Cilantro Hummus is a fresh vibrant take on one of the healthiest and most versatile vegan appetizers out there. Vibrant cilantro brightens up a traditional Middle Eastern chickpea dip and gives it a fresh flavor profile.
cilantro hummus is not for cilantrophobes!
Cilantro haters, you may want to make your exit right about now. I’m not poking fun at you, I know you can’t help the genes mother nature gave you, but this recipe is for the rest of us who appreciate the unique, crisp flavor of one of the coolest herbs out there. If you ask me, cilantro is right up there with basil for bright vivid flavor, and it’s just one of the ways that I keep hummus interesting.
Statistically, I’m pretty sure hummus is the thing I make most often.
I make it on a weekly basis because I love it, and because my husband Grant has an obsession with it, he would eat it every night if he could. I keep cans of chickpeas in the cupboard, and a jar of tahini in the fridge…that way I can make it on a moment’s notice, and change it up with whatever I happen to have around. One of my favorite things to do is make it green. I chose this recipe to share because cilantro really is a striking flavor and gives a great lift to the creaminess of plain hummus.
Everyone knows that homemade hummus is far and away better than store bought
And that’s even more true for the flavored varieties. You simply can’t get real fresh herb flavor, for instance, in pre-packaged form. But you will get a surprising payoff by throwing in a big handful of fresh cilantro into a batch of plain hummus while it’s processing. The cilantro turns the hummus a pretty, fresh shade of green, and I usually enhance the flavor with a little extra garlic and lemon.
the trouble with cilantro
The only beef I have with cilantro is how hard it is to keep it fresh. It’s so delicate it wilts if you look at it funny. And while I grow several herbs in my yard, I’ve never been successful with cilantro — if any of you have luck with it, I’d love to know your secrets!
for cilantro lovers
- Steak Fajitas with Cilantro Pesto
- Beer Battered Zucchini with Lime Cilantro Aioli
- Chimichurri Shrimp
- Salmon Coconut Curry
Cilantro Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 15- oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup tahini, sesame paste
- 1 cup, firmly packed, cilantro leaves (take the extra time to remove the leaves from the stems)
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- olive oil for drizzling
- paprika or sumac for garnish
Instructions
- Put the chickpeas and the clove of garlic into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Turn the machine on and let the chickpeas go for about 5 minutes, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides often. Do not add any liquid at this point, even though the mixture is dry. This step helps insure a very creamy hummus. Just keep scraping down the sides.
- Add the tahini and lemon juice and process for another minute or so, still scraping down the sides of the machine as necessary.
- Now process in the cilantro, letting it go until it is well incorporated.
- Add enough cold water to loosen the hummus to a dippable consistency, approximately 1/4 cup, but you may need more. The hummus will thicken further as it chills in the fridge, so don't be afraid to add that water to loosen it up.
- Taste to adjust the salt and lemon, and then cover well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil, and a sprinkle of sumac or paprika.
Nutrition
I have a friend who swears by her method of preserving cilantro. It’s a bit tedious but she swears by it. She places the individual stems about 1 inch apart on a long line of paper toweling. She then loosely rolls up the paper towels keeping the cilantro from touching the other stems. She then places the loose roll in a gallon Ziploc bag and keeps it on a shelf in the refrigerator – taking care not to crush it. She has said the cilantro maintains its freshness for two weeks when preserved in this manner. It’s pretty fussy but I guess if you need to keep it it’s worth a try. I usually just take the leftovers and make a cilantro lime salad dressing with it and call it done. Thankfully, it’s not one of the more expensive herbs. Pretty post Sue. I love it!
This hummus looks AMAZING!! I am glad I am not one of those people that thinks cilantro tastes like soap 🙂
I eat a lot of hummus, but I’ve never had a cilantro hummus! I love cilantro so this looks like a perfect combination!
That cilantro sure does give the hummus a gorgeous green color! I keep wanting to love cilantro, but it hasn’t happened yet. My hubby loves it though, and he’d really be happy about this hummus. 🙂 I have a hard time growing cilantro too. I’ve found that it grows well early and late in the season, but it bolts for me in hot weather. Maybe a different variety?
That’s the word I was looking for…it bolts! Oh well, at least we can buy it at the supermarket 🙂
I adore cilantro, I can’t wait to whip up a batch of this hummus!
This hummus is gorgeous! That green color alone …. I am firmly in the love cilantro category so I know I would enjoy this. And I’m with you – I think hummus is one of the things I make most regularly at my house!
Cilantro doesn’t last long in our garden either. I think trimming it often helps – but then you don’t have cilantro leaves when you need it. Maybe have two plants and alternate snipping? When all else fails – I buy a bunch at the store. Love hummus, love your version and love the fresh, bright tasty green! Have a wonderful weekend. PS – gorgeous food styling!
wow, Sue, love ckickpeas and cilantro: -) I know, this will be my focus this weekend:-)
Have a good one, too!
Hi Sue, As soon as I saw the words “cilantro” and “hummus” come up in my inbox I ran right over here to see your recipe and it looks delicious!! I can’t wait to try it. You are right about the shelf/fridge life of cilantro. One easy and quick thing to do with it is to add to quesadillas: tortilla, evoo, chopped cilantro, grated cheese (vary according to mood)–extras like chicken or jalapeños if desired but not needed–quickly heat on griddle or press, yum!! Easy way to use it up at the last minute! Thanks for the recipe! Linda
I think you’ve just inspired my dinner, Linda, thanks!
As someone who loves cilantro, I think this hummus sounds delish! Even better that it’s homemade. Have a great weekend!