Walnut and Lentil Dip is super quick to pull together. Dairy-free and gluten free, it makes a great snack served with piles of crackers or vegetable dippers. Or stuff it into sandwiches with your favourite salad for a hearty lunch.
I have developed a cracker obsession. I cannot believe that my passion for making all things from scratch (think bread, yoghurt, mayonnaise) has not, until now, extended to crackers. Whilst I have made crackers from flatbreads, making them from scratch is completely different, and ridiculously easy. The biggest problem I have with my now constant supply is that I am forever searching for new things to put on them.
So I’ve eaten a lot of cheese over the last few weeks. And whilst cheese is great, there came a point when I decided I should probably explore more nutritionally diverse (read – less fattening) options. Enter this Walnut and Lentil Dip.
I originally whipped this up after a quick rummage in the fridge produced a container of lentils leftover from the previous evening’s dinner. Ready in under ten minutes, this lentil dip is the perfect mid-morning snack. Packed full of healthy fats, fibre and protein, the dip and a few crackers keep me going until lunchtime. I think it would also be great spread in a sandwich with loads of salad, or tucked into a lunchbox with vegetable dippers.
Use the smaller green Puy lentils in this lentil dip, not their larger brown, flat cousins which I find tasteless and starchy. And please don’t use tinned lentils. Dried lentils take so little time to cook, and far surpass anything from a can. For a little extra flavour, tuck a bay leaf into the cooking water which will season the lentils as they simmer.
Cooked from scratch, lentils can be ready in 20 minutes. And if you have the foresight to soak them (which I never do) they will cook in under 12 minutes. The lentils will keep for a few days in the fridge, and freeze extremely well, so cook extra and you will always be able to whip up this speedy lentil dip.
I was so excited to discover how easy crackers were to make that I bought myself this book full of new recipes to try. If you haven’t ever made your own crackers, I urge you to give it a try. They are so simple. And then you will have something to serve with this super quick lentil dip.
Easy Walnut and Lentil Dip
Ingredients
- 350 g cooked lentils 2 cups
- 50 g walnuts 1/2 cup
- 1 clove garlic
- 60 ml olive oil 1/4 cup
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 Tablespoons roughly chopped parsley 1/4 cup
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Place the ingredients into a food processor in the order listed above.
- Blitz until smooth.
- Taste the dip, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. It may need a little more lemon juice.
- Serve with lots of crackers.
Notes
Should you happen have walnut oil on hand, use it in place of the olive oil.
I know some people that will love this dip next time they’re over! Thanks!
Pleasure Luci. I hope they do like it.
This sounds sooo good! I love that it’s so quick and easy to put together.
It is quite tasty Kate (if I do say so myself 😀 )
This sounds fab, it is rapidly approaching Walnut season here and despite having not a single walnut tree we will soon be over run by the bloody things… You mention to someone that you are jealous of there walnut tree and they never forget it, mention it to a few people and boy are you in a whole walnut world of pain 😉
Thanks Brian. Wish I had your problem 🙂 Walnut season is just winding down here but there is definitely not an excess. Have you tried pickling them?? Get hold of some green ones and pickle them. They are awesome with cheese. It takes a while, and we are still waiting for ours to be ready, but they are worth it.
Absolutely they are fabulous pickled, ‘green’ walnuts are also used to flavour a Pálinka liqueur here in Hungary (alcohol is always on the menu) and it is fantastic! Pálinka is a fruit brandy similar to French Eau de Vie and made in so many homes as it is legal to distill your own here 😮
A friend of mine is currently steeping green walnuts in alcohol to make something similar. I’m now going to have to make sure I try some 🙂
What a great veggie dip idea! I love the idea of lentils and walnuts together. perfect with some pita bread too.
Lentils and walnuts are great friends Dannii 🙂 You are right, this would be perfect with pita bread.
I’m with you–I don’t use anything canned. This sounds lovely!
Thanks Sarah. Always good to find someone that thinks the same way 🙂
I have black walnuts. Should be ready to shell from this past harvest. I wonder how they will taste in this recipe.
I’ve never had access to black walnuts Amie, so don’t even know what they taste like. If you try them, I would love to know how the dip turned out.
Where has this recipe literally been my whole life!? I’ve never made a dip before, tried it this weekend when I had guests over and it was a real hit!! Thank you so much for the recipe – I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!! ❤️
Pleasure Kylie. I hope I’ve converted you to dip now 😉