As a vegan, I am legally required to be a hummus fan, right! Well I pretty much am, but there's more to hummus than just chickpeas. I adore chickpeas, and chickpea hummus, but I discovered that there are many many ways you can make hummus. I adore this Delicious Black Bean Hummus; the black beans have a great consistency and coupled with the smoked paprika they have an oakey edge to them. It is beautifully tangy from the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, with creaminess from the tahini. This dish is perfect as a side to any meal, as a snack or for party entertaining.
I discovered the joy of making hummus from all sorts of other pulses when I ran out of chickpeas one day. But I realised I had black beans lying around. I thought - why not? There are no hummus rules?! This is also great for reducing food waste and using up what you have. So while I love this recipe with black beans, any other beans (or even lentils) will work, and you can choose which spices you pair them with. Black beans go really with spices like smoked paprika and cumin, and Louise and I seem to have a joint love of smoked paprika!
Many hummus products you buy in shops are bulked out with oil, but hummus is not traditionally made with oil. Tahini is the ingredient that gives it that smooth consistency. Tahini is made from sesame seeds (made into a paste) and has tones of protein and good fat. Tahini is a must have in the kitchen cupboard and is great for dressings or just on toast!
To give the hummus the right consistency, you may have to adjust how much apple cider vinegar you use (or water if you prefer it less tangy). These recipes are never an exact science and you may have to top up the mixture to make the hummus a bit smoother. You'll be able to tell if it is too thick and needs some more liquid. However, it is up to you how thick and chunky you want your hummus - make it your own!
You can serve this with vegetable sticks, or part of any meal. Or why not try our recent find for going with dips, The Real Coconut tortilla chips. They're SO yummy! These are made by a British-born hotelier, Danielle Hunter, who started the company in Mexico after discovering the delicious and sustainable foods you could make from things like coconut, plantain and hemp. These tortilla chips really are a cut above other chips we've had; crunchy, delicious flavours, and made with coconut flour and totally gluten free. We love the pure ingredients too.
Do look at other recipes on our blog for ideas of how you can use other pulse and herbs to mix up your hummus flavours. Another great one is white bean and fresh rosemary! All great for summer picnics, canapes or just with any meal.
Vanessa's Delicious Black Bean Hummus
Equipment
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 240 g (1½ cups) cooked black beans (equivalent of one drained tin/can)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (plus extra for sprinkling)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon apple cider/white wine vinegar (keep some aside to add extra if needed, or use water if you don't want such a tangy taste)
Instructions
- Put aside some black beans for topping your hummus
- Put all the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. You may need to stop & start the blender a few times & mix up the ingredients with a spoon if you don't have a high powered blender
- You want a consistency that gives a smooth paste which is not too runny. But some people like their hummus thicker than others. Add a bit of extra water, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to get the consistency you want.
- Serve hummus topped with black beans. For an added extra, sprinkle a little smoked paprika on the hummus.
