Tepary Bean Hummus
I learned about tepary beans when I first moved to Tucson in 2015. I love beans, love cooking with beans, love eating beans, and love to throw dinner parties (more on that later), but I’d never heard of tepary beans. Boy, I had been missing out! They are small, dense, creamy, and native to the Sonoran Desert. Perfect for adding to soups, chili, or for making hummus. (Plan ahead if you want to make this hummus - you cannot skip the overnight soak. Trust me and learn from my impatience. If you don’t soak these beans, it’s nearly impossible to get them to the tenderness you need for making hummus.)
My favorite way to eat tepary bean hummus is with cold veggies in a crudite platter. I’m always on the hunt for dishes that are healthy and can be made ahead of time when having a party. Did I mention that I love to host dinner parties?! If you want to get fancy, serve the hummus as an appetizer on thin slices of watermelon radish (pictured) - it’s pretty and the perfect vehicle for eating lots of hummus. Feel free to make this 1-3 days in advance before using.
Prep: 5 minutes / Cook: 1 hr 30 minutes, plus 24 hours to pre-soak beans
Makes 2 cups hummus
7 cups water
1 cup dry tepary beans
4 cloves garlic
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Desert Provisions Sonoran Sea Salt or Desert Provisions Meyer Lemon Salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Place dry tepary beans in bowl with 2 of the cups of water and soak for 24 hours. Drain water from beans. Place beans (will be approx. 2 ½ cups after soaking) in in medium sized saucepan, and cover with 5 of cups of fresh, cold water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer, reducing heat to low. Cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes (covered) on low or until beans are tender. Drain water from beans reserving ⅓ cup.
Place beans, garlic, and olive oil in blender or food processor to combine. Blend until smooth. Add ⅓ cup reserved cooking water slowly to thin hummus to the desired consistency. Add Sonoran Sea Salt (or Meyer Lemon Salt) and pulse to blend. Top with fresh cracked pepper to taste. Other fun garnishes include chives or pickled carrots, onions, or jalapenos.
Cook's notes: Tepary beans are small and high in protein. They are a native to southern Arizona and the American Southwest region. The plants are one of the most heat and drought tolerant crops in the world. Dr. Weil has a short and informative summary about tepary beans outlining some of the additional benefits of this ancient bean. You can find white, black, or brown beans at specialty food stores or you can order online from Native Seed/SEARCH. Add an extra depth of flavor by roasting the garlic before blending.
