Wheat Free Pesto-Walnut Red Lentil Dip with Veggie Dippers
This vibrant, creamy dip brings together earthy red lentils and a punchy walnut-basil pesto in a way that feels both wholesome and genuinely exciting to eat. Every ingredient here is naturally free from wheat, so there's no swapping, substituting, or label-squinting required — just straightforward, delicious food. The lentils simmer down into a silky base that blends beautifully with the rough, herby pesto, giving you layers of flavor from the bright lemon juice, toasted walnuts, and a gentle kick of red pepper flakes. Turmeric adds a warm golden hue and a subtle earthiness that makes the whole bowl look as good as it tastes. Surrounding it with crisp carrots, celery, cucumber, and red bell pepper strips means the dippers are just as clean and fresh as the dip itself. It works equally well as a party spread, a weekday snack, or a light lunch alongside whatever else you've got going. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top before serving and watch it disappear fast.
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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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