In raw food cuisine, zucchini hummus is a dip or spread made from fresh zucchini, olive oil and various spices and herbs. Zucchini is the base of the recipe that is used to substitute for chickpeas or garbanzo beans, which are the main ingredient in traditional hummus recipes. The lack of the beans in zucchini hummus requires an additional ingredient with the same texture, which is usually tahini or almond butter. Often, hummus prepared with zucchini is used for those suffering from allergies to beans or for those desiring to increase the nutritional value of everyday food intake.
Hummus is a type of dip or spread often used alongside crackers, fresh vegetables and breads. Traditional hummus is made from beans, namely garbanzo beans, as well as olive oil and any spices and flavorings desired by the chef. Although this side dish is considered healthy in most nutrition circles, those suffering from a bean allergy cannot consume conventional hummus. Zucchini hummus can be very useful for these individuals, as it combines two main ingredients that give the consistency, and often the taste, of regular hummus.
Zucchini hummus is made using raw and peeled zucchini, processed into a thick cream with olive oil and another main base to give the consistency of real hummus. The base often used in zucchini hummus is tahini, or sesame seed butter, as it provides a thicker texture than if using zucchini alone. Sometimes an individual can substitute tahini with unsweetened almond butter or sunflower seed butter, however, the taste will be relatively different. The olive oil, salt, garlic and onion powder all contribute to give zucchini hummus a bold and distinct flavor suitable for dipping vegetables or crackers.
More often than not, the best type of squash to use in hummus recipes is zucchini, as it provides more water and less starch to the overall recipe. This results in a lighter and creamier texture, much like that of traditional bean hummus. All ingredients in zucchini hummus are chopped and pureed in a food processor or blender until a thick creamy dip is formed. Cooked squash should not be used in a hummus recipe, as the resulting dip will be too wet and overpowering in taste and smell. Using another squash, such as yellow squash or spaghetti squash, will not work as well in this recipe, as they will often be too hard to puree or blend in their raw form.