Candida Diet Friendly Walnut Pesto Roasted Red Pepper Relish
Smoky, charred red bell peppers meet a bright, herb-forward basil paste and crunchy toasted walnuts in a relish that feels anything but restrictive. The broiling process does serious heavy lifting here — deeply blistered peppers develop a natural sweetness that balances the peppery basil and the earthy bite of raw walnuts beautifully. Every ingredient in this recipe is clean and straightforward, which is exactly what you want when you're navigating a protocol that demands close attention to what goes into your food. No vinegars, no added sugars, no questionable store-bought shortcuts — just whole, recognizable ingredients processed into something genuinely craveable. The chunky texture is key: folding the walnuts in at the end rather than blending them keeps things interesting and adds satisfying crunch to every spoonful. Fresh lemon juice and a handful of parsley brighten the whole thing up without compromising the integrity of the dish. Spoon it over grilled chicken, stir it into roasted vegetables, or eat it straight from the bowl — it works every single way.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the roasted peppers
- 3 large red bell peppers (about 1 ½ lb total)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the pesto-walnut base
- ½ cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler to high. Place the whole red bell peppers on a baking sheet, rub them with 1 tbsp olive oil, and broil for 18–22 minutes, turning with tongs every 5–6 minutes, until the skins are deeply charred and blistered on all sides and the peppers have collapsed.
- 2
Transfer the charred peppers to a mixing bowl, cover tightly with a plate or plastic wrap, and let them steam for 10 minutes — this loosens the skins.
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