When I tried some store-bought Sriracha carrot hummus from Whole Foods a coworker brought to a work meeting on Friday, I knew I NEEDED to try and make it myself this weekend (mostly because um, I cannot afford to shop at Whole Foods). Oh man, this is a good one! You’re going to love it. A touch of honey and plenty of Sriracha hot sauce give this über-healthy hummus a delicious kick- and it only takes five minutes to make.
This may just be my new favorite snack. I can’t seem to stop eating it! Which is a-OK by me, since this recipe is completely guilt-free and chock full of super nutritious ingredients. Carrots and chickpeas make this a veggie- and protein-packed snack, with plenty flavor from an awesome combination of lemon juice, garlic, honey, and Sriracha. Om nom nom nom nom.
This could not be easier to make. Throw some carrots and garlic in a food processor
(or blender
, as long as you grate the carrots first), and process until finely minced. Add some cooked (and drained and rinsed) chickpeas, lemon juice, Sriracha
, honey, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Blend together some more, and gradually add water until the hummus reaches the desired texture. That’s it!
One thing that makes thus hummus unique is that it does not use tahini
(a sesame paste similar to peanut butter found in traditional hummuses). This makes the hummus lighter- almost fluffier- since it’s less dense without the thick tahini paste. If you really want to add it, be my guest! Rest assured: this recipe is absolutely delicious without it.
I have to say: I am so happy I took the time to make this over the weekend. I have a whole big container of it sitting in my fridge that somehow has managed to survive the constant nibbles I kept taking out of it while I was taking these photographs. But truth be told, I am in desperate need of a bit of a detox after having pizza twice three times this weekend (don’t act like you’re not impressed…), in addition to a smorgasbord of delicious food at a barbecue this afternoon.
But as someone who is usually very careful to eat well-balanced meals made of mostly real food, this has been a bit much for my body to handle. Now, at the end of the weekend, I’m craving vegetables and healthy foods (one of the perks of eating mostly real food is that you begin to crave things like leafy greens instead of chocolate cake. Don’t scoff- I’m serious! Well, mostly serious.). And since snacking is one of the easiest ways to eat unhealthy things, it’s so helpful to have healthy snacks on hand, like this hummus.
To be honest, I really hate the word “detox” when talking about food- it brings to mind things like juice cleanses and the like. (To be clear, I am not on board with juice cleanses. The day I willingly take solid food away from my life is the day I say that Pitch Perfect 2 was a horrible movie. It may be fine for some people- just not for me! Also, go see Pitch Perfect 2. It’s awesome.)
Many times, people will “detox” by eliminating multiple “bad” things from their diet for an extended period of time. I like to think of detoxes as adding good things to your diet. More veggies. More plants. More real food. This by nature causes you to eat less of the bad stuff- and even eliminate it- without putting a negative connotation on it. Because it’s human nature to want what you can’t have. If I tell you you can’t have chocolate cake, you’ll want chocolate cake. But if I tell you you should eat this hummus, you will (because it’s delicious) and you won’t want the cake after! Especially because the hint of sweetness will satisfy your craving for sweet!
Trust me. It’s reverse psychology. Or, don’t trust me. Either way, make this hummus because it’s good for you and ridiculously tasty.
So next time you are looking for a healthy snack to keep around to stop you from eating bad snacks, or for something fun to add to your sandwiches (like veggie wraps), or for a delicious appetizer for a party, do yourself a favor and make this five-minute hummus. You won’t regret it!
If you like this recipe, you’ll love this “hummus” made with frozen peas- a 5-minute pea purée.
Sweet and Spicy Sriracha and Carrot Hummus
Equipment
- Food Processor (see notes for using a blender)
Ingredients
- 2 carrots roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 30 oz. canned chickpeas rinsed and drained (2.5 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup Sriracha hot sauce or more or less, depending on spicy preference
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the carrots and garlic and blend until finely minced.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for water, and blend until smooth.
- Gradually add a tablespoon of water at a time until hummus reaches desired consistency (keep in mind that when refrigerated, the hummus will thicken a bit more).
Notes
- If using a blender, I recommend grating the carrots first to give them a head start. Then, add all the ingredients at the same time and blend together, adding water gradually if needed for desired texture.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Mimi
I make this hummus often. Absolutely love it! Serve with cucumbers, peppers and celery and almost anything dippable!
Thank you.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
SM
How do you get your blender to blend carrots and garlic without burning out? I used my nutribullet (900W) and had to add 3/4 cup of water, which made the mixture thinner than I would have liked. Would appreciate any tips you can offer!
I love the Lantana carrot hummus with sriracha – any ideas on how to make the tomato relish on top, please?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oooo thanks so much for bringing up this issue! I actually haven’t tried it in a blender, and I wrote this recipe years ago and realize now that it probably just doesn’t work in a blender since carrots are so hard. A food processor should be used here. Sorry about that – fixing the recipe now!
If you don’t have a food processor, it should work well in a blender if you grate the carrots first to give them a bit of a head start.
I’m not sure about the tomato relish on top, but I’ll try to pick up some of that brand of carrot hummus next time I see it and see what I can recommend!
Hope that helps!
SM
Thanks for the response! The hummus tastes great! Some of the liquid has separated out, and a quick stir to mix them back in makes the humus a little more liquid and unmanageable than I’d prefer, but still, a great homemade alternative. I wonder if there is some way of thickening it, without cooking it? And yes, would love some ideas for what to put on top, either tomato/pepper relish or something else entirely, that makes it pop.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Maybe pop it in a mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth over a bowl to catch the liquid? That’s how you make Greek yogurt from regular yogurt, I think it would thicken the hummus right up!
Terrie
So delicious! Store bought hummus is made with canola oil so came looking for alternatives. It’s super easy to make and everyone I fed it to loved it. I made it spicier once it was done. I always have blended chipotles peppers in adobo in my fridge. I added a few teaspoons to my preference of spiciness. But this was great as is too! I’m making another batch now. Yum!! Thanks for sharing.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!