As soon as it’s warm enough to be outside without contracting hypothermia, I plan on having a Mediterranean dinner party on our rooftop. I will serve warm pita, marinated olives, and 10 types of dips and sauces. There will be flavorful marinated lamb, chicken shawarma, Jerusalem salad, and couscous. And lots of wine. And this hummus. Doesn’t that sound amazing?!
Last week I posted the recipe for my pistachio pesto shrimp with cauliflower puree. This hummus recipe is a great way to use up that extra pesto! Most of the hummus I make uses white beans instead of the traditional chickpeas. I find that white bean hummus is silkier, creamier, and lighter than traditional hummus made with chickpeas. The pistachio pesto gives the creamy hummus texture and dimension.
This hummus would be amazing on a sandwich or wrap, tossed with some roasted vegetables, or in a bowl with chicken shawarma, chopped skirt steak or lamb meatballs. It is the perfect balance of creamy white beans, nutty pistachios, and the uplifting fresh flavors of basil and lemon. And guess what? It takes about 10 minutes total to make.
Let’s get started.
Step 1: Pesto Change-o. Get the magic started by making your pesto. Wash and pat dry your basil. Then, put all of the ingredients except for the parmesan in the food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Stir the parmesan into pesto. This pesto will have more texture than the pesto you are probably familiar with using pine nuts. Texture here is good!
Step 2: Hummus where the heart is. Let’s make that hummus. Combine all the pesto hummus ingredients in a food processor and blend on high until smooth. I usually process for 1-2 minutes, tasting it in between until I have the texture I am looking for.
Step 3: Plate her up. Plate and garnish with pistachios, parmesan cheese (or crumbled feta), and olive oil.
Pistachio Pesto White Bean Hummus
Ingredients
For the pesto:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh basil
- 1 cup roasted shelled pistachios (I get mine at Trader Joe's)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
For the Hummus:
- 2 15.5 oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons pistachio pesto
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
For serving (optional):
- 1 tablespoon roasted shelled pistachios
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan or crumbled feta
- 1 tablespoon good extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For the pesto:
- Put all of the ingredients except for the parmesan in the food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Remove the pesto into a separate bowl. Stir the parmesan into pesto. Measure 4 tablespoons pistachio pesto for the hummus, store the rest covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For the hummus:
- Combine all the pesto hummus ingredients in a food processor and blend on high until smooth.
- Plate and garnish with pistachios, parmesan cheese (or crumbled feta), and olive oil.