Red Lentil "Hummus" with Sun-Dried Tomato

To be honest, the first time I tried hummus made with red lentils I wasn't convinced. The texture is a little bit different from hummus made with chickpeas but I decided to give it another chance and try to flavour it more. This red lentil hummus with sun-dried tomato... was a winner!

Super creamy
Beautiful pinkish colour with flecks of sun-dried tomato
Savoury and tart with a touch of sweetness from the tomatoes!

Ingredients For Red Lentil Hummus

The origin of hummus is a topic of debate but it is traditionally made with chickpeas. You can read a bit more about hummus and its debated origins in this Spruce Eats article.

This red lentil hummus recipe is a variation on the traditional chickpea hummus. Split red lentils have been hulled and split in half so they cook much quicker than whole lentils. The red lentils you use in this recipe will cook in just 5-8 minutes!

1. Split red lentils
2. Sun-dried tomatoes
   • oil-packed will provide extra flavour from the oil around them but you can use dry packed sun-dried tomatoes. If using dry, you may want to add some olive oil to this recipe to provide a richer taste but you certainly don't have to!
3. Tahini
   • sesame paste typically used to make hummus.
4. Lemon juice
5. Salt.
6. Garlic powder (feel free use to fresh garlic if you have it).

Can you use other lentils? Although the finished result will be different in taste and texture you can certainly blend any cooked lentils or beans and create a dip similar to hummus. The benefits of split red lentils is that they cook in 5 minutes compared to 15 to 30 minutes and they are very creamy in texture. My green lentil and olive hummus is delicious though! So take a look at that recipe if you are wanting to use up some green or brown lentils!

Method

Many lentil varieties can be purchased canned but red split lentils are so quick to cook and very delicate so you will most likely find them dried.

• Start by cooking the lentils:
  • Combine 1 cup dry split red lentils with 1 ½ cup water and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes.
  • Stir periodically to encourage the lentils to cook evenly since there won't be very much excess water.
  • Once the lentils are cooked in the centre and have absorbed the water remove them from the heat and allow to cool.
  • If there is excess water leftover you can strain the lentils so that your hummus won't be watery.

You can blend the hummus while the lentils are still warm or cook your lentils in advance and refrigerate them until you are ready to make your hummus.

• To make red lentil hummus:
  • Add all of the ingredients, except the extra water, to a blender or food processor.
  • Blend until creamy and smooth slowly adding extra water if needed to help the hummus blend.

Storing & Serving Red Lentil Hummus

This red lentil hummus should be refrigerated in an air-tight container and will keep well for up to one week.

Enjoy with:

Toasted pita bread and veggies.
My super easy and popular oil-free seed crackers!
Use it to boost up the protein of your avocado toasts, pita sandwiches, power bowls, or even a beautiful main dish like my whole roasted cauliflower!

Recipe Cost

My recipe for red lentil hummus makes 600 grams and costs me around $2.15 Canadian!

1 cup of dry split red lentils only costs me about 40 cents! Which is on par with my cost for chickpeas when I cook them from scratch. In comparison, canned chickpeas for this recipe would cost me over $2.

To keep the cost down I also use concentrated lemon juice because fresh lemons can be a little pricey for me to always have on hand. If you don't want to use concentrated lemon juice you can use apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or even white distilled vinegar.

This red lentil hummus is a great thrifty dip that I hope you enjoy! Let me know in the comments if this will become one of your new favourites. I hope this encourages you to get creative with your hummus and try some different flavours like my beet hummus or pumpkin hummus!

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