Turmeric Free Walnut Pesto Roasted Red Pepper Relish
Smoky, charred red peppers meet a vibrant basil-walnut base in this bold relish that works as a dip, a spread, or a spoonable topping for just about anything on the table. The broiler does the heavy lifting on flavor, coaxing deep, caramelized sweetness out of the peppers before they get folded into a coarse, bright-green herb paste. Walnuts are pulsed separately and stirred in at the end, so they keep their satisfying crunch and nutty richness rather than disappearing into the mix. A hit of lemon juice and red pepper flakes keeps everything lively and a little punchy. Many store-bought roasted pepper products sneak in spice blends or preservatives that can be hard to verify, so making this from scratch gives you full control over every ingredient. The whole process is straightforward — a broiler, a food processor, and a handful of fresh ingredients are all you need. Serve it at room temperature and watch it disappear fast.
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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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