Smooth, creamy, and lemony red lentil hummus is a delicious spin on a classic dip. The perfect healthy snack.
I’m all about the simple, easy recipes.
Hummus is a family favorite. It’s an easy snack or lunch dip. It’s healthy, nutritious, and super simple to make. And we like to mix it up.
Hummus is usually made with chickpeas (garbanzo beans), but did you now that you can make it with red lentils as well?
What are red lentils?
Lentils are budget-friendly, highly nutritious legumes. They are a small round lens-shaped legume that comes in various texture, taste, and colors like green, brown, black, yellow and red. In my humble opinion, red lentils are the sweetest and nuttiest of the lentils.
Red lentils are high in protein, fiber, B vitamins, and iron. They are abundant in antioxidants and other essential vitamins and minerals, making them a great addition to a healthy diet.
Where to buy red lentils?
Red lentils can be purchased at most heath food stores in the bulk section, in many grocery stores in the dried bean section, or online.
Do I have to soak my lentils for this recipe?
No, it is not absolutely necessary, but I do recommend it. Soaking legumes before consuming them makes them more digestible (less gas) and more digestible.
I soak my lentils for 4-8 hours before cooking them. If using unsoaked lentils for this recipe, you will need to increase the cooking water to 2 cups instead of 1 and 1/2 cups.
Why make my own hummus?
Making your own hummus lets you control the ingredients. Much of the store-bought hummus has inflammatory vegetable oils (like canola) and fillers in them (like guar gum.) Homemade hummus is also more economical to make. And it tastes better, too. Oh, and no plastic container to leach chemicals into your food.
How to make red lentil hummus
Red lentil hummus is made just like traditional hummus. Simply combine the ingredients and process until smooth. You will need:
- red lentils
- tahini
- fresh lemon juice
- olive oil
- clove of garlic or garlic powder
- salt
- optional spices like cumin or smoked paprika
I LOVE using red lentils to make my hummus because lentils are so easy to cook and are very easy to digest (if you soak them.) They cook much faster than chickpeas. I also LOVE how smooth and creamy they make my hummus.
Hummus is the QUEEN of all dips. It’s so versatile and can be flavored any way that you like. Serve it with carrot sticks, cucumber rounds, your favorite bread or crackers, in a sandwich, or as a side to any meal.
Hope you love it as much as we do.
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Red Lentil Hummus
- Prep Time: 5 minutes (plus 15 minutes to cool)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
Easy, homemade red lentil hummus recipe. A smooth, creamy, and lemony spin on a classic. The perfect healthy snack.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring one and half cups of water to a rolling boil in a small pot. Drain lentils and add to boiling water. Reduce heat a bit and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed and lentils are soft, about 20 minutes.
- Remove lentils from heat and transfer to a glass bowl to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Add lentils, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic to food processor and process until creamy smooth, about 2 -3 minutes. Scrape down sides and add olive oil, salt to taste, and any optional spices. Process again until smooth. Adjust for salt and lemon.
- Place in fridge to cool completely. It will thicken as it cools. Serve garnished with sesame seeds, fresh herbs, and an abundant drizzle of olive oil. Store in air-tight glass container in fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
** if using unsoaked lentils, increase water to 2 cups.
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