Paleo Walnut Pesto Roasted Red Pepper Relish
Smoky, charred red bell peppers meet a vibrant basil-garlic paste and toasted walnuts in a relish that feels both rustic and seriously impressive. The broiling process is the real magic here — deeply blistered peppers get steamed in their own heat until the skins slip right off, leaving behind sweet, silky flesh with incredible depth of flavor. The walnut-basil base is blended to a coarse, bright-green paste before the peppers are folded in, so every bite has that chunky, satisfying texture rather than a smooth, uniform spread. Walnuts get pulsed separately and stirred in at the end, giving the finished relish a pleasant crunch that holds up beautifully at room temperature. Every single ingredient here — olive oil, fresh basil, raw walnuts, lemon juice, garlic — is exactly the kind of whole-food, grain-free building block that makes eating this way feel effortless rather than restrictive. A finishing scatter of fresh flat-leaf parsley brightens the whole bowl and makes it look like something you'd find at a very good dinner party. Spoon it over grilled chicken or fish, pile it onto roasted vegetables, or just eat it straight from the bowl with a spoon — no judgment.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!