Peanut Free Walnut Pesto Roasted Red Pepper Relish
Charred red bell peppers meet a vibrant basil paste and toasty walnuts in a relish that's bold, chunky, and genuinely hard to stop eating. The broiling step is the secret weapon here — deeply blistered peppers develop a smoky sweetness that no jar of roasted peppers can quite replicate, and the steaming trick makes peeling them almost effortless. The walnut-basil base gets blitzed in a food processor until it's a coarse, bright-green paste, then the peppers are pulsed right in so every bite stays rustic and textured rather than turning into a smooth purée. Folding the reserved walnuts in at the end adds a satisfying crunch that holds up beautifully at room temperature. Because the whole thing is built around walnuts instead of pine nuts or peanuts, it's a naturally safe choice for anyone navigating peanut concerns — no substitutions or label-checking required. A little fresh parsley scattered over the top pulls the whole dish together with a clean, herby finish. Spoon it over grilled chicken, stir it into pasta, or just pile it onto crusty bread — it works on just about everything.
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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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