Name: Red Lentil Hummus
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup dried red lentils; ¼ cup smooth tahini; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil; 2 garlic cloves; ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger; ½ teaspoon cumin; ¼ teaspoon coriander; ¼ teaspoon turmeric; ¼ teaspoon cardamom; ¼ teaspoon onion powder; ¼ teaspoon cayenne; ½ teaspoon sea salt; freshly ground black pepper; Water (if necessary, for consistency); Naan and/or cut vegetables (for serving)

Love hummus? Then you have to try this tangy, creamy red lentil hummus! I love it as a dip, a dressing, or straight out of the fridge on a spoon.

vegan / gluten free / snacks & dips — Jump to recipe

You know how much I love chickpeas, and you know how much I love hummus, but today I’m going out of my chickpea comfort zone with this red lentil hummus recipe! It’s creamy, tangy, and nicely spiced with turmeric and other curry spices, because sometimes you run out of chickpeas, but you still want a dippable snack.

We’ve been enjoying this lentil hummus with veggies, naan, pita chips… I’ve also been caught sneaking spoonfuls straight from the fridge.

Red Lentil Hummus Ingredients

Don’t let this ingredient list intimidate you – it’s all spices – hopefully you have most of them on hand in your spice drawer already. If you don’t, they’re worth investing in. This mix of spices – cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and cayenne – will add a big punch of flavor to so much more than this dip! You’ll use them in curries, soups, and beyond.

Aside from the spices, this recipe calls for these basic ingredients:

Red lentils make up the creamy, protein-rich base.
Coconut oil and tahini add richness and contribute to the luscious texture.
Lemon brightens it up!
And ginger and garlic add a nice kick and extra depth of flavor.

How to Make Red Lentil Hummus

To make this dip, start by cooking the lentils. Add water to a medium saucepan, and bring it to a boil. Add the lentils and simmer until they’re tender, about 15 minutes. For more lentil cooking tips, click here!

Then, drain the cooked lentils and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes. When they’re almost at room temperature (it’s ok if they’re still a bit warm), add them to a blender with the other ingredients, and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

The first time I made this, I tried it in a food processor, but I was able to get the red lentils to be much creamier in a blender. See up there? So luscious.

This red lentil hummus is delicious straight from the blender, although it’ll keep well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. If it gets a little thick, stir in some water before serving.

Here’s another tip: when you have just a little bit of red lentil hummus left at the end, thin it to a drizzle-able consistency and pour it over a roasted veggie bowl with some quinoa. That was our quick dinner a few nights ago, and the lentil dip really pepped up an otherwise boring bowl.

More Favorite Dips

And if you love hummus, you’ve gotta try these creamy dips next:

Red Lentil Hummus

rate this recipe:

4.94 from 33 votes

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 30

Serves 4 to 6

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This red lentil hummus is tangy, creamy, and richly spiced. Enjoy it with veggies, naan bread, or pita chips, or even straight off a spoon!

Ingredients

1 cup dried red lentils
¼ cup smooth tahini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Water, if necessary, for consistency
Naan and/or cut vegetables, for serving

Instructions

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add the lentils. Reduce to low and simmer, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes.
Drain and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a blender with the tahini, lemon juice, coconut oil, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Blend until creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to blend into a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill until ready to use.
Serve with naan or cut vegetables, as desired.