This white bean hummus with lentils is an easy, delicious, and filling vegetarian dinner recipe. Loaded with sweet potato and topped with sweet figs, this recipe is sure to please your taste buds.
I am a huge fan of lentils and hummus together and this variation did NOT disappoint.
This recipe is comprised of three main components:
- White bean and sweet potato hummus
- Stewy peppery lentils
- Charred figs
Here’s how you make the three components, and I’ve included some handy substitution tips!
White bean and sweet potato hummus:
The white bean hummus is made with a can of small white beans, a roasted sweet potato, and a roasted shallot. To flavor it, I added two teaspoons of lemon juice, a splash of maple syrup, and salt and pepper.
Substitutions suggestions:
- White beans: Use navy, cannellini, or chickpeas
- Sweet potato: Omit and use another can of beans or roasted red bell peppers
- Shallot: Half a small onion or try roasting a head of garlic along with the sweet potato!
Stewed lentils:
The lentils are prepared by sautéing onion and adding biquinho peppers. Biquinho peppers are a small, mild, and flavorful pepper from Brazil. If you do not have them, simply replace them with a diced red bell pepper instead.
Substitution suggestions:
- French green lentils: Use black lentils. You can use also use red or brown lentils but reduce cooking time. Red or brown lentils will not hold their shape as well but will still taste yummy!
Charred figs:
To lend a little sweetness to the dish, we garnish with a few charred figs. You can use a variety of fruits depending on what’s in season.
Substitution suggestions:
- Roasted grapes
- Fresh pomegranate seeds
- Diced cherries
- Roasted, diced pears or apples
- Charred plums or nectarines
Looking for more vegetarian dinner recipes? Check my archives!
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White Bean Hummus with Lentils
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Food processor
Ingredients
White bean hummus:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and diced
- 1 shallot peeled and quartered
- 15- ounce can white beans
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1–2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Salt and pepper to taste
Lentils:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh biquinho peppers or use 1–2 red bell peppers, diced
- 2 tablespoons plant-based or dairy butter optional
- 1 cup French green lentils rinsed
- 1 teaspoon silk chili or Aleppo pepper flakes or use ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper and ½ teaspoon paprika
- 3–4 cups water or stock plus more as necessary
- Salt and pepper to taste
For serving:
- 1 pint figs halved
- ½ cup fresh parsley minced
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Aleppo pepper flakes
Instructions
Start the white bean hummus:
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Arrange the diced sweet potato and quartered shallot on a baking sheet and drizzle with avocado oil. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to the oven for 20–30 minutes until very soft. Flip once midway through cooking.
- Meanwhile, transfer the white beans, lemon juice, and maple syrup to the food processor and set aside.
Start the lentils:
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the biquinho peppers and cook, stirring regularly for an additional 5-7 minutes until they begin to blister in spots—season with salt and pepper.
- Melt the butter into the onion. Once frothy, add the lentils and toss to coat. Season again with salt and pepper. Add the chili flakes and toss to coat.
- Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, occasionally stirring, for 30–40 minutes until tender. Add more water, as necessary, if the liquid in the pan reduces too quickly—taste and season with salt and pepper.
Finish the hummus:
- Transfer the sweet potatoes to the food processor with the beans, lemon juice, and maple syrup without turning the oven off. Pulse until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. If desired, add a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil—taste and season with salt and pepper.
Roast the figs:
- Transfer the fig halves, cut side down, to the same baking sheet used for the sweet potatoes. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes until the sugars in the figs begin to char and caramelize. Turn off the oven.
To serve:
- Once the lentils are tender, serve it up! Spoon the hummus onto shallow bowls, creating a few ridges with the back of your spoon for the lentils to fall into. Spoon the lentils on top of the hummus and arrange a few fig halves one each dish. Garnish with parsley, a drizzle of extra virgin oil, and more pepper flakes if you like. Enjoy!
