Red Lentil and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

April 5, 2013

I love snacks. While I write this, I am also snacking on a left-over carrot cake cupcake from Easter—only half a cupcake, actually. A whole one is just too much. My Mom bought these massive cupcakes from Panera. They have cream cheese frosting in the center of them too! You evil genius, Panera. Definitely thinking about how to do this cream cheese frosting center in the next thing I bake.

Sorry, I got distracted. Snacks!

When my brothers and I were younger, we would come home from school and have a snack before we got to work on our homework. You know, school is hard; we needed that time to unwind. We would always favor the snacks we could make ourselves, like one of my all-time favorites, Ore Ida crinkle cut, single serving, microwavable French fries.

Stake out a spot at the kitchen table for homework, go to the freezer, grab a box of fries, pop the top open, microwave for one minute, scoot the fries to one side of the box, squeeze a bunch of ketchup into the open spot, sit back and enjoy! That was our after school ritual.

These days, my metabolism has slowed down quite a bit, so as much as I would love to be able to devour French fries for a snack, I try and keep it healthy. Plus, if it is healthy, you don’t feel as bad eating waaaay more! It is just snack logic, people.

This dip was created when I had a craving for hummus, but for some strange reason didn’t have any chickpeas. I was kind of skeptical of the creamy, beaniness of lentils in dip form, but this actually worked out even better than I imagined. It is lighter than regular hummus and has a good kick from the chili garlic sauce. Perfect for healthy, empty cupboard, snacking!

Red Lentil and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Course Appetizer/Snack
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Servings 2 -4
Author Sarcastic Cooking

Ingredients

  • ½ Cup Dry Red Lentils
  • 1 Cup Water or Low-Sodium Vegetable Stock
  • ¼ Cup Roughly Chopped Canned Roasted Red Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Chili Garlic Sauce or 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder plus ¼ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Rinse lentils under cool, running water.
  2. Add water and lentils to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10-12 minutes until all the water/stock has been absorbed and the lentils are tender. Let lentils cool in pan.
  3. Add cooled lentils, chopped roasted red pepper, chili garlic sauce, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Puree until smooth and creamy. Serve with pita chips or vegetables. Hummus will last in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator for four days.

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  • Sairah
    November 17, 2014 at 10:53 am

    Have you had Panera’s Mediterranean flatbread sandwich? It uses a lentil hummus in it that I’ve been wanting to find a dupe recipe for. How would you say yours compares to Panera’s? (If you haven’t tried the sandwich, you should definitely go for it, it’s scrumptious as hell!)

    • Stefanie
      November 17, 2014 at 9:09 pm

      I loooooove that sandwich!!! I think the Panera sandwich has a spicier hummus or maybe different spice blend, but still this would be a comparable sub.

  • Jennie @themessybakerblog
    April 8, 2013 at 12:40 pm

    I love that you added lentils to hummus. This looks so good. Single serving microwavable fries? Jealous.

  • DessertForTwo
    April 7, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    I kinda hate you for informing me that single-serving fries exist. I want to buy a million bags.
    Anyway, you’re lucky because lentils and hummus are my 2 favorite foods and you combined them into 1 delicious dip! I love you again. It’s true. xo

    • Stefanie
      April 7, 2013 at 12:51 pm

      I love that you love beans as much as I do!

  • Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe
    April 5, 2013 at 2:17 pm

    Yes, just…yes. Hummus is one of my most favorite snacks. Oddly enough, I’ve never made it myself. It looks so easy too!

  • Sylvia @ reelflavor.com
    April 5, 2013 at 2:05 pm

    Hi there! I love how you substituted the usual chickpeas for lentils. Very clever idea and looks absolutely delicious! Hoping to try it soon!

  • Anita at Hungry Couple
    April 5, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    No chickpeas in the house? I get twitchy when I’m down to my last can. 🙂 In any event, I love all kinds of hummus…and those pita chips you’ve got there, too. 🙂

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    April 5, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    All I do anymore is snack. It’s the danger of being home most of the day, I’m discovering. I’m about to snack on some leftover pizza…

    …wait. Is that technically a snack or just a baby meal? Fine line.

    I’d snack on this dip all day, errrr day.

  • Liz @ The Lemon Bowl
    April 5, 2013 at 11:08 am

    Brilliant idea!!!!!

  • Julia
    April 5, 2013 at 9:36 am

    What a great idea to use lentils in hummus! I like trying new dips/spreads–they are so great to have around during the week to snack on. I am trying this one soon! Have a good weekend.

  • Terri
    April 5, 2013 at 9:11 am

    Hey Stefanie what are these little chiplike munchies with the dip shown??

    • Stefanie
      April 5, 2013 at 9:38 am

      Those are pita chips.

  • Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)
    April 5, 2013 at 9:06 am

    For the cupcakes–I hollow them out with a knife by making a little hole and filling it with cream, put the top back on, then hide the hole with frosting. My friend works at Panera and he says they do it somehow in the baking process, too tricky for me!

    This dip looks amazing too 🙂 I don’t much care for chickpeas, so lentils in place sounds great!

  • Isabelle @ Crumb
    April 5, 2013 at 8:54 am

    I’m totally with you on the healthier snacking… when I was in high school, one of my favourite snacks was a bowl of melted cheese. Seriously. Melted cheese. My heart just skipped a beat thinking about it. 😛
    I do love me some hummus, though, and I’m very intrigued by the idea of swapping out red lentils for the usual chickpeas. Might have to make a batch this weekend! (And also, I would eat my shoe if it was slathered with chili garlic sauce… love that stuff!)