Red Lentil Hummus
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This Red Lentil Hummus has everything you love about traditional hummus, but made with gorgeous red lentils that boast a sweet and nutty flavor. It’s lemony, smooth, creamy, and perfect for a nutritious and satisfying snack.
Easy Lentil Hummus
Who else has a big bag of lentils that need a good use? That’s exactly how this red lentil hummus came to be! There are only so many lentil soups I can make until I’m ready to switch it up. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I nailed it with this recipe.
- Easy To Make
- Twist On A Classic Dip
- Simple Ingredient List
- Healthy, Delicious & Versatile
If you’ve made hummus before, you’ll see that the ingredients are exactly the same as a traditional chickpea hummus! Lemon juice, oil, tahini, garlic, and seasoning. It’s a simple recipe that we all love with its bright, fresh flavor and addictively creamy texture.
Ingredient Notes
- Dried Lentils – The star ingredient. I used red, brown or green will work too.
- Garlic – The more garlic the better! Feel free to adjust the amount.
- Tahini – If you’ve never used tahini (toasted sesame butter) before, it’ll likely be in the same aisle where you’ll find almond butter. You can also check the international foods aisle, or you can also make your own tahini at home! See “FAQs & Expert Tips” for instructions.
- Olive Oil – You can use regular olive oil or extra virgin olive oil if you like the stronger flavor, but I do recommend a good quality olive oil.
- Lemon juice – Fresh is best!
- Smoked paprika – This is one of my favorite items in my kitchen! The smoky flavor is amazing in this lentil hummus.
How to Make Red Lentil Hummus
- Prep the lentils: Bring the water to a boil and add your lentils. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until all the water is absorbed, stirring occasionally, it should take 15 to 20 minutes.
- Make the hummus: Add the cooked lentils to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Pulse until everything is blended and smooth. Scoop the hummus into a bowl, garnish with smoked paprika. Chill until ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to Serve With Red Lentil Hummus
Just like traditional hummus, this version is amazing with practically everything. Serve this lentil hummus with fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, or celery, tortilla chips, pita chips, crackers, you name it! You can also spread it on some bread as a condiment for your sandwich.
I Can’t Find Tahini?
No worries! I’ve got you covered. It’s super easy to make.
1. If you don’t have already toasted sesame seeds, start by toasting 1/2 cup sesame seeds in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir often to avoid having the sesame seeds burn. Toast until they turn golden.
2. Add the sesame seeds to your food processor and blend until a paste begins to form. Next, add 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, and continue to blend until the tahini is smooth and creamy.
Can I Make This Lentil Hummus Recipe In Advance?
You can! This hummus can be made up to 1 week in advance and also freezes well. See Storing/Freezing sections below for full instructions.
Tips
- You can make your own pita chips to go with your red lentil hummus! Simply cut the pita into wedges, brush them with a bit of olive oil, and toast them on a sheet pan in the oven at 400F until they started to brown, about 5-10 minutes.
- You don’t need to use red lentils for this recipe! Brown or green will both work as substitutes.
Leftover Hummus
Store your hummus in the fridge for 4-7 days. You can keep it in the same bowl you’ve served it in covered with plastic wrap, or transfer it to an airtight container.
Freezing
Surprisingly, this is a dip that can be frozen without ruining the consistency! Transfer your red lentil hummus to an airtight container, drizzle a thin layer of oil over the top, and store up to 4 months. When you’re ready to eat, let it thaw fully either at room temperature for a couple hours or overnight in the fridge. Give it a stir to mix the layer of oil in, and enjoy!
More Great Recipes To Try
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Red Lentil Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon tahini paste
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice (from a lemon)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prep the lentils: Bring the water to a boil and add your lentils. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until all the water is absorbed, stirring occasionally, it should take 15 to 20 minutes. Let the lentils cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Make the hummus: Add the cooked lentils to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Pulse until everything is blended and smooth.
- Serve: Scoop the hummus into a bowl, garnish with smoked paprika. Chill until ready to serve.
Equipment
Notes
- You can make your own pita chips to go with your red lentil hummus! Simply cut the pita into wedges, brush them with a bit of olive oil, and toast them on a sheet pan in the oven at 400F until they started to brown, about 5-10 minutes.
- You don’t need to use red lentils for this recipe! Brown or green will both work as substitutes.
- Store your hummus in the fridge for 4-7 days. You can keep it in the same bowl you’ve served it in covered with plastic wrap, or transfer it to an airtight container.
- Surprisingly, this is a dip that can be frozen without ruining the consistency! Transfer your red lentil hummus to an airtight container, drizzle a thin layer of oil over the top, and store up to 4 months. When you’re ready to eat, let it thaw fully either at room temperature for a couple hours or overnight in the fridge. Give it a stir to mix the layer of oil in, and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
I love this recipe. So smooth and delicious. Feeds a lot of people. It truly is the best!
So glad you love the hummus! It’s great to hear it’s a hit and feeds everyone well.
Easy and delicious! Thank you for sharing this tasty treat!
My pleasure, glad you enjoyed it!
So easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed the red lentil hummus! Happy cooking! 😊🌿
I’ve made this a number of times now and have shared it at potluck events more than once. Every time I’ve shared it with others I’ve had people ask for the recipe, and everyone raves about it. I don’t change a thing when I make it; it’s perfect how it is.
Wow, that’s truly an honor! I’m over the moon to hear that it’s been such a hit at your potluck events. Thank you so much for the glowing feedback and for sharing the recipe love with others! ❤️🍴🌟
Hello,
I made this and it was delicious. It is a little thinner than regular hummus and I think I should have pressed the water out of the lentils. That would have given it a thicker consistency. But, the flavor is great.
Hello! Thrilled to hear you enjoyed the flavor! Pressing the water out of the lentils is a great tip for a thicker consistency next time. Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your experience! – Jo
Wondering if smoked paprika is added to hummus and also put on top or just on top
I put a little bit in the hummus too, depends if you like that smokey flavor, so it’s up to you.
It tastes great and looks just like regular hummus – not red at all. A little thin but I think it will thicken up as it chills.
Very nice indeed
I made this and just adore it. Easy to make, and even has the lentil haters in my house eating it. I did add x4 the garlic that the recipe called for, but my family loves the garlic. I put this on so many things, including as a sandwich condiment (peppers, onions, cucumber, and tomato withi this on toast is amazing). Thank you for the free recipe!
My pleasure, glad you enjoyed it!
Love this recipe! So easy to make and we like it even more than ‘traditional’ hummus!
I’m so happy to hear it!
This is so easy and good! So much better than buying hummus. We always double the recipe.
Amazing
so easy to make and yummy.
I used split red lentils since that was I had on hand and ended up with a soupy mess (will cut the water in half next time). Ended up microwaving the mixture in a heatproof bowl to remove the water and thicken it. Turned out pretty good thank you for the recipe!
My pleasure, glad you liked it.
This was perfect for dipping my sweet potato fries. Will definitely be making this often! I cut the recipe in half as I was only making 1/2 cup red lentils, and used only 1 tbsp oil (coconut because that’s all I had on hand). So happy to have a new and easy way to eat red lentils. Thanks!