Red Lentil Dip

We also LOVE cooking with red lentils. The other red lentil dishes we make often are Turkish red lentil soup and lentil balls with bulgur. But we are also keen on trying new recipes like this red lentil hummus recipe.

Hummus is mostly made with garbanzo beans or white beans. Let's try a different version today and make this lentil hummus dip! It is a super delicious dip that can be served on a game day or at a dinner party with some pita chips.

Why We Like This Recipe

• It is a very quick and easy lentil dip recipe to make. Once the lentils have been cooked, all you have to do is blend the ingredients together.
• It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• It is freezer friendly.
• It makes both a great appetizer with chips or bread slices and a tasty spread in sandwiches.

About The Ingredients

• Lentils: We prefer using red lentils because of their beautiful bright color and slightly sweet and nutty flavor. You can use any type of lentils like green lentils, yellow lentils, or brown lentils. If you normally prefer making recipes with canned lentils, you can do so for this lentil hummus too. But we prefer cooking them with onions for more flavor.
• Onion: We cook red lentils with a small onion in this dip recipe. Onion is a fantastic aromatic to use in dips and spreads. If you use canned lentils, you can saute chopped onions in a saucepan and add them in the blender.
• Tahini: It adds richness to the red lentil dip as well as creates a smooth texture just like it does in a classic hummus. If you don’t want to add tahini you can substitute it with any type of nut butter like cashew or almond butter. Alternatively, you can prefer making it without tahini or its substitutes. Go check out our hummus recipe without tahini to get an idea.
• Spices: We use a simple spice mix of salt, cumin, paprika, and black pepper. These are all very simplistic flavors that blend well with the red lentil hummus. For the sauce, we only use tomato paste, paprika, and sumac. Sumac is our secret ingredient in the topping that adds an interesting punch to the lentil hummus. It is one of our favorite ingredients, we use it even in our creamy cucumber salad.
• Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a refreshing element to your spicy red lentil dip. You can also use mint or even basil or oregano.

How to Make

This red lentil dip recipe can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes. It is extremely versatile and you can even use canned lentils to save some more time! It can be served as a spread, alongside crisp fresh veggies, fried foods, and tons more!

1. Make the lentil base: Add the red lentils, onions, and water into a large pot and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the lentils to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Once they have fully cooked, remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool for roughly 10-15 minutes.

2. Blend the ingredients for the hummus: Place the cooked lentils, garlic, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, salt, cumin, paprika and black pepper in a food processor or a high speed blender.

Blend until a smooth paste forms. Transfer the red lentil hummus into a bowl and set it aside.

3. Make the topping sauce and serve: Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan and add the tomato paste and paprika. Cook the flavored oil sauce for about a minute while stirring constantly. Pour the sauce over the lentil hummus and garnish it with some sumac and parsley. Serve alongside some veggies, pitta breads, or chips.

Expert Tips

• Make sure to keep an eye on the lentils while you are cooking them. Cook them uncovered or half-covered with the lid to prevent the water from boiling over.
• If there is still too much water left after the time has passed, simply drain it afterwards.
• You can use any type of lentils you have on hand.
• If you are using canned lentils, rinse them well and blend them together with the other ingredients. However, if you like the onion flavor, you should definitely sauté some chopped onions in olive oil until they are translucent. Add the cooked onions to the other ingredients and blend them together.
• It is very easy to adjust the flavors after the ingredients have been blended together. Taste and adjust to your taste.
• If you want a thinner consistency, add in a little more tahini or little olive oil and a splash of cold water.
• You don’t have to use tahini. You can substitute it with almond butter or cashew butter or olive oil.
• You can definitely freeze this red lentil hummus recipe. It will probably separate during freezing, but it’s ok. You can just give it a good stir after it has thawed and before serving it. 

Variations

You can substitute green lentils for red lentils in this recipe. The cooking duration might be slightly longer, just check if they are tender enough or use canned green lentils. You can follow the same steps as in this recipe and make a green lentil hummus dip.

It is also possible to make black lentil hummus, yellow lentil hummus or brown lentil dip. Use whichever lentil you like the most.

Want a more refreshing dip recipe? Leave the lentils whole and combine them with lemon juice, herbs and tomatoes to make a more refreshing dip.

How to Store

If you need to store leftover lentil hummus, you can simply leave it inside the bowl you served it in. Place some plastic wrap on the surface before wrapping the entire bowl, making sure it is air-tight.

Alternatively, you can place it into a new airtight container with a lid. You can keep the hummus in your refrigerator for up to 7 days.

This is also a hummus that freezes extremely well! You can transfer this red lentil hummus to an airtight container and add a thin layer of olive oil over the top. The oil helps preserve the color and flavor of the hummus.

Store the hummus inside your freezer for up to 4 months. To use it again, all you have to do is thaw it at room temperature or inside the fridge. Once it has been completely defrosted, give it a good stir with the layer of oil and serve immediately.

FAQs

More Dip Recipes

• Green Olive Dip
• Fava Bean Dip
• Beetroot Dip
• Haydari

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