BHA & BHT Free Walnut Pesto Lentil Spread
This earthy, herbaceous spread layers toasted walnuts and bright fresh basil into a pesto-style base that gets blended with tender cooked lentils for something genuinely satisfying and scoopable. The result is creamy but textured, with warm notes of cumin and turmeric running underneath the lemon and garlic — it tastes far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. For anyone navigating preservative-free eating, packaged dips and spreads are often a minefield of additives hiding in plain sight on the label, so making your own from whole, recognizable ingredients is the cleanest path forward. Every component here — lentils, raw walnuts, olive oil, fresh herbs, spices — is exactly what it says it is, with nothing processed or shelf-stabilized added in. Toasting the walnuts in a dry skillet before blending is a small step that pays off big, coaxing out a deeper, nuttier flavor that anchors the whole spread. Pile it onto sliced vegetables or gluten-free crackers and finish with a drizzle of good olive oil and a scatter of fresh parsley for a snack or appetizer that looks like you put in way more effort than you did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the lentils
- ¾ cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
For the pesto-walnut base
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- ¾ cup raw walnuts
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
- sliced vegetables or gluten free crackers, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rinsed lentils, water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the lentils are completely tender and have absorbed most of the water.
- 2
Drain any remaining liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and spread the lentils on a plate or sheet pan. Let them cool for 10 minutes until no longer steaming.
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