Hummus gets a makeover with white beans , fresh basil and just the right amount of garlic. Plus, it’s vegan and nut-free.
If I was ever to come across a vampire, I have no doubt that I’d be able to repel him from about 20 feet away. You see, I am one of those people that practically oozes garlic from their pores when that garlic is eaten raw. My husband could gnaw on an entire bulb of garlic (not that he ever does that…that would be grounds for sleeping in different rooms) and still come away smelling like mint toothpaste. Me? I smell like an entire field of garlic for at least 24 hours after eating any of the raw stuff.
So, is there raw garlic in this hummus? Well, of course! You know why…it tastes too darn good to leave out. However, you’ll notice that I specify 1 to 2 cloves of garlic in the recipe. Make the call depending on your OGL (that would be Odiferous Garlic Level…just made that up).
Before I start getting emails from hummus lovers, I fully admit that this is not truly hummus. After all, it’s not made with chickpeas, there isn’t any tahini on the ingredients list. However, this white bean version has the same smooth, dip-able consistency of traditional hummus and packs of punch of flavor with fresh basil, garlic and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
This recipe was inspired by a stroll through the new Trader Joe’s that opened up about 15 minutes from our house (hallelujah!). The sample that day was Trader Joe’s version of hummus with basil, and my older son fell in love with it right away. In fact, I had to stop him from visiting the sample stand five times…”Um, I think they’ll recognize once you stop for a sample more than three times, bud.”
We almost bought the Trader Joe’s version right then and there, but I knew we could whip up our own version in no time at home, leaving out a couple of the less-than-natural ingredients that they use to elongate shelf life.
Eight ingredients and 10 minutes later, we had our hummus. Savory and creamy, with just the right amount of garlic. Success!
Other healthy snack recipes:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Mini Avocado & Hummus Quesadillas
Cookin’ Canuck’s No-Bake Carrot Cake Granola Bites
Natural Comfort Kitchen’s Baked Parmesan Kale Puffs
Love & Zest’s Tart Cherry, Dark Chocolate & Cashew Granola Bars
In Sonnet’s Kitchen’s Opal Apple Salsa
White Bean & Basil Hummus Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 14 ounce can great northern or cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced basil
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, olive oil, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper. Process until smooth.
- Add the basil and pulse until the basil is chopped and incorporated into the hummus. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Shawn @ I Wash You Dry says
Oooh! This looks so good! I love white beans, they are so versatile. 🙂
Deanna says
In Canada, we can purchase white kidney beans. Are these the same as Cannelli beans?
Also, is the term great northern beans referring to what we Candians know as navy beans?
Thank you, Dara!
Dara says
Deanna – yes, you can use white kidney beans. That would be the perfect substitution!
Susan says
I was really shocked to read that this isn’t hummus because there are no pine nuts (in addition to garbanzos and tahini). Since when are there pine nuts in hummus? I learned to make hummus a bazillion years ago from a Lebanese boyfriend, and it had garbanzos, tahini, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and then olive oil poured over the top. I’m just curious to know where the pine nuts came from? In the meantime, your white bean version sounds interesting and definitely worth trying on an occasion when I might need a dip.
Dara says
Susan, you’re absolutely right! I actually didn’t mean to include pine nuts in that sentence (and have since edited it). I have had some wonderful versions of hummus in the past with pine nuts in them, but they are not included in traditional versions. I hope you have a chance to try this recipe!
Liz says
Nice recipe Dara. Thanks so much.
carla says
Hi, I just found your site.
I have discovered that over 6 years ago I have been increasingly becoming allergic to different foods. I am in need of recipes that have none of the following ingredients: all nuts & their produces, coconut, cottonseed oil, sesame seed & it’s oil, tomatoes, pineapple, grapefruit, chocolate, and I have to stay away from red dyes. Can you help me out? Thank you. Sincerely, Still a Foodie at Heart : )
angie s says
I was hesitant and wish I would have followed my instincts and added the oil one tablespoon at a time. It overwhelmed everything else. I’ll try again, but slowly add the oil.