Rye Free Pesto-Walnut Red Lentil Dip with Veggie Dippers

Total time45 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time20 min

Rye Free Pesto-Walnut Red Lentil Dip with Veggie Dippers

This vibrant dip layers two crowd-pleasing components — silky cooked red lentils and a rough-chopped walnut basil pesto — into something that feels far more impressive than the effort involved. The turmeric gives the lentil base a warm golden hue and a subtle earthiness, while the bright lemon juice and fresh basil in the pesto cut right through it for a dip that's bold and balanced. Everything here is built from whole, straightforward ingredients, so there's no need to scrutinize labels for hidden grains or flour-based thickeners that can sneak into store-bought dips. The food processor does the heavy lifting, blending the lentils and pesto into a creamy, scoopable texture that clings beautifully to every veggie dipper. Carrot sticks, celery, cucumber, and red bell pepper strips bring the crunch and color, making this as pretty on a table as it is satisfying to eat. It works just as well as a party spread as it does a weekday snack you pull from the fridge and dig into straight away.

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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
Private Selection Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Bertolli Extra Virgin D'Italiia Olive Oil 16.9oz
Extra Virgin Olive Oil FIELD DAY OLIVE OIL EXTRA VIRGIN Olitalia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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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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