Green Goddess Hummus

by Lee from The Rogue Brussel Sprout

Hummus is a go-to in my kitchen and I’m so excited to share my favorite hummus recipe with you. This green version is loaded with fresh herbs and has an upbeat, sunny flavor profile. Use it as a dip, slather it onto sandwiches, or dollop it on top of a rainbow salad; the possibilities are endless.

Why am I such a hummus lover? There are a few reasons! First, hummus has so many uses. My husband and I especially love it on a snack board for Friday date night. It’s also perfect party food since it’s friendly for most diets and is a nourishing finger food option, especially if paired with veggies. I often use hummus to thicken salad dressings or sauces. My go-to meal is a giant, mostly raw rainbow salad, and a dollop of hummus on top makes it feel meal-worthy since it’s a wonderful source of plant-based protein. Second, hummus is easy! Just toss everything into a food processor and you’re done. It’s make-ahead friendly and works well in a large batch, so it’s great as a fridge staple. And finally, let’s be honest, mostly I make hummus because I have such fun garnishing it!

This hummus is a special, fresh twist on the classic. In addition to the usual ingredients (chick peas, tahini, etc.), you’ll load this beauty up with all the fresh herbs you can get your hands on. I love to use a combination of basil, cilantro, and mint; the three of them work beautifully together to yield a super-fresh flavor profile that can pair with anything. I also toss in a few big handfuls of baby spinach to really reinforce that beautiful green color!

Want to make this hummus your own? You can easily switch up the herbs, add some citrus juice, make it oil-free, or change up the garnishes; see below for some specific variations. Because you can taste and adjust hummus as you go, it’s a very friendly recipe for experimentation.

One of my favorite ways to show off this hummus is at a summer get-together on our deck. If you’re entertaining, you can make the hummus a day or two ahead of time and store it in a sealed container in the fridge. Just wait to garnish it until just before serving, or at most an hour or two ahead of time, since you want the garnishes to keep their freshness and crunch. Served alongside a rainbow of veggies, some crusty baguette, or some crunchy pita chips, this hummus is the ultimate party appetizer!

This is a recipe I return to again and again because of its freshness, versatility, ease, and wow-factor, so I’m thrilled to be sharing it here on Vegan Bowls. Green foods are so nourishing for the body, and in my opinion for the soul as well. Regardless of how you use this green beauty, I hope it brings you as much joy as it has to me!

INGREDIENTS

HUMMUS

• Two 15-oz cans of chick peas
• 0.5 c creamy, delicately-flavored tahini
• 1 c baby spinach
• Large handful or two of fresh basil
• Large handful or two of fresh cilantro
• Small handful of fresh mint
• Big drizzle of robust, flavorful olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Generous grind of black pepper

• Additional drizzle of robust, flavorful olive oil
• Small handful of roasted salted pistachios
• Sprinkle of sesame seeds
• Additional small basil, cilantro, and mint leaves
• Sprinkle of flaky sea salt, like fleur de sel

METHOD

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
2. In a food processor, combine all the hummus ingredients. Process for several minutes until a smooth, creamy consistency develops, scraping down the sides as needed. If you have trouble getting a smooth hummus, add a splash of water or olive oil (the latter with yield a richer hummus). Repeat as needed.
3. Place the hummus in a serving bowl and give the top surface a swirl with a small spatula.
4. Drizzle additional olive oil into the hummus swirl, then surround the swirl with pistachios, sesame seeds, and herb leaves. Finally, sprinkle the surface of the hummus with some additional salt.

VARIATIONS

• To make the hummus oil-free, just use water in place of the olive oil. The final result will be a little less velvety, but it will still work great.
• Feel free to switch up the herbs or their proportions based on your tastes. Soft herbs (basil, cilantro, mint, and parsley) will work better than more robust herbs (thyme, rosemary, and sage).
• Don’t care so much about the color? You can omit the spinach, it’s just there for visual appeal and for some extra nutrition. Conversely, you can add a couple pinches of green spirulina.
• Love citrus? Add the juice of a lemon or lime. The former works great for a Mediterranean vibe, the latter works great for a Mexican or tropical vibe.
• Feel free to change up the garnishes as you like. Other green things like pepitas or green grapes work especially well.

OTHER HUMMUS RECIPES

Are you a hummus lover? I have loads of seasonal hummus variations on my blog! Here are a few of my favorites:

• This whimsical Unicorn Hummus gets its vibrant colors from superfoods! 
• This summery Babagahummus is a hybrid between baba ganoush (an eggplant dip) and hummus, yielding a dish that really is the best of both worlds. 
• This unconventional Maple Sea Salt Hummus has an intriguing sweet/salty balance and is perfect for holiday entertaining.

• This Carrot Dijon Hummus unites sweet carrots with pungent mustard for surprisingly delightful combination and a beautiful, bright color. 

Lee, a.k.a. The Rogue Brussel Sprout, is a recipe developer, food photographer, and food blogger. She loves to cook with fresh, colorful, seasonal, and local ingredients and seeks to celebrate the beauty and diversity of plants. Her favorite things to make are giant rainbow salads and nourishing dips for weekend snack board dinners. Lee is based in Vermont and on Kaua’i, the northernmost Hawaiian island; both places have very special, locally-focused, plant-based food cultures. Lee loves to travel and to explore new places on foot; she often walks 12-15 miles a day and finds peace through moving meditation.

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