This White Bean Basil Hummus Recipe Will Make Your Day

The following post was originally featured on Delish Knowledge and written by Alex Caspero, who is part of POPSUGAR Select Fitness.

White bean hummus with basil oil drizzle! This low-fat hummus is bursting with fresh flavor, perfect as a dip or spread on sandwiches.

I get such a kick out of the Sabra commercial where the dad says, “I’d eat a piece of bark if you put hummus on it.” Yes. Both hands raised. I completely get that; I put hummus on my hummus.

I have the same theory about hummus as I do peanut butter — show me ONE food that doesn’t taste better with a little smear of creamy hummus (or salty peanut butter). It can’t be done. Believe me, I’ve tried. In weaker moments I’ve enjoyed string cheese and hummus, rice cakes and hummus, and cold leftover pasta and hummus. I won’t say that all of the above combinations were winners, but I’d do them all again if needed.

When you go through as many pounds of hummus that BL and I do each week, you learn to make your own. Not only does homemade hummus taste so much better than store bought, it’s also a fraction of the cost (and healthier).

For a creamy, low-fat hummus, I leave oil out of the initial puree. I don’t understand hummus recipes that call for almost a cup of oil. That kind defeats the point of hummus, don’t ya think? Instead, I prefer to make a flavorful basil oil to drizzle on top. Not only does this create maximum flavor per bite, but it also allows you to control how much oil you want to add.

I sometimes refer to this hummus as my Italian hummus, a nod to using white beans over garbanzo. Honestly, I usually prefer this version over the traditional one. White beans puree into an almost silky texture, perfect for mounding on crispy crackers, fresh tortillas and crunchy vegetables.

Ingredients

Basil Oil:
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
White Bean Hummus:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons tahini
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Salt/pepper to taste

Directions

Make the oil:

1. Place the basil and the olive oil in a food processor or blender and puree until basil is finely minced and oil is a vibrant green color. Set aside.
2. Rinse and wipe out the food processor or blender.
3. Add the ingredients for the hummus along with a pinch of salt and pepper to the base of the food processor and blend and purée until creamy and smooth.
4. Spoon the hummus into a bowl and drizzle with 1/4 cup basil oil. Gently swirl the oil in and serve!

Information

Category

Snacks

Yield

2 Cups