Nutritious Carrot-Ginger Hummus is made with fresh ginger, carrots, lemon, and miso. Inspired by the carrot-ginger dressing served in Japanese-American restaurants, this fluffy, oil-free hummus is lightly sweet, ginger-y, and perfect for dipping and spreading.
It's been many, many years since I've been to a Japanese steakhouse, but Trader Joe's on the other hand, well, I go there every week. And ever since discovering their take on Japanese carrot-ginger dressing, I've wanted to make my own oil-free version (coming soon), as well as create other dishes with those same vibrant, zesty flavors. This hummus captures those fresh and exciting flavors that keep you coming back for more...
- sweetness from carrots and maple
- acidity and tang from lemon and rice vinegar
- saltiness from mellow white miso
- and spiciness from fresh ginger
Unlike a lot of carrot hummus recipes, this one requires no cooking, so it's actually quick and easy. Raw carrots are tossed right into the food processor (or blender) along with fresh ginger, lemon, and garlic. It gets a little sweetness from maple syrup and saltiness from white miso. The end result is a creamy oil-free hummus you'll want to scoop up with veggies and crackers, dollop onto salads, and spread on toast and wraps!
Tips
For an ultra creamy hummus a lot of people prefer to use a blender. I usually opt for my food processor mainly because trying to scrape hummus out of the bottom of a blender jar is a true test in patience! You can see in the photos there's still a bit of texture from the carrots, which is reminiscent of the chunky Japanese dressing that inspired it. But if you prefer a completely smooth carrot hummus, break out the blender.
For the best flavor be sure to use freshly purchased ginger and garlic. Old, dry, bitter ginger root that's been lounging around on the kitchen counter for a while is not the way to go for this hummus!
Add a splash of water or aquafaba during blending if you prefer a fluffier texture. This recipe is oil-free as written, but if you include oil in your diet feel free to add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the blender or food processor.
Serving Ideas
Just like any hummus recipe, you can't go wrong serving this as a dip with raw veggies, crackers, pita, chips, or pretzels. But the zesty ginger flavor also tastes amazing as a spread for sandwiches. Try it with toasted whole-grain bread and thinly sliced baked tofu. Add fresh lettuce and a few strips of red bell pepper, and call it lunch!
Carrot-ginger hummus also pairs well with brown rice, quinoa, and millet. Add sautéed kale to the bowl, fresh green onion, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for a nutritious plant-based dinner.
Whip up a batch of Carrot-Ginger Hummus on Sunday for an easy way to add extra flavor and nutrition to your meals all week long.
I hope you enjoy this Carrot-Ginger Hummus! If you try it be sure to drop a comment below to let us know. And if you're on Instagram, tag a photo with @myquietkitchen. I always love to see what you're making!
Happy snacking!
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Whole-Wheat Crackers (Oil-Free Option)
Roasted Jalapeno and Lime Hummus
Oil-Free Quesadillas
Easy Peanut-Lime Tempeh
Oil-Free Carrot-Ginger Hummus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh carrots (about 3 medium), trimmed and peeled
- 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh ginger Approx a thumb-size piece of ginger root, peeled.
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 teaspoons mellow white miso
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- few tablespoons water, as needed
Instructions
- After washing and peeling the carrots, roughly chop into thick coins. Place carrots, ginger, and garlic in food processor or blender and process until finely chopped.
- Add garbanzos, tahini, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon miso (that's 3 teaspoons), and onion powder. Process until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning; if desired add 1 more teaspoon maple syrup for sweetness and 1 more teaspoon miso for saltiness and umami.
- Continue processing/blending until the hummus is smooth and fluffy. Drizzle in water 1 tablespoon at a time for consistency, as needed.
