Red Lentil Hummus in a Snap

Hummus, my love!

Yes, I'm completely hooked.

So much has already been said about this wonderful spread:

It's easy to find, affordable, delicious, and, of course, packed with nutrients.

But making hummus from scratch takes some planning: hours of soaking, peeling the chickpeas, a long simmer, and so on.

If you're craving fresh, delicious hummus without all that prep, just swap the chickpeas for red lentils.

They don't need any soaking, they cook quickly, and their flavor is mild.

Red lentils are rich in fiber and protein, which help keep you feeling full and satisfied longer.

Pair a serving of hummus with one whole-wheat pita (one!!!), and you've got a nourishing, complete meal with a reasonable calorie count.

Curious about the nutrition in red lentils?

A 100 g (3.5 oz) portion of red lentils, measured before cooking, contains:

300 calories, 25 grams of protein, 58 g (2.0 oz) of carbohydrates, 1.7 grams of fat, and 12 grams of fiber.

So the next time you're craving a plate of hummus to scoop up with pita but haven't soaked any chickpeas, make red lentil hummus instead.

I promise, no one will notice the swap, and the nutritional profiles are pretty similar.

What are you waiting for? It's easy, delicious, and every bit as satisfying.

A Few Tips for Lentil Hummus

I used red lentils, but you can also use yellow lentils (a little harder to find) or green lentils. Neither needs soaking, and both cook relatively quickly.

Tahini gives this lentil spread its creamy, rich texture. If you'd rather skip the tahini for any reason, substitute the same amount of almond butter.

Cumin, garlic, and lemon give hummus its signature flavor. Feel free to swap any of them out—just know that the flavor will be a little different.

Nutrition Information from Noam Bachar (an Israeli clinical dietitian and fitness trainer):

One serving of hummus, or 1 of 6 servings, weighing 80 g (2.8 oz), contains:

198 calories

8 grams of protein

13 grams of carbohydrates

14 grams of fat

Adding one whole-wheat pita adds:

266 calories

10 grams of protein

55 g (1.9 oz) of carbohydrates

3 grams of fat

Want the original? Here's my hummus recipe made with chickpeas.

Red Lentil Hummus

Quick, creamy red lentil hummus—no soaking required.

Keyword hummus, lentils, protein, legumes, tahini

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Yield 6 servings

Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups split red lentils 340 g (12 oz)
• 1/2 cup plain tahini made from hulled sesame seeds 75 g (2.6 oz)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 30 ml (1 fl oz)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• water
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse the lentils thoroughly under running water.

2. Drain and transfer to a saucepan.

   

3. Add enough water to cover the lentils. Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

5. After 10 minutes, stir and check how much liquid is left in the saucepan.

6. If the liquid has evaporated too quickly, add a little water. Stir and cook for about 10 more minutes, until the lentils are very soft and the mixture is thick rather than runny.

   

7. Transfer the cooked lentils to a deep bowl.

8. Using an immersion blender, blend the lentils until smooth.

   

9. Add the tahini and mix well.

10. If the mixture feels too dense and isn't creamy enough, add a little more water.

    

11. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt to taste. Mix well.

12. That's it—your hummus is ready! Spoon it onto serving plates.

    

13. Top each plate of hummus with tahini, a little cumin, a drizzle of olive oil, and a little parsley for garnish.