Peanut Free Pesto-Walnut Red Lentil Dip with Veggie Dippers
This vibrant dip brings together creamy red lentils and a punchy walnut-basil pesto into something that feels way more exciting than your average party spread. The lentils simmer down into a silky base while the walnuts, fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice get pulsed into a rough, fragrant pesto — then everything comes together in the food processor for a dip that's rich, herby, and just a little bright from the citrus. A drizzle of good olive oil on top and a rainbow of crisp carrot sticks, celery, cucumber, and red bell pepper strips makes it as beautiful as it is satisfying. Since every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, there's no need to stress over hidden additives or cross-contamination from shared processing facilities — you know exactly what's going into the bowl. The turmeric gives the lentil base a warm golden hue that peeks through the green pesto swirl, making this one of those dishes that genuinely looks impressive without much effort. It works equally well as a weeknight snack, a meal-prep staple, or the kind of appetizer that disappears fast at a gathering.
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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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