Italian White Bean Hummus
This Italian White Bean Hummus is ultra-silky, light, and full of Mediterranean flavor. Made with cannellini beans, fennel, tahini, and a simple simmering technique, it blends into a beautifully smooth hummus and is finished with a vibrant tomato, roasted red pepper, and olive topping.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 99kcal
Ingredients
For the hummus
- 1 15.5 ounces cannellini beans drained and rinsed (1 15.5 ounce can)
- 8 ounces fresh fennel (one 8-10 ounce bulb) cored and roughly chopped (reserve fronds, if available)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 medium garlic cloves peeled
- ½ cup tahini I love tahini in a squeeze bottle
- finely grated zest from 1 medium lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- water as needed
For the topping
- 12 medium cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup well-drained and thinly sliced roasted red peppers (about ¼-inch thick) I use one 12-ounce jar of roasted red peppers.
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives halved
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For garnishing:
- fennel fronds optional
- fresh basil leaves
- roasted, salted pine nuts
Instructions
For the Hummus
- Combine the drained cannellini beans, chopped fennel, garlic cloves, and baking soda in a medium-sized pot. Cover with water and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 10 minutes, reducing the heat slightly if the water threatens to boil over.
- Pour the mixture into a strainer and allow it to drain for 2–3 minutes, giving it a few shakes to remove excess water.
- Transfer the drained bean mixture to the bowl of a food processor along with the tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, ground coriander, and salt. Process for 1–2 minutes until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- With the processor running, add 2 tablespoons of ice water and continue processing for 2–3 minutes, stopping every 15–20 seconds to scrape down the sides. Add more ice water as needed until the hummus is very smooth and creamy.
- If the hummus seems too thick, add water 1 teaspoon at a time to thin it. Keep in mind that it will thicken slightly as it cools.
- Add the olive oil and process just until combined. Taste and adjust with additional lemon juice and/or salt, if needed.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving to allow it to come to room temperature.
For the Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, roasted red pepper strips, and Kalamata olive halves.
- Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, and gently stir to combine.
To Serve
- Transfer the hummus to a platter or large, shallow bowl and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Spoon the tomato mixture over the hummus. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and garnish with fennel fronds, fresh basil leaves, and a scatter of pine nuts.
- Serve with crackers, crostini, rustic bread, or pita chips.
Nutrition
Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 473mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 191IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg