This low-carb Green Pea Hummus is what I make when I want something bright and herby on the snack board that isn’t chickpea-heavy. It’s not a strict keto dip, but if you’re trimming carbs rather than counting them to the gram, it earns its spot.
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Tahini and fresh mint carry most of the flavor here, and the peas give it a color and a slight sweetness that regular hummus doesn’t have. I make this for parties or a quick afternoon snack with vegetables, not as a keto staple in regular rotation.
If you’ve been disappointed by watery or bland pea-based dips before, the mint and lemon here are what fix that.
Chef Jenn’s Take on Low-Carb Green Pea Hummus
People sometimes assume any hummus that swaps out chickpeas is automatically a keto win. It isn’t. Peas are still a starchier vegetable than most of what goes into a strict keto dip, and this recipe carries real carbs per serving. I’d rather say that plainly than let anyone find out the hard way after checking their numbers.
What makes this dip work despite the carb count is restraint elsewhere. The mint keeps it from tasting like plain pea puree, and going light on the water keeps the texture spreadable instead of soupy. Treat this as a low-carb treat in a reasonable portion, not a food you eat by the spoonful straight from the bowl.
What You’ll Love About Low-Carb Green Pea Hummus
- It tastes like a real dip, not a sad vegetable puree standing in for the real thing, which is the whole point of bothering with a swap.
- The color alone gets people to try it before they ask what’s in it, and by then they’re already reaching for a second scoop.
- It comes together in one food processor with almost no cleanup, which matters when you’re also prepping everything else for a party.
Ingredients
- Green peas – Fresh or frozen and thawed both work. Use young, tender peas for the best flavor and texture.
- Garlic clove – Fresh only, and go small. A large clove overpowers the mint.
- Tahini paste – Stir the jar well before measuring; it separates and the bottom is thicker than the top.
- Olive oil – A good everyday olive oil is fine here, save the fancy bottle for the garnish drizzle.
- Lemon juice – Fresh squeezed, add extra to taste if you like it more tart.
- Ground cumin
- Fresh mint leaves – Pull leaves off the stems only, the stems turn bitter when blended.
- Salt and pepper
- Cold water – Add slowly, a tablespoon at a time, until the texture is right. Too much at once and you can’t take it back.
Optional garnish
- Extra olive oil
- Red pepper – Crushed.
- Mint sprigs
How To Make Low-Carb Green Pea Hummus
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
If using fresh peas, blanch them in salted boiling water for one minute, then shock them in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Skip this step entirely if your peas are frozen and thawed.
Add the peas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and mint to a food processor. Blend until mostly smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Don’t run the processor longer than you need to. Overblending can turn the texture gummy instead of creamy.
With the processor running, add cold water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing between additions, until the hummus reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. Stop as soon as you hit that texture.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. White pepper works well here if you have it, since it won’t fleck the bright green color.
Spoon the finished hummus into a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish as you like.
Make It A Meal
I put this out with a vegetable tray for parties, or serve it alongside Deviled Eggs with Bacon for a spread that covers more than one texture. For another dip on the same table, round it out with Green Goddess Dressing, which works as a dip in its own right.
If you want a low-carb side that leans savory instead of herby, Grilled Radishes with Jalapeño Dipping Sauce gives the table some heat to balance out the mint.
Storage
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and stir before serving since it can separate slightly. This freezes in an airtight container for about 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir well; the texture softens a touch but the flavor holds up fine.
Frequently asked questions
No. It’s lower in carbs than traditional chickpea hummus, but the peas still carry more carbs than a strict keto dip should. It fits better into a low-carb approach than a strict ketogenic one.
Yes. Thaw them first and skip the blanching step entirely, since frozen peas are already blanched before packaging.
This usually means the food processor ran too long after the mixture came together. Pulse in short bursts once it looks mostly smooth instead of running it continuously.
Tahini is what gives this dip its signature hummus flavor and creaminess, so leaving it out changes the dish significantly. Sunflower seed butter is the closest substitute if you have a sesame allergy.
Add Preferred SourceLow-Carb Green Pea Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 cups green peas fresh or frozen
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons tahini paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons cold water as needed
Optional garnish
- extra olive oil
- red pepper crushed
- mint sprigs
Instructions
- Boil a pot of salted water and cook peas for 1 minute. Drain immediately and cool them in an ice bath. Skip this step if you’re using thawed frozen peas.
- Add peas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and mint into a food processor.
- Blend until everything is combined and mostly smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides. Don’t go too long—overblending can affect the texture.
- Slowly add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing in between until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Taste and mix in salt and pepper. White pepper works well if you have it.
- Spoon into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish as desired.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Add the water slowly and stop as soon as the texture turns spreadable. It’s easy to go from perfect to soupy in one extra tablespoon.
- Pull mint leaves off the stems before blending. Stems left in can add a bitter edge to the finished dip.
- Stir the tahini jar thoroughly before measuring. The oil separates and settles, so an unstirred jar throws off the consistency.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
