Loaded with spices, this Healthy Curry Lentil Hummus is rich in flavor, fiber and protein. An easy and oil free Vegan lentil hummus that’s a great dip for some warm naan too!
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I think my hummus lunch wrap phase just beat the burgers and falafel phase by a mile!
I finished up an entire tub of store bought jalapeno hummus, garlic hummus, my homemade Greek Yogurt hummus, and now this curry lentil hummus making wraps for lunch almost everyday for the last 2 months.
It really was such a quick and easy meal to make – less than 5 minutes from start to end – super nutritious and tasty too!
Not gonna lie, I could definitely have continued with it, but I forced myself to try something else just so I could include some variety of veggies in my day.
Is Hummus made from Lentils?
While the classic and authentic Middle Eastern hummus recipe uses chickpeas, I’ve found that you can also make a hummus-like dip with lentils too! It does have a bit of a different flavor, but definitely hummus-y.
lentil hummus vs chickpea hummus
Other than the flavor, the biggest difference between a lentil and chickpea based hummus is the nutrition profile; For the same cooked quantity, Chickpeas have higher fat and lower carbs, but Lentils have higher fiber and protein.
Does hummus have to have Chickpeas?
Not only can you make hummus with lentil instead of chickpeas, you can also use other beans too.
Another option for a no-chickpea hummus is white beans or cannellinni beans!
Ingredients for Healthy Curry Lentil Hummus
This healthy lentil dip is made with no oil, but uses tahini and light coconut milk for that rich and creamy texture.
Here’s everything you need:
- Dried Lentils – I used yellow, but green, or brown should be fine too. If you have cooked ones, it’s even easier.
- Light Coconut Milk
- Creamy Tahini aka sesame seed paste
- Lentil Cooking Liquid or just regular water
- Lemon Juice
- Minced Garlic cloves
- Curry Spices: Cumin, Turmeric, Coriander, Cardamom, Cayenne Pepper
- Salt and Pepper
Is hummus better with or without tahini?
All honesty here, I would really recommend adding tahini to hummus because it gives it a much better and rich earthy flavor.
A lot of people try to avoid tahini because of the fat content, but these are all healthy fats, and you would be compromising quite a bit on taste if you leave it out.
Instead of leaving out the tahini, I would say leave out the oil that you would use otherwise – it doesn’t have as distinct a flavor as this spread does.
How to make Vegan Lentil Hummus
Making healthy curry lentil hummus is just as easy as a chickpea hummus; The only extra part here is that you need to first cook the lentils.
- Add the lentils to boiling water, bring it down to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Let them cool a bit.
- Combine all the ingredients a blender or food processor – cooked lentils, tahini, coconut milk, lentil liquid, lemon juice, minced garlic powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cardamom, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
- Process until you have a smooth dip.
Add some more lentil liquid or water if you want an even smoother spread. Taste and feel free to add more salt if you need.
And that’s really it!
Transfer it to a bowl and serve!
Some more Ideas for Healthy Curry Lentil Hummus
Another thing that makes this the best lentil hummus recipe is that it’s so customizable that you can switch up the flavor your liking! Here’s some ideas to get you started
- Turn this into a spicy lentil hummus recipe by adding a bit of extra cayenne pepper to the food processor.
- For a Moroccan lentil hummus, switch up the spices – use a blend of Paprika, Cinnamon, Ginger and a bit of Cloves instead of the Turmeric and Coriander.
- Make an extra creamy coconut curry lentil hummus by replacing the lentil cooking liquid with even more coconut milk!
How to Store and Serve Curry Lentil Dip
This homemade lentil hummus dip doesn’t have any additives or preservatives, so you can store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Ideas for serving?
You can use this healthy curried lentil hummus recipe the same way you would a chickpea hummus – with some pita chips, crackers, as a wrap, on top of pizza too.
2 of my favorite ways are to spread it on top of rice cakes, and in a wrap with some steamed broccoli. So good!
More healthy dip recipes without chickpeas?
Rich & Healthy Curry Lentil Hummus (Oil free & Vegan)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Dried Lentils, 130g, = 1⅔ cup cooked
- 2 cups Water
- ¼ cup Tahini, 64g
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Milk
- 3 Tbsp Lentil Cooking Liquid, or Water
- 1½ Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1½ Tbsp Minced Garlic, 1-2 cloves
- ½ tsp Cumin
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- ¼ tsp Ground Coriander
- ¼ tsp Ground Cardamom
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Rinse lentils in cold water until it runs clear. Boil 2 cups water in a small pot over medium heat, add lentils, bring to simmer and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blender gives better results.
- Process until smooth. Add more lentil liquid or water for a smoother hummus. Adjust salt to taste.
- Transfer to plate and garnish with olive oil if desired.
Notes
- Fridge: Up to 1 week In an airtight container.
- Servings: 1¾ cups | Serving size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 127kcal
- Fat: 5.5g | Saturated fat: 0.9g
- Carbohydrates: 13.3g | Fiber: 4.3g | Sugar: 1.4g
- Protein: 5.9g
Hey! I'm Haylee
Google Software Engineer
I use my passion for baking (and eating) to create healthy, high-protein, good-for-you and diet-friendly desserts and sweet treats that are actually delicious.
Come join me in Hayl's Kitchen and let's eat high protein, sweet and guilt free!