Keto Hummus? Is there such a thing? Hummus is a Middle Eastern dish that is traditionally made with garbanzos (chickpeas), tahini, garlic and lemon. Garbanzos are of course too high in carbs for a keto diet but this keto hummus is made with cauliflower!
In the Middle East hummus usually forms part of a mezze which is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers. In the Western world the dish tends to be served as a dip or snack.
There are many variations of the dish such as avocado hummus or red pepper hummus. These recipes still contain garbanzos so if you are on a low carb diet they will not do.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower has become the darling of keto dieters because it so versatile. It can be used in place of rice, in keto waffles, as low carb cauliflower wraps, in low carb pizza bases and as a substitute for mashed potato. It’s great as a side dish in these Makhani Bites.
Cauliflower is a very healthy vegetable. Being a cruciferous veg it is good for detoxification and is full of antioxidants and phytochemicals which help protect us against cancer.
It contains a good range of vitamins and minerals and is quite high in fiber too. It’s essential to eat plenty of fiber when you are low carb as it can help with weight loss and helps prevent constipation which can be a problem for people following the diet.
Related reading: Boost Your Weight Loss Efforts With Veggies
Tahini
Tahini is made from sesame seeds which make a very nutritious addition to a low carb diet. Sesame seeds contain more protein than milk and most nuts. It’s a rich source of B vitamins that boost energy, vitamin E, which is protective against heart disease and stroke, and essential minerals, such as magnesium, iron and calcium.
If you don’t know of this sesame seed paste you will find it as dark and light tahini. Dark tahini is made from unshelled seeds. It is more nutritious and has a stronger, more bitter flavour than the light.
Although dark tahini is used in the recipe, if you’ve not tasted it before it’s probably better to stick to the light version. Don’t forget that the olives will give the dip a slightly bitter flavour.
If you love hummus but want a low carb version do try this recipe. It only contains 3g net carbs per serving. I warn you though, it’s so tasty you’ll want to eat more so take care.
Eat it with a keto nan or keto crackers or you could just use it as a dip some low carb veggie sticks.
Kalamata Olives
As well as cauliflower this Keto Hummus recipe from Sahil Makhija of Headbanger’s Kitchen includes Kalamata olives. They are those large, dark purple meaty olives and real ones come from Kalamata in Southern Greece. You may see them spelled as Calamata or labelled Greek olives.
You may see some labelled as kalamon olives. These have not been grown in Kalamata and laws in Europe state that they cannot be called that.
They are a little more bitter than other olives but have more flavor that American black olives. Not sure which ones Sahil used but they look much lighter in the video than real Kalamata olives
They are usually found in packed in brine, wine vinegar or olive oil. I find the ones in olive oil taste the best. You can substitute other olives if you can’t get them or find them too expensive.
Kalamata olives are more expensive because they are grown the traditional way.
Instead of blitzing the olives with the other ingredients you can chop them finely and fold them in afterwards if you prefer so you get a slightly chunkier hummus.
You can add more oil if you like and thin it if too thick for your taste with a little filtered water.
Keto Hummus
Ingredients
Makes 12 servings approx.
- 500 grams Cauliflower (organic is best)
- 60 grams Tahini
- 10 grams garlic
- 8 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 100 grams Kalamata Olives + one for garnish
- 1 Tsp Paprika
- 1 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tbsp Parsley, finely chopped
- Juice of one organic lemon or lime
Directions
- Trim and separate the cauliflower into florets.
- Steam the cauliflower for about 10 minutes or boil it and cook till tender. Drain well.
- Add all the ingredients except the parsley to a food processor and blitz till you get a nice smooth mixture
- Taste for seasoning and flavor and add more if desired.
- Once done transfer to a serving bowl, add the parsley and mix well
- Garnish with cayenne pepper, more olive oil, parsley and an olive.
