Hummus never disappoints me. Whether I’m using it as a dip with pita, spreading it on a bagel before snowboarding, spooning it next to Mediterranean goodies, eating it for lunch or even as a camping dinner overlooking the ocean with a warm beer and a bag of veggies (and amazing company!)- there are no doubts about it, hummus will make me happy. With a simple (and cheap!) base of chickpeas, oil and tahini – there are endless flavour combinations you can play with and endless ways to use it. I even saw dark chocolate hummus at the store….but I’m a little too afraid to try it.

Among my favourites are my beet hummus, roasted red pepper, spicy, roasted garlic and of course lemon dill! What I find so wonderful about making it from scratch is being able to control how much of the flavourings I put in and the consistency. Not to mention a can of chickpeas is about $2.00 and then you can use whatever you may have laying around at home, it’s a really great way to use up leftover herbs or even leftover veggies that are maybe past their prime (think roasted carrot, roasted bell pepper, garlic, spinach…). Use it as an opportunity to play around and experiment!

This hummus is a fun play on the classic basil & tomato combination. There is a subtle herby sweetness from the basil and the tangy flavour of the sundried tomatoes, and using the oil from the tomatoes is a perfect way to boost that flavour even more and helps to make the hummus creamy! Please use this recipe as a “guide” – add more sundried tomatoes, more lemon, more oil, more basil – whatever you think will make your hummus best for you! I left my hummus a bit thicker here because I’m using it as a spread for a veggie wrap meal prep!

Not only do the tomatoes add a beautiful touch of sweetness, tang and a lovely savoury flavour, they also give it an amazing colour! A light reddy orange hue contrasted by flecks of bright green basil makes it even more appealing…as if you’re not already just going to shovel this hummus in your mouth the second it’s done.

My recipe below makes about 3 cups of hummus. It’s a wonderful make ahead dip/spread that will last in the fridge for a few days, perfect for make ahead entertaining or even for meal prep! It’s easy and quick to make and requires no cooking which also makes it the perfect addition to any summer meal or snack.

Whether you’re eating it as a meal, an appetizer or just simply need a quick, make ahead snack, this hummus is a great addition…it’s:

• Quick and easy to make;
• Requires minimal ingredients and no cooking;
• Creamy and smooth;
• Healthy;
• Vegan friendly;
• Slightly sweet, very savoury and deliciously tangy and herby;
• Easy to adjust the flavours and texture to your liking;
• Make ahead friendly;
• Beautiful colour;
• Perfect summer meal or snack;
• A fun play on a classic flavour combination;
• Versatile, use it as a spread, a dip or make it into a dressing;
• Absolutely delicious!!

• 

• 

Sun Dried Tomato & Basil Hummus

Makes about 3 cups

• 1-540 ml can of Chickpeas, drained
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 7-8 tomatoes) and strained
• 2 tbsp. oil from the sun dried tomatoes
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
• 2 tbsp. tahini
• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 3-4 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (plus more for garnish, if desired)
• Olive oil for blending (if needed – use as much or as little as you like to reach your desired consistency)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
  
  In a food processor or blender, add everything EXCEPT the olive oil.
  
  While it’s blending, slowly drizzle in olive oil until you reach desired consistency. I like my hummus a bit thicker, so I add less oil, but make sure you drizzle it slowly to give it a chance to blend, otherwise you may end up with hummus soup!
  
  Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping halfway through to scrape blender to make sure it’s being evenly blended.
  
  Taste and add and adjust seasoning, if desired. Garnish with fresh basil.
  
  Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container for 4 days.