White Bean Sorrel Hummus
Move over chickpeas! This white bean hummus recipe is made with creamy cannellini beans and tangy sorrel. It’s full of flavorful ingredients like tahini, lemon, and garlic. Make this versatile vegan spread at home in about 10 minutes!
I first met sorrel at a volunteer work party where the day's challenge was to free a field from weeds while preserving the season’s produce. This task seemed simple enough, pull out weedy stuff, don’t touch edible stuff. Go it. The first row went smoothly, and I happily tugged at grassy clumps and clover. Feeling confident in the next row, I drove my shovel into a green leafy patch and prepared to pop up the offending weed. “Stop!” rang out across the field from the farm owner. I had nearly uprooted a precious sorrel plant tagged for that week’s CSA members. No damage was done, and sorrel and I have been good friends ever since.
Since getting to know this edible little leaf, my favorite way to harness its lemony flavor is to toss a large handful into hummus. Bright tart sorrel is a natural pair with mild cannellini beans and makes a killer variation on traditional hummus.
What is sorrel?
Sorrel is a leafy green that falls between an herb and a leaf vegetable. It has a bright, tart, lemony flavor similar to dipping spinach into lemon juice. It grows wild in many parts of the United States and is often cultivated by local farmers.
There are two types of sorrel that are great for making hummus, French sorrel, and sheep sorrel. French sorrel has a mild lemony flavor and is easy to cultivate. Sheep sorrel has a stronger, somewhat sour flavor and, like its taste, grows wild.
This is French sorrel from a nearby farm. Isn’t it pretty?
Where can I find sorrel?
The most common place to purchase sorrel is at your farmer’s market in the spring and summer. It grows well here in the Pacific Northwest and is a frequent flyer in my CSA box. You might even be lucky enough to find it in the “local” section of your natural grocer. Windowsill herb gardening is another fun option.
Substitutions
If sorrel is rare in your area or out of season, spinach is a tasty substitution. Make the recipe as directed. Taste the finished dish and decide if it needs a squeeze of lemon to brighten the mild spinach or a pinch of salt.
Let’s take a closer look at the other ingredients
Hummus, which literally means “chickpea” in Arabic is traditionally made with cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. This delicious combination of flavors is versatile, nutrient-dense, and practically foolproof. Click here for a nifty article on the history of hummus.
This white bean hummus recipe uses:
Cannellini beans for mild creaminess which tempers the sour flavor of sorrel. Canned beans are perfectly acceptable and what I usually use. Just be sure to drain and rinse them well first. Cook homemade beans a little on the soft side for easier blending.
Generous amounts of tahini for rich flavor and a hint of nuttiness.
Minced garlic (Don’t even think of using powdered!) Add as much as you like but remember, a little raw garlic goes a long way.
Fresh lemon juice and zest. One medium-sized lemon should be just the right amount.
Kosher salt to balance the flavors and give it that zing!
Water and olive oil. Thin overly thick hummus with a splash of water for tossing with pasta and salads. And, of course, a drizzle of olive oil on the top of a swirly plate of hummus is irresistible.
Tips for fool-proof hummus
Use a food processor, not a blender to leave a hint of texture. A high-powered blender will blend the ingredients into a smoothie bowl instead of hummus.
Blend your sorrel first. This lets you decide how large you’d like the green specks in your hummus to be. Use the pulse setting to finely chop the sorrel, stopping to scrape the sides down a couple of times. Stop blending when the sorrel is minced but not pureed.
Drain and rinse canned beans for a clean mild flavor. The aquafaba or bean water in canned beans can taste overly “beany” when mixed into hummus.
Mince or press your garlic before blending. Whole garlic cloves will leave little spicy chunks in the hummus even after being pulsed multiple times in a food processor.
Use fresh lemon juice and zest. I promise it’s worth the extra 3 minutes to zest and juice a lemon. Your hummus will taste so much cleaner and brighter than using artificial lemon juice from a plastic bottle.
Add salt to taste. I know, I know, you’ve heard this a million times before. But… your food really will taste better if you test the finished dish and decide if it needs a pinch more salt. Use less salt if your canned beans are salted.
Thin with water only if necessary. Once all your ingredients are blended, drag a butter knife through the hummus. Can it be easily spread on pita bread or scooped up with a cracker? If it’s too thick, add water, a tablespoon at a time, until creamy but not runny.
Ways to enjoy this vegan hummus recipe
Spread on pita bread or use in place of mayonnaise in a sandwich
Use as a dip for vegetables, chips, or crackers
Thin with a splash of water to make a killer pasta sauce or salad dressing
Toss with cooked grains such as rice and quinoa
Snack on it straight from the spoon!
Now when I’m weeding in the garden, I keep a keen eye out for my friend, sorrel. This cannellini hummus recipe is my favorite way to enjoy her lemony flavor. And between you and me, I make this recipe year-round with spinach while waiting for sorrel season. Enjoy!
Ingredients for White Bean Sorrel Hummus / makes 2 cups
2 cups of fresh sorrel leaves, packed (French or sheep sorrel) The photos picture French sorrel
1 (15 oz / 425g / 1½ cups) can of cannellini beans, drained and well rinsed.
¼ cup (2 oz.) tahini
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
1 teaspoon of lemon zest (about 1 small lemon)
1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed (2 small cloves if you really love garlic)
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
Water to thin the hummus (if needed)
Olive oil for serving (optional)
How to make White Bean Sorrel Hummus
1. Fluff your sorrel into a food processor and pulse until the leaves are finely chopped.
2. Plop all of the other ingredients on top and pulse until it looks smooth and creamy. There will be little green specks of sorrel.
3. Take a look at the consistency and decide if it needs to be thinned with water depending on how you choose to use it. If it spreads easily with a butter knife but clings to a spoon when turned over, no water is needed to use it as a dip. For pasta, pour in 1 tablespoon of water at a time and blend to thin the hummus until it is loose but not runny (no more than ¼ cup).
4. Give it a taste and decide if it needs additional salt to make the flavors pop or a tad more lemon for brightness.
5. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top! (optional)
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
More delicious dips to try!
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The inspiration for this recipe came from the cookbook “My New Roots” by Sarah Britton.
White Bean Sorrel Hummus
Ingredients
Instructions
- Fluff your sorrel into a food processor and pulse until the leaves are finely chopped.
- Plop all of the other ingredients on top and pulse until it looks smooth and creamy. There will be little green specks of sorrel.
- Take a look at the consistency and decide if it needs to be thinned with water depending on how you choose to use it. If it spreads easily with a butter knife but clings to a spoon when turned over, no water is needed to use it as a dip. For pasta, pour in 1 tablespoon of water at a time and blend to thin the hummus until it is loose but not runny (no more than ¼ cup).
- Give it a taste and decide if it needs additional salt to make the flavors pop or a tad more lemon for brightness.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top! (optional)
Notes
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
For step-by-step instructions with photos, see blog post!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
111.46Fat (grams)
4.24Sat. Fat (grams)
0.6Carbs (grams)
13.96Fiber (grams)
3.13Net carbs
10.84Sugar (grams)
0.27Protein (grams)
5.57Sodium (milligrams)
296.67Cholesterol (grams)
0Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.