This creamy white bean hummus has all the familiar flavors of garlic, lemon, and tahini that we love in traditional hummus, but skips the chickpeas and swaps in cooked white beans. It’s topped with a fresh herb, olive, and seed mixture.
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen | More Mediterranean | America’s Test Kitchen, 2021
This hummus carries the familiar flavors of garlic, lemon, and tahini against a mild, almost sweet, white bean canvas. We soak and then cook dried white tepary beans in a simple solution of baking soda and salt, which helps speed the deterioration of the tough pectin exterior and soften the beans. This results in a smooth puree with a uniform texture.
We fancy up the hummus with a fresh herb salad that’s simple to make but has complex flavors and textures with parsley and dill, briny kalamata olives, and a trio of nutty, crunchy seeds: pepitas, sunflower, and sesame. This hummus keeps surprisingly well in the fridge, but after one bite, you may find that storage won’t be necessary.–America’s Test Kitchen
Other Non-Traditional Hummus Recipes
We know there are plenty of purists out there that insist hummus isn’t the real deal unless it’s made with chickpeas. We hear you and respect you. If you’re looking for a way to jazz up the classic, give this everything bagel hummus or this pretty beet-infused version a whirl. You won’t be disappointed.
For the rest of us, who can’t get enough of healthy creamy dips in any form, or for those who suffer from a chickpea allergy or intolerance, we’ve also got slow cooker sweet potato hummus or a classic white bean dip for you to try.
White Bean Hummus FAQs
As you’ve likely deduced, white bean hummus is made from white beans. Traditional hummus uses chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Both versions have a similar flavor profile as they are spiced with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin, but the white bean version tends to be a bit sweeter and smoother. For folks who can’t get past the unique texture of hummus or chickpeas, we highly recommend giving white bean hummus a try.
You can safely store white bean hummus in the fridge for up to three days – but we doubt you’ll be able to keep your carrot sticks, crackers, and bare fingers out of it because it’s so good.
Crackers, breadsticks, vegetables of any sort. (Those little bagged sweet peppers make awesome hummus scoops). Try naan, pita bread or chips, veggie sticks, pretzels, or papad. If you get tired of dipping, go ahead and smear some hummus onto a bagel or sandwich or burger instead of mayo or butter. Your life will never be the same.
White Bean Hummus
This gluten-free dip carries the familiar classic hummus flavors of garlic, lemon, and tahini against a mild, almost sweet, white bean canvas.
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Combine salt, baking soda, and 8 cups of water in a large saucepan and stir until the salt is dissolved. Add beans, cover, and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
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Bring the beans (still in soaking liquid) to boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the beans are very tender (some beans will blow out), 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain the beans in a colander and set aside.
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In a food processor, pulse 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/3 cup water, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt until the garlic is finely chopped, about 20 pulses. Transfer to a small bowl and let sit for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Strain the lemon juice mixture through a fine-mesh strainer back into the processor, and discard the solids.
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Add the tahini to the processor and process until smooth and well combined, 45 to 60 seconds. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add the cumin and beans. Process until the mixture is very smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt to taste and adjust consistency with up to 2 tablespoons additional water as needed. (Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving and stir in 1 tablespoon warm water to loosen hummus texture if necessary.)
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Toss the parsley, dill, olives, oil, and remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice together in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste.
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Transfer hummus to a serving bowl and place the herb salad in the center. Sprinkle pepitas, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds over top and drizzle with extra oil. Serve.
Serving: 1cupCalories: 598kcal (30%)Carbohydrates: 50g (17%)Protein: 24g (48%)Fat: 37g (57%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 14gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 1015mg (44%)Potassium: 1426mg (41%)Fiber: 13g (54%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 1499IU (30%)Vitamin C: 36mg (44%)Calcium: 297mg (30%)Iron: 10mg (56%)
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Originally published May 25, 2022
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