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Short Summary
Main recommendation: Make cannellini bean hummus at home by sautéing garlic in olive oil, then blending it with cannellini beans, roasted red bell pepper, lemon juice, and more olive oil until smooth. The presenter says it takes under five minutes, makes leftovers, and works well as a sandwich spread or vegetable dip in place of mayonnaise.
Key Points
- Cannellini beans are a watery Italian bean often used in pasta dishes; the presenter likes using them for hummus instead of the usual garbanzo beans, and says other beans like black beans could be used too.
- Sautéing the garlic softens its bite and gives a richer flavor than raw garlic.
- Hummus can replace mayonnaise or heavier spreads on sandwiches, adding unsaturated fats from olive oil and some protein rather than saturated fat.
- Hummus is an easy vegetable dip for getting more vegetables into the diet.
- Homemade hummus is an impressive, quick appetizer to bring to a party.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into a sauté pan and heat on medium-high.
- Add 3 cloves of garlic and sauté for a minute or two, watching so it does not brown or burn.
- Scoop out the garlic and add it to a food processor. Small leftover pieces are fine.
- Add 2 cups of cooked cannellini beans (about one can plus a little more; one can is acceptable with slightly less volume). Canned beans are fine; dried beans can be cooked for better flavor, and whole cannellini beans are sold in bulk sections of some stores.
- Start pureeing with the lid off so ingredients can be added while blending. Add the garlic, the olive oil, 2 roasted red bell peppers, and the juice of one lemon.
- Mix until everything is blended and chopped, using a spatula or spoon as needed.
- Pour into a bowl. Store in the fridge for a week or two.
- Optional: add roasted red pepper flakes for heat (omitted by the presenter), sundried tomatoes, or roasted eggplant for other flavors.
- Roasted red bell peppers can be bought in a jar at grocery stores, which is easier than roasting them yourself, though homemade has better flavor.
- A good-quality blender can be used if no food processor is available.
Bottom Line
Homemade cannellini bean hummus is a quick, inexpensive, make-ahead spread that works as a sandwich replacement for mayonnaise, a vegetable dip, or a party appetizer.
