Easy Low Fat Jalapeño Cilantro Hummus

This low fat jalapeño cilantro hummus is so easy and delicious. The combination of the jalapeño and cilantro compliment each other creating a delicious healthy green hummus that’s low in fat and high in flavor. Enjoy it with chips, on a burrito, or as an addition to a salad. This guiltless snack is a crowd pleaser. 

Jalapeño and cilantro are the two main ingredients in this dip. It’s fresh and simple, healthy. This is a great low fat alternative to the hummus that can be found in the grocery store. Making homemade hummus at home has been so much fun. We've enjoyed experimenting with different flavor variations like Lemon Dill Hummus and Traditional Beiruti Hummus. If you haven't tried these yet, I highly recommend them. I’ve cut back on the oil and tahini and opted for using the liquid from the can of chickpeas instead. 

Choosing the right jalapeño 

When people hear the word jalapeño, they typically associate it with being very spicy and go on to the next recipe. Not many people know how to choose between a spicy jalapeño and a mild one. I’ve tried jalapeños that taste like green peppers with little to no heat and others that have a crazy amount of spice. 

I think almost everyone knows that by omitting the seeds you reduce the heat by a lot. The other trick I learned along the way is looking to see how many creases or wrinkles are in a jalapeño. The more of them you see, the spicier it is. I try to opt for two more on the spicy side and two that are pretty mild because it gives the hummus a nice green pepper flavor with some good heat. 

Handling the jalapeño 

Have you ever accidentally touched your eyes or nose after handling a jalapeño? I definitely have and it is a painful experience that I don’t recommend. Handling a jalapeño isn’t nearly as dangerous as handling a spicier pepper but it’s always important to practice safe precautions while handling any kind of pepper. 

Some good tips I follow are wearing gloves. This keeps the oils from the pepper off of your fingers and makes you more conscientious of what you’re doing so you’re less likely to touch your face… hopefully. 

If I don’t have gloves laying around a lot of time I will go ahead and cut the pepper but I scrub my hands with deep cleansing soap twice right afterwards. This cuts down and eliminates the oils which makes it not as risky afterwards when I go to touch other food ingredients or itch my nose. 

Equipment Needed 

Making this low fat jalapeño cilantro hummus is very easy to do but you’re going to need a food processor of some sort. This is what I use to make all of my hummus recipes. It works similarly to a blender but better. A food processor can take full ingredients and chop them or blend them together to make up a nice hummus consistency. If you don’t have a food processor you can certainly use a blender but may need to stir the ingredients to ensure that they all get blended together properly. 

Storing your hummus

You can keep this cilantro hummus in the refrigerator for up to a week. Keep in mind that the liquid will separate from the hummus. This is perfectly normal, just stir and continue to enjoy. 

Other Ideas 

Want to mix it up? Try the following variations that I also love!

• Add lime instead of lemon, you may not think it makes much of a difference but it does 
• Add smoked paprika to give it a subtle smoky flavor. 
• If you want to take it to the next level replace one of the jalapeños for a chipotle chili pepper in adobo. 

This hummus will be a crowd pleaser. It’s fresh, guilt free, and so so good. Take my advice on choosing a jalapeño that’s not too hot so everyone can enjoy. I can’t wait for you to try this recipe.