Portions: 6 servings Calories: 124kcal |
So many strong, meaty tastes, in this light vegan lentil dip, but everyone can indulge in it without guilt. Creamy and smooth, my favorite way to eat it is to scoop it with my favorite chips. In addition to being dairy-free and gluten-free, this tasty entrée or appetizer can also be made vegan! It'll help you add a few more vegan meals to your diet.
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Why I ❤️ it Recipe Ingredients Preparation
Vegan lentil dip.
Why I ❤️ it
Suppose you're looking for a vegan dip that is filling, incredibly nutritious, and surprisingly flavorful. In that case, I have one of the best dishes you can try: Rich, creamy brown or red lentil hummus with veggies and wonderful Mediterranean flavor.
I have a good friend, sort of a hummus connoisseur, that would balk at me calling this a lentil hummus. For her, hummus is only made out of chickpeas. So if you too, are a hummus traditionalist, my apologies, but don't hold it against the recipe. Just call it a lentil dip and give it a try. It's worth it.
Vegan lentil dip recipe
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Utensils and tools
Ingredients
- 1 cup of dry brown or red lentils
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds
- ¾ teaspoon of salt, (or more, to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon of paprika, (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 cup water that the lentils boiled in
- ¼ cup of tahini
- Juice of half a lemon, (or lime)
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (or regular olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon of minced parsley or minced cilantro
Preparation
Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.
Step 1: How to boil the lentils
Soak the lentils overnight (or for a couple of hours). Rinse and change the water and boil for 15 to 30 minutes until they are tender and the skin starts to break.
Remove from the water (set aside a cup of water) and cool to room temperature.
Step 2: How to cook the lentils
Heat the olive oil over very low heat. Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook and stir until the garlic releases its aroma. Stir in the lentils and cook and stir for a minute. Pour in the water and stir in salt and paprika and cover. Simmer until all the liquid has evaporated.
Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Step 3: How to purée the lentils
Add the lemon juice and puree in the food processor until it has a creamy and smooth consistency.
Step 4: How to serve
Scoop into a bowl or six individual bowls. Garnish with the extra virgin olive oil and minced parsley. Serve per the suggestions below.
Top tips
- Brown lentils and red lentils produce different flavor profiles, textures, and looks. I loved both, but I suggest you try them and see which one you like best.
Variations
This recipe can also be used to make a wonderful lentil main dish. Just leave out the tahini, and serve it alongside a bowl of rice.
Use an equal amount of pumpkin puree instead of tahini for a completely different but equally lovely dip.
If you're looking for another vegan bean dip to serve, check out that one.
Serving suggestions
This is perfect to serve with pita chips (toasted pita bread wedges), tortilla chips, crackers, toasted bread, and even casabe crackers.
You can garnish with extra lemon wedges.
Nutritional information
Serving: ¾cups - Calories: 124kcal - Carbohydrates: 8g - Protein: 3g - Fat: 7g - Saturated Fat: 1g - Sodium: 220mg - Potassium: 166mg - Fiber: 3g - Sugar: 1g - Vitamin A: 240IU - Vitamin C: 3.4mg - Calcium: 12mg - Iron: 1.2mg
More meatless recipes
See more: meatless recipes legumes recipes appetizer recipes
FAQs
Are mashed lentils healthy?
Absolutely! Mashed lentils can be the base of a very nutritious meal, cooked with vegetables, olive oil, herbs and spices, it can be made into a creamy bean dip, or a wonderful side dish for a vegan meal.
Which lentil is best?
There is no "best lentil", each one can be used in different dishes, but they are all great, flavorful, and perfect if you're looking to improve your nutrition.
Are lentils diet friendly?
Lentils are very diet-friendly, but it may depend on your diet. Lentils are nutritionally rich, with and contain a great deal of protein, carbohydrates, and iron. It is low on fat and cholesterol.
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Vegan Lentil Hummus Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of dry brown lentils or red lentils
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil divided
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- ¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds
- ¾ teaspoon of salt (or more, to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon of paprika (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 cup water that the lentils boiled in
- ¼ cup of tahini
- Juice of half a lemon (or lime)
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or regular olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley or minced cilantro
Instructions
Step 1: How to boil lentils
- Soak the lentils overnight (or for a couple of hours). Rinse and change the water and boil for 15 to 30 minutes until they are tender and the skin starts to break.Remove from the water (set aside a cup of water) and cool to room temperature.
Step 2: How to cook the lentils
- Heat the olive oil over very low heat. Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook and stir until the garlic releases its aroma. Stir in the lentils and cook and stir for a minute. Pour in the water and stir in salt and paprika and cover. Simmer until all the liquid has evaporated.Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Step 3: How to Purée the lentils
- Add the lemon juice and puree in the food processor until it has a creamy and smooth consistency.
Step 4: How to serve
- Scoop into a bowl or 6 individual bowls. Garnish with the extra virgin olive oil and minced parsley. Serve per suggestions below.
Nutrition
Originally published on Nov 3, 2015
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