dairy Free Pesto-Walnut Red Lentil Dip with Veggie Dippers
This vibrant, plant-powered dip brings together creamy red lentils and a punchy walnut-basil pesto in a way that feels indulgent without a drop of dairy in sight. The lentils simmer down into a naturally silky base, so there's no need for cream cheese or yogurt to get that luscious, scoopable texture — the legumes do all the heavy lifting on their own. A quick blitz of walnuts, fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil creates a rough, fragrant pesto that gets folded right into the mix, layering in richness and brightness all at once. A finishing drizzle of extra virgin olive oil takes it over the top. Served alongside crisp carrot sticks, celery, cucumber rounds, and sweet red bell pepper strips, this is the kind of spread that disappears fast at any gathering. It's equally at home as a weeknight snack or a party centerpiece, and since every ingredient is whole and straightforward, you never have to second-guess what's in it.
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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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