Lima Bean Hummus
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Published Jan 25, 2021, Updated Aug 11, 2021
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Move over chickpeas, this lima bean hummus is creamy, sweet and unique! The flavor is bright and refreshing with a hint of sweetness from the lima beans and basil.
We are huge hummus fans over here. There are so many different flavor combinations, I could eat hummus every day and not get sick of it.
I already have a creamy hummus recipe (made with chickpeas) here on EBF, but today we’re switching up the hummus game and making it with lima beans!
Yup! I had a sad bag of lima beans just sitting in my freezer (I originally bought them to make Brunswick stew, but that didn’t happen for some reason sooo I decided to try a lima bean hummus instead.
The end result was amazing! The fresh basil and lemon juice bring a light, refreshing flavor that I can’t get enough of. Plus it’s creamy while being 100% vegan.
What Are Lima Beans?
Lima beans are technically considered a white bean even though they’re usually light green or cream colored. They are packed with protein and fiber and are a really great source of iron. Lima beans are some of the most mild tasting beans (similar to chickpeas) that taste more nutty than bean-like.
Lima Bean Hummus Ingredients
- frozen lima beans – you can also use dry lima beans (and cook them up) if you have the time and want to make this dip from scratch
- tahini
- extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- garlic cloves
- sea salt
- fresh basil
- freshly ground pepper
How to Make Lima Bean Hummus
Cook beans – Cook frozen lima beans according to the package directions, drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
Process – Combine the lima beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, basil, salt and pepper in your food processor and puree until smooth. Gradually add cooking liquid to thin the dip to your preferred consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
How to Eat Lima Bean Hummus
How not to eat lima bean hummus is the real question! We are fully obsessed with this hummus and it seems like we have eaten it in every possible way. Here are some of our favorites:
- With crackers – try my almond flour crackers or use store-bought. I love Simple Mills for store-bought.
- With veggies – this dip is delicious with freshly sliced veggies.
- With avocado toast – spread a little hummus on toast and top with avocado slices for the ultimate breakfast.
- In a breakfast wrap – I recently made this breakfast wrap with chickpea hummus and I can’t wait to pair it with this hummus.
How to Store Homemade Hummus
Store your homemade lima bean hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Recipes With Hummus to Try:
- Hummus Avocado Toast with Toasted Hemp Seeds
- Tortilla Pizzas with Hummus
- Hummus Deviled Eggs
- BBQ Hummus Tuna Sandwich
- Hummus Collard Wraps
Lima Bean Hummus
Ingredients
- 12 oz bag of frozen lima beans, about 2 cups
- 1 Tablespoon tahini
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 medium cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/4-1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid or water, more or less to thin dip as desired
Instructions
- Cook lima beans according to package directions, drain and reserve 1/4-1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
- In a food processor, combine all ingredients except cooking liquid or water.
- Purée until smooth, gradually adding liquid as desired to thin dip and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Notes
- If you’re cooking lima beans from scratch, you’ll want to cook 3/4 cup dry lima beans, which should give you about 2 cups.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love the dip. Added a chilli and used lime and cumquat juice instead of the lemon as I didnt have any. YUM. CHEERS
This may be the best darn dip I’ve ever made Brittany. My diet is very low acidity, so this is perfect! I’ll now use this as a sandwich spread also. Thank you TONS!
Yay! I’m so glad that you like it Daleen!
The perfect use for that sad bag of lima beans sitting in the kitchen cupboard…wanting to stray from the standard hummus recipe and I’m glad I came across yours! I added dried coriander and sumac to give it a middle eastern flair and deepen the overall flavor- a hit in my household!
@paola. I agree wit you.
looks delicious and healthy. However, if it has no chickpeas, you can’t call it hummus. The word hummus literally means chickpeas in Arabic. Can we please respect cultures and stop bastardizing cuisines? Call it dip. Call it anything else. Thanks.
Looks interesting. Question – what if you don’t have tahini, is there an acceptable substitute, or is the recipe a bust without it? I’d try it but my family is kinda picky and I would hate to waste a can of beans. Yes, I’m that cheap. 😉 Thanks!
I think it would be okay without the tahini. You could add a teaspoon or two of sesame oil to get the sesame flavor. Let me know if you try it.
I’ve been making this for 6 months now with my Ninja. It’s delicious. I’ve tried it with frozen lima beans however and I didn’t care for it as well. It’s much better to use dried beans in my opinion. To me, it kind of tastes like garlic mashed potatoes. Nobody else in the house really cares for it – bonus for me – I eat it up with a bag of tortilla chips. I’ve also frozen the leftovers in 1 cup plastic bowls, thawed overnite, no change in taste or texture, yum! I also use fresh basil from the garden (it adds a better flavor to this than the bottled dried basil from the store). The way I preserve the basil is just run it under water, throw the leaves in a container, and put straight in freezer. There is no need to blanch the basil, or any greens for that matter, just rinse them with water, and freeze with the water droplets on them – when you are ready to use, just get the amount you need from the freezer, and put straight into your blender.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, it’s one of my favorite recipes.
I’m going to try using the coriander seed and I love the idea of using this for a sandwich/pita spread.
Is there a non sesame substitute for the tahini? Should we just leave it out entirely? (Due to a sesame allergy in the family) thanks!
Hey Alysa – Maybe Greek yogurt, avocado or sun butter?! Obviously haven’t tried it but trying to think of something that would add fat and creaminess! Let me know what you end up trying if you make this!
Been on a homemade hummus kick lately and made this recipe today and it’s so good! Super creamy and the basil gives it a pesto-y flavor!
Woo!! So glad you loved this recipe, Denise. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
I love this hummus dip, I think it is a perfect snack or light dinner!
Thank you for the inspiration! 🙂
Sarah
http://www.dietofcommonsense.com
Thank you so much for this recipe! I developed a severe allergy to chickpeas a few years ago and have been missing hummus terribly. This recipe is fantastic!
Ah yay! I am so glad that you are enjoying this recipe, Maura. Thank you so much for your review + star rating, I so appreciate it.