Dips, Sauces & Spreads
Red Lentil Hummus Dip
Prep
10 minutes
Yield
1
So I’ve always had a mega obsession with hummus and other easy-to-make vegan dips that are perfect for snacking. They’re usually really simple to make, healthy, and perfect when you’re a busy bee like me and just want a quick snack. Also, they can be super great to bring to or have at a party. Who doesn’t look a good platter of vegetables, crackers, Lentil Hummus and all that fun stuff?
This Lentil Hummus Dip is one of my favs and is 110% plant-based. It only takes a few ingredients to make, and you’ll have it whipped up in ten minutes or less! The best part that makes it better than regular hummus? The magical addition of red lentils. Yum!
Photo by Chelsea Kindrachuk
What are the differences in lentil colors?
Lentils in general are one of my fav things to cook with because they are so versatile. For this Lentil Hummus recipe, I used Bob’s Red Mills red lentils. Red lentils are a bit different from their green and brown lentils as first off, they’re super colourful and second off, are the sweetest and nuttiest of the lentil family. Often red lentils are great for curries, or as a thickening agent in things like soups because when cooked through, they get a bit more mushy than other kinds of lentils. Plus, they have a consistency that really soaks up all the flavor into them which really takes any recipe to the next level!
Photo by Chelsea Kindrachuk
What are the health benefits of lentils?
Lentils are also magical not just because of how versatile they are for a vegan diet, but also because of their long list of health benefits. Such as:
- Helps lower cholesterol
- Keeps your heart healthy
- Great for digestion
- Stabilizes your blood sugar
- Excellent source of protein
- Helps increase your energy
- Low in fat (if you’re worried about that kind of thing)
Photo by Chelsea Kindrachuk
Why do you rinse and soak lentils?
On top of all the health benefits, did I mention how easy these babies are too cook? Seriously anyone can cook lentils, it’s pretty hard to screw them up! However, the one thing that most people don’t do is soak them before cooking. Why on earth do you need to soak them? Well let me tell you…
It is recommended that you soak lentils before cooking because not only does the water help decrease cooking time, but most importantly, soaking lentils helps eliminate gas-producing compounds. Ever feel bloated or unable to control your farts (yes, I said it) after eating lentils or beans? It’s probably because they weren’t soaked!
Photo by Chelsea Kindrachuk
How you can get creative with this Lentil Hummus
This plant-based Lentil Hummus dip is really simple to make, and like I said, if you follow the recipe it can be done in ten minutes. However, you can also change things up and add your own flair to this hummus by changing up the lentils for things like chickpeas, black or white beans to add different colors and flavors to the mix.
You can also get creative with your presentation of your beautiful vegan dip, especially when preparing it for a party! Dip alone can look pretty boring, but once you spice it up with a beautiful, colorful plate/platter and surround the dip with tasty vegetables, crackers, and other dip-able items, before you know it you’ll have a work of art that looks like you put WAY more time into then you actually did. Don’t we love recipes like that?
Red Lentil Hummus Dip
Ingredients
For the hummus:
- 1 cup red lentils soaked, cooked, rinsed - I used Bob's Red Mill
- 3/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- dash of red wine vinegar
- handful of fresh cilantro
Garnish with (optional):
- a drizzle of olive oil dash of paprika and fresh cilantro!
Instructions
- Soak your lentils overnight in water. Rinse in the morning and transfer to a medium-sized saucepan. Cover with water, lightly salt and bring to boil, simmer for around 20 minutes or until tender. Strain and let cool.
- Combine all ingredients for the hummus into a food processor and blend till well combined, this should take around 1 minute.
- Transfer hummus into a bowl before serving and top with garnish I suggested or of choice!
Notes
Do you have a favourite dip? Share it below in the comments!
Thanks for sharing!