Red Kidney Bean Hummus
This Red Kidney Bean Hummus is a red kidney bean dip made in classic hummus style with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. It’s perfect as a dip or with Middle Eastern meals, and it’s even easier to make than classic hummus because there’s no peeling chickpeas.
Read on to learn all the detailed tips and tricks for making a hummus with kidney beans. Or just grab your food processor, hit that Jump to Recipe button and let’s make a red bean hummus!
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Ingredients
Technically, hummus with kidney beans isn’t actually hummus because “hummus” means “chickpea” in Arabic. But this red kidney bean dip is so like hummus that it’d be dishonest to call it anything but.
Red kidney beans are a common bean variety that look like mammalian kidneys. Using canned beans is a huge time saver and won’t impact flavor when there’s more to your dish than the beans. Check out my garbanzo bean soup, apple pie baked beans, cheesy white bean tomato bake, or white bean loaded sweet potatoes for more examples.
Tahini is an oily sesame seed paste. It’s an essential part of Mediterranean cuisines and is a key ingredient in hummus. I also use it in my lemon herb tahini sauce
Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and substitutions
- Use black beans or white beans as a kidney bean substitute.
- Roast a head of garlic and blend in a few garlic cloves for more mellow garlic flavor.
- Add a little heat with a pinch of cayenne or other chili pepper.
- Start with dried beans, soaked and then cooked with some onion and garlic.
Recipe tips and tricks
There’s nothing tricky about making hummus with kidney beans. Use your food processor to chop the garlic finely and then blend with the kidney beans, tahini paste, lemon juice, and salt.
While the food processor is running, slowly add cold water and extra-virgin olive oil to thin out your red bean hummus. Keep blending until everything is well incorporated and smooth.
This is where you come in as a critical part of recipe – taste the hummus and add more lemon juice for flavor or cold water to thin it out more. Just before serving, drizzle some of your best olive oil on top and sprinkle with sumac or paprika if you like. Enjoy!
What to serve with a kidney bean hummus
Serve a hummus made with kidney beans the same way you’d serve the classic hummus made with chickpeas:
- As a dip for a vegetable plate, kale waffle chips, or a black pepper focaccia.
- As a side for falafel, falafel waffles, lamb meatballs, or a Mediterranean grain bowl.
- Stuffed into a homemade pita pocket or Mediterranean meatball wrap
Recipe FAQs
Hummus made with canned kidney beans can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days
You can freeze red kidney bean hummus for longer storage though it might lose its creamy texture. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Think of tahini like a natural peanut butter. Store tahini in the refrigerator to prevent it from going rancid, and stir it well before you use it.
Related dip recipes
Check out other dips, snacks, and appetizers from the Ugly Duckling Bakery archives:
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Recipe
Red Kidney Bean Hummus
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic or 2 small cloves
- 15 ounces canned kidney beans rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus more as desired
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cold water plus more as desired
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- ½ teaspoon sumac or paprika for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
- Add the garlic to the food processor and blitz until finely chopped.1 clove garlic
- Add the beans, tahini, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and salt and blitz until a thick paste forms.15 ounces canned kidney beans, ¼ cup tahini paste, 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt
- With the motor running, add one tablespoon of cold water and one tablespoon of olive oil through the feed tube. Blitz until incorporated.1 tablespoon cold water, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Taste and first adjust with more lemon juice as needed. Then add more cold water as needed to get your hummus to your desired consistency.
- Serve at room temperature. Right before serving, drizzle the top with more olive oil and sprinkle on some sumac or paprika if desired.½ teaspoon sumac or paprika
Notes
Nutrition
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