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If you need to do a little snack make-over, I’ve got you covered with this really easy to make, delicious, and super healthy Lemon Edamame Hummus recipe. All you need is a food processor (or blender) and 8 pantry staple ingredients and you’ve got the most amazing dip for your next snack.
Healthier Snacking – why you may need a refresh
If you think about common snack foods, they’re often sweet, salty, or fatty. Chips, cookies, crackers, cheese, nachos, even candy are really common items to grab. They’re waiting for you at the checkout when you’re at the grocery store, and they’re in every vending machine, and lining the shelves when you pay for coffee when you’re out running errands.
The thing is, you CAN make a healthier snack with just a little forethought and organization. This delicious edamame hummus recipe is one of the most popular dips in my Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep book and for good reason. it’s easy to make, put on your meal prep list for the week, pack, and carry to seriously freshen up your weekday snacking.
Making the Lemon Edamame Hummus
Making this recipe is incredibly easy so let’s talk about the ingredients, swaps, and steps to making it happen on your next round of meal prepping.
The Ingredients
Edamame: grab these in the frozen aisle and make sure that they’re shelled. You don’t want the kind in the fuzzy pods. Those are amazing for a snack, too, but you don’t want to shell them by hand as it will take a really long time. You also may be able to find fresh, shelled edamame in some stores and in that case, you can skip the microwave part of the instructions.
At the first store I went to in preparation for making this recipe, I couldn’t find edamame anywhere! You can easily swap it out for frozen lima beans or the classic: canned chickpeas. Simply rinse and drain them and you’re good to go. This is helpful also if you’re allergic to soy and can’t eat edamame.
Tahini: ground sesame seeds! This is a more expensive product but it will last a really long time. Store it in the fridge once you open it and use it to make edamame in the future (many times). A serving size is 2 tablespoons and there’s 16 servings in the container that I bought.
Lemon: this adds such a vibrant flavor to this edamame humus recipe and brightens the whole thing up. It also adds a source of vitamin C and other unique antioxidants in citrus. Choose a small lemon for less flavor, medium for….the perfect amount, and large if you really love lemon. If you only have giant lemons, just use half and that will equal a small to medium.
Garlic clove: of course you can add more here! If you love garlic (and you want those anti-inflammatory properties), consider adding two or even three. I really love the chopped garlic that comes in a squeeze bottle or jar. Remember, if you’re using minced garlic, about 1/2 teaspoon equals a clove.
Salt: you really do need salt to brighten up the flavor in this recipe but you have options here. Consider starting with 1/4 teaspoon and working your way up to taste. If you boost the garlic and cumin (see tips below), you can add that vibrant flavor and cut back on the sodium.
Cumin: earthy, rich, and warm are all words used to describe the flavor of cumin. A flavor very common in curry dishes and other Indian foods, Mexican cuisine, and in cultures all around the Mediterranean, it’s not surprising that it’s important in a hummus dip.
Olive oil: hummus is rich and creamy partially because of the tahini but also because of the complex flavor of olive oil. Use extra virgin for that bolder flavor. If you want to mimic classic Middle Eastern hummus presentations, consider drizzling a little on top of your edamame hummus before you serve it.
The Instructions
This part is easy! You simply combine the first 6 ingredients and 2 tablespoons of water in a food processor, pulse it together, then add the olive oil and you’re literally done. It’s a 5 minute recipe.
FAQs
Gluten-free? Yup! Naturally no gluten in this recipe
Vegetarian? Vegan? Yes to both – naturally vegan
Keto or Paleo? Nope on both accounts. The carb count is a little higher than you’ll typically want for a snack on a ketogenic diet. You could always experiment with reducing the amount of edamame, increasing the tahini to boost the fat, and cut back on the water to see if you can get the consistency in a lower carb/higher fat product. Beans and soy aren’t paleo approved so if you’re on that diet, you’ll have to find yourself a different dip.
Good for kids? Absolutely! If you put chopped veggies and a delicious dip in front of kids or teens, chances are high that they’ll dig in. Keep in mind that it may take more than one exposure or offering so don’t give up if you get a couple rejections.
Is soy really safe? Yes ma’am! For any more info here, you need to check out my “does soy cause man-boobs” article. It breaks it all down but I can answer this in just three words for you, definitively: soy is safe.
Find this and other recipes in my Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep and How to Eat to Beat Disease cookbooks.
and if you want more dips on the blog, check out:
Vegan Black Eyed Pea Dip with Avocado
Savory Almond Cilantro Dip
Kalamata Olive and Basil Tapenade
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Microwave the edamame for 1-2 minutes or per package instructions to thaw.
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In a food processor (or blender), combine the edamame, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cumin with 2 tablespoons of water. Pulse the mixture until it’s smooth. If it’s too thick, add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time.
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Set the food processor to low and drizzle the olive oil into the hummus slowly, until it’s incorporated completely.
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Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Serving: 1.5oz | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Fiber: 4g
