Change up your hummus game by swapping in soybeans for chickpeas. Edamame hummus is as good as traditional hummus as a snack, sandwich, dip or spread.
Edamame Hummus Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Hummus, whether in its classic form or flavored in a myriad of ways, is one of our favorite dishes that does double duty as a spread and a dip. From traditional to beet or chocolate, the best hummus recipes are flavorful, packed with protein and super customizable. Our edamame hummus is a prime example of just how delicious and versatile hummus is!

Classic hummus is generally made with cooked or canned chickpeas (aka “garbanzo beans”), but edamame hummus flips the script by using frozen edamame (young soybeans) instead. The edamame are blended with tahini, garlic, lemon and a few other ingredients. Often used in many Asian dishes, edamame are parboiled and frozen to retain their freshness. They’re a good source of fiber, protein, calcium and vitamin C.

Edamame hummus can be enjoyed in all the same ways you’d eat classic hummus: as a midmorning snack with raw vegetables, smeared on lunchtime wraps or tossed with chicken and pasta for dinner. (We have plenty of recipes with hummus if you’re looking for more ideas.) Plus, it’s easy to whip up and will keep in the fridge for days’ worth of meals and snacks.

Edamame Hummus Ingredients

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  • Shelled edamame: Young soybeans in their pods have become a popular standalone snack, but you’ll want to remove the pods before blending the beans. You can often find bags of pre-shelled edamame right next to those in pods in the grocery store’s freezer section. Shelled or not, edamame are only briefly boiled before they are frozen commercially, so they need to be cooked for this recipe.
  • Tahini: A staple in North African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries, tahini is a beloved condiment made with sesame seeds. The paste has a nutty flavor and smooth texture that will enhance just about any hummus recipe.
  • Lemon juice: Citrus brightens the other ingredients, adding a pop of flavor and acid. Fresh lemon will have the brightest flavor, but bottled is fine if it’s more readily available.
  • Olive oil: While tahini can sometimes be oily, you still need a good, healthy dose of olive oil for a perfectly creamy hummus. Our Test Kitchen has gone on the hunt for the best olive oil brands.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the edamame

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Place the edamame in a loosely covered microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until just tender, two to three minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Shelled edamame can also be cooked on the stovetop for about five minutes in either a pot of boiling water or a vegetable steamer set over boiling water and covered with a lid. Regardless of the technique used, edamame has the best flavor and texture if cooked until just tender.

Step 2: Blend the ingredients

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Transfer the edamame to a food processor. Add the tahini, water, 1/3 cup lemon juice, garlic, salt, oil, mint and, if desired, the jalapenos. Process until smooth, one to two minutes, adding more lemon juice as needed to achieve your desired texture. Transfer the finished hummus to a serving bowl. Serve with assorted fresh vegetables and rice crackers.

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Recipe Variations

  • Classic hummus: Replace the edamame with a 15-ounce can (or 2 cups of home-cooked) chickpeas. For the best texture, remove the skins before pureeing.
  • Herb swap: Fresh mint adds a lovely burst of flavor to dips and spreads. Other herbs will taste just as delicious, too! Try substituting fresh cilantro or basil for the mint.
  • Toppings galore: Green edamame and mint lend more color to this puree than tan-colored chickpeas, but it still looks bland when set out next to a mix of jewel-bright raw vegetables. Gussy up this dip with toppings that fit the profile: extra minced herbs, a few cooked whole edamame, lemon zest and crispy sauteed garlic or jalapeno rings (just avoid touching your face, and consider wearing disposable gloves when cutting the hot peppers; the oils can burn skin). Or choose complementary flavors, like crushed red pepper flakes, toasted sesame seeds, smoked paprika and a drizzle of sesame oil. For an easy topping, shake on some furikake, one of our favorite Japanese ingredients.

How long does edamame hummus last?

Edamame hummus actually improves after an hour or so in the refrigerator, melding the sharper garlic and lemon into the milder flavor of the beans and tahini. If you don’t polish it off after that, the spread will keep for up to a week when refrigerated in an airtight container.

Hummus can be frozen for a few months, but this may alter the flavors and texture, especially if you started with frozen edamame already thawed once. Pureed beans can dry out with a freeze-thaw cycle, but packing the hummus tightly into a container, drizzling olive oil to coat the surface and then sealing with an airtight lid can help keep it soft and creamy. Thaw edamame hummus overnight in the refrigerator, then use a fork to whip it smooth.

Edamame Hummus Tips

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Is hummus good for you?

Is hummus good for you? Yes! Classic hummus has a reputation as a protein-packed snack with health benefits ranging from lower cholesterol to better gastrointestinal health. Edamame is even richer in protein, with 9 grams per 1/2 cup, and it has a full set of healthy nutrients. Both beans make our list of foods that have more protein than an egg.

One of the other big health perks is the tendency to dip fresh vegetables into hummus, making the whole package a health-positive snack.

Does edamame hummus taste bitter?

Hummus doesn’t typically taste bitter, but a few things can add a bitter taste to it. Tahini has a slightly bitter, earthy taste, and using too much can make it the dominant flavor. Try dropping a tablespoon or two from your next batch to see if you prefer the balance. The type of tahini you use can impact the taste, also. Unhulled sesame seeds have a harsher taste than hulled ones, and toasted seeds can have a stronger flavor than raw ones.

Another bitter component can be the olive oil you use. Bitterness is natural in olive oil from the oil’s phenols. Whizzing it in a food processor can exacerbate the sharp taste, especially when high-phenol extra-virgin olive oil is blended with pungent garlic. If you think edamame hummus tastes bitter, try substituting a pure-grade olive oil or a neutral-tasting type like safflower oil. You could also blend all of the other hummus ingredients in the food processor, transfer them to a bowl and then whisk in the olive oil by hand.

Edamame Hummus

We love hummus at our house. This recipe is a scrumptious and refreshing twist on an old favorite, and it's a wonderful way to incorporate healthy soy into our diets. —Marla Clark, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Edamame Hummus Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Total Time

Prep/Total Time: 15 min.

Makes

3 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 ounces) frozen shelled edamame, thawed
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh mint
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped, optional
  • Assorted fresh vegetables
  • Rice crackers

Directions

  1. Microwave edamame, covered, on high until tender, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a food processor; add tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt, oil, mint and, if desired, peppers. Process until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Serve with assorted fresh vegetables and rice crackers.

Nutrition Facts

1/4 cup: 166 calories, 13g fat (2g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 167mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 2g fiber), 7g protein.