This Italian Hummus is lusciously creamy, lemony, and light.
This past weekend we enjoyed time in Boston with our chickies. It was a pretty relaxed trip without much of an agenda. We did a little antiquing and watched old movies, but on Halloween night we had a fabulous dinner in the North End. Rather than snickers, peanut butter cups, and tootsie rolls, we indulged in our favorite Italian treats. And when we were done, we made up a song to capture our meal.
What? You don’t do that?
Sing along with me to the tune of “My Favorite Things” picking up at the chorus…
Arancini, cannellini, tortellini with cheese…a glass of Chianti from two thousand ten and then a cannoli please.
Ahhhh. Yes! Good times!!
It helps to have an actual jingle writer in the family. Luc wrote commercial jingles for her first job out of college and now we get to bug her for ideas for our own little ditties.
Our meal began with a full-bodied bottle of Chianti and a bowl of supremely-creamy hummus, delivered to the table with the bread basket.
We immediately noticed that the wine was exceptional, and the hummus, unlike any that we’d had before.
And because curious minds need to know, we asked what we were tasting.
The wine, as it turns out, was from ‘a very good year’. Chiantis from 2010 were especially good due to Italy’s hot days and cold nights.
And the hummus?
Cannellini beans, not chick peas. White kidney beans… Oh my.
The first thing that you’ll notice is its creaminess. White bean hummus is light, almost delicate, and its subtle flavor makes for a perfect base when dressed with mouthwatering toppings.
INGREDIENTS FOR ITALIAN HUMMUS:
- Cannellini beans
- Garlic
- Lemons
- Tahini
- Water
- Pistachios
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Parsley
- Black pepper
- Ciabatta
COOK’S NOTES:
- I used two plump cloves of garlic for this recipe, though you could use less (or more) depending on your tastes.
- I had pistachios in my pantry, however you could use pine nuts, or any nut, really, that you have available.
- Parsley is the herb I tend to gravitate toward, but thyme or basil would work just as well.
- We’re fans of Italian bread, although crackers or fresh veggies make for nice dippers.
This cannellini bean hummus is perfect with a swirl of fruity olive oil, toasty pistachios, and a sprinkling of fresh herbs…and don’t forget your Chianti!
Buon Appetito!
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Italian Hummus
Description
This Italian Hummus is lusciously creamy, lemony, and light.
Ingredients
- 2 – 15.5 oz. cans of cannellini beans
- 1 – 2 large cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1/2 cup lemon juice from 4 roasted lemons, plus 1 more roasted lemon for serving
- 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 Tbsp. chopped pistachios, toasted
- 1/3 cup olive oil, divided
- pinch of salt
- 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
- freshly ground black pepper
- ciabatta, sliced
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Cut 4 lemons in half, and one into quarters, then drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil.
Roast for 30 minutes until lemons are soft and golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool.
While oven is still warm, slice Italian bread into wafer thin slices and broil until crisp and golden. Remove from oven. Set aside.
Using a food processor or blender, process the cannellini beans, garlic and juice from four of the roasted lemons, until smooth.
In a small bowl, mix the tahini with water, then blend with the cannellini mixture. The mixture should be smooth.
Season with salt.
Place chopped pistachios in a small non-stick skillet. Toast for a couple minutes until their nutty aroma releases.
Pour the hummus into a bowl and garnish with olive oil, toasted pistachios, black pepper, and fresh parsley.
So I have to tell you that I got such a craving for this last night. I didn’t have cannellini, so I used navy beans and two tablespoons of tahini, which is my usual ratio. The rest was the same as yours, and we loved it! I think I actually prefer white beans to the ceci.
You know what, I prefer it too…it’s creamier and the flavor’s lighter. So happy your family loved it!!
Hahaha we have a very bright future in jingle writing, my sweeta!
Hahaha…yes we do sweeta! Oh my…are you trying to tell me something??!! 😉
YUM! This hummus looks absolutely delicious!
Thank you Lisa!!
This looks absolutely wonderful! I cannot get enough of hummous, and was even wondering about trying to use cannellini beans instead of chickpeas the other week when lacking chickpeas, but then I ended up having to use them for something else and I never got to know the outcome, until now 😀 Fabulous! And the photos look absolutely amazing, had a week peek through your blog, it’s so lovely 😀 I hope you are enjoying your weekend 🙂 x
Thank you so much Jules! I think you’ll really like this hummus – it is so creamy. I’m about to head on over to your blog…looking forward to it! Have a lovely weekend! 🙂
Yum what a fun twist on traditional hummus! I will definitely be trying this as an appetizer.
Thanks Kelley! Buon Appetito!
Gorgeous!!!
Thank you Amanda!!
I love dipping carrots in hummus! i’ll need to try your recipe 😉 have a lovely weekend!
Mmmmmm, me too! I also love it as a spread for sandwiches. Thanks Michele! You too!:)
You got me with Italian hummus. So creamy and cannellini beans instead of chickpeas! Give me a big bowl!
A big bowl is a very good idea! Thanks Ami!
ooo white hummus! Such a creamy hummus too. Yum!
Thank you Sarah!! 🙂
I love cannellini hummus! Can’t wait to try your recipe!!!
Yes!! It’s sooo good! Enjoy, Olivia!
White bean hummus?!? Yes, please!! This looks so smooth!
So, so good! Thanks Katrina!
Ooh, that looks interesting. I’ve never thought of making hummus with something other than chickpeas. This looks so smooth and creamy!
Mm-hmmm! I’ve always loved hummus made with chickpeas and now I have another to add to the list. It’s yummy! Thanks Stacey!
I love it when meals out inspire recipes at home. This looks absolutely lovely!
Oh yes…this was one I couldn’t resist! Thank you so much Erin!!
I have never tasted white bean hummus! It looks so creamy and delicious! Pinned!
Ohhh! You must! It’s too yummy! Thanks Manali!!
I loved hearing about your visit with your daughters. I’m so glad you enjoyed your time together and got to have delicious Italian food! I was just thinking of making hummus yesterday and love the idea of using cannellini instead of the ceci.
Awww…thank you Andrea! You know – it’s so easy to over-schedule when you’re in such an exciting city, but we all agreed that our top priority was to relax and eat some good food together…so happy we accomplished our goal. 🙂
I love simple appetizers, just like this dip! So simple to make, full of flavors and delicious! Pinned!
Exactly! Super simple but very delicious! My kinda food!! Thanks Mira!
Hummus is one of my favorite spreads! I could devour an entire bowl in one sitting, I just love it that much. Your Italian version sounds delicious, Annie! I love how creamy it is!
I tell you what, I had to exhibit a lot of restraint yesterday! I knew hubby would want some! 🙂 Thanks Gayle!
I LOVE white bean hummus! Feels so much creamier than chickpea hummus…can’t wait to try your version! And UGH how I miss North End dinners!!
So awesome! We love its creaminess! I know…the North End is the best!! Thanks Joanne! 🙂
Cannellini beans…who would have thought? It looks like they made the hummus a little creamier. Did you notice a big taste difference from chic peas?
I know…it was so good! I made sure to process it extra long looking for the same creamy consistency the restaurant had. There’s definitely a difference! Both are good – but slightly different.