Eggless Walnut Pesto Roasted Red Pepper Relish
Smoky, charred red peppers meet a vibrant basil-garlic paste and toasty walnuts in a relish that tastes like it belongs on a restaurant charcuterie board. The broiler does the heavy lifting here, blistering the peppers until their skins slip right off and their natural sweetness intensifies into something almost jammy. A quick pulse in the food processor keeps everything beautifully chunky — this is not a smooth sauce, and that rustic texture is exactly the point. The walnut base adds a rich, nutty bite that balances the brightness of fresh lemon juice and the gentle heat from red pepper flakes. Since the whole recipe is built on fresh produce, nuts, and good olive oil, there are no hidden binders or emulsifiers to worry about — it's naturally free of eggs without any substitutions required. Spoon it over grilled chicken, stir it into pasta, pile it onto crusty bread, or use it as a bold dip — it's one of those versatile condiments that quietly elevates everything it touches. A scatter of fresh parsley at the end keeps the color vivid and the flavor lively all the way to the table.
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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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