What is 4:1 Hummus? It’s a keto ratio-recipe (and keto diet used for therapeutic purposes) where for every four grams of fat there is one gram of protein plus carbs (i.e. 80-percent fat by weight in grams). It’s also totally hummus-like and creamy-delicious! From The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Martina Slajerova, Dr. Nicholas Norwitz, Thomas DeLauer, and Rohan Kashid, it’s a real winner that you’ll want to make again and again. “The 4 parts fat to 1 part protein plus carbs diet is an extra-fatty ketogenic diet used to treat neurological disorders. This ‘hummus’ was contributed by Dr. Chris Palmer, a Harvard psychiatrist and the world’s leading expert on using ketogenic diets for mental health. Dr. Palmer says, ‘The 4:1 diet can be difficult to follow, but delicious recipes like this one make it easier. Keep a batch of this spread on hand in your fridge: it’s delicious on anything. Its versatility is what makes it such a powerful medical treatment!’”Read our full book review and find more of their recipes here or scroll on to learn how to prepare this spread of 4:1 fabulousness that goes great with sliced cucumber, zucchini, or daikon or just a spoon![Reprinted with permission from The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook (2021; Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.) Photo credit: Martina Slajerova and Jo Harding.]
4:1 Keto Hummus
Ingredients List
TO SOAK
- 1 cup (4.7 oz) macadamia nuts
TO ROAST
- 2 medium (400 g/14.1 oz) zucchini
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin avocado oil
TO BLEND
- 1/4 cup (2.2 oz) tahini
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- fresh herbs, such as parsley or cilantro
- salt and black pepper, to taste
TOPPING
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- pinch of paprika and/or ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp (9 g/0.3 oz) white and/or black sesame seeds
Instructions
- To soak: Place the macadamia nuts in a bowl and add enough filtered water to cover them. Soak for about 2 hours, and then drain and discard the water.
- To roast: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) fan assisted or 355°F (180°C) conventional. Cut off the ends of the zucchini and cut in half lengthwise.
- Arrange on a baking tray, cut-side up, and brush with the avocado oil. Bake for 30 minutes or until browned on top.
- To blend: Add all the ingredients, apart from the topping ingredients, to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and add the topping: drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and sesame seeds. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, place in the fridge overnight.
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Credits
PhotographyMartina Slajerova and Jo Harding
6 reviews
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It sounds amazing. I will try it.
But, from one of the commenters asking about substituting Brazil nuts, I would caution that Brazil nuts have a huge amount of selenium.
AI: Brazil nuts are a particularly rich source of selenium, with just 28 g (1 oz) supplying 544 micrograms of selenium or 10 times the DV of 55 micrograms.
Eating more than a few Brazil nuts can lead to toxic levels of selenium.
A healthy adult may get benefits from eating just four Brazil nuts.
Hi Cathy, Thanks for the feedback, and for the caution. Please see my response to Lawrence below, which includes a link to my blog post on Brazil nuts and their high selenium content. One serving of this hummus per day made with Brazil nuts should be OK, and I’ve updated my response to Brenda regarding this 😊
haven’t made the humus yet – could almonds be used instead of macadamia nuts? daughter reacts to the tropical nuts like cashews, but ok with almonds, cashews, pecans
Brenda, we have not tried that but we encourage you to. Let us know how it goes.
would brazil nuts work?
Hi Brenda, We have not tried this recipe using Brazil nuts, but it might work. If you do use Brazil nuts, make sure to limit your intake to one serving of this hummus per day, since Brazil nuts are very high in selenium.
Be careful with Brazil nuts as you may get excess selenium. Just 1-2 Brazil nuts provide the full RDA of selenium.
I haven’t made this yet, but have identified this fat bomb as a ‘go to’ for a non-dairy eater. I just wanted to say to Brenda (and others) that Brazil nuts are very high in selenium and really could cause problems (thyroid) if consumed in the quantities that this humous might make far too tasty to achieve.
Good point, Lawrence. Brazil nuts should be consumed in moderation, and one serving of hummus made with Brazil nuts should be fine. (I’ve updated my response to Brenda regarding this). We have an article about Brazil nuts that discusses their high selenium content: Are Brazil Nuts a Good Keto Snack?
Thank you!
Are the macadamia nuts raw?
Yes, they are raw.
This hummus was amazing!!! I didn’t know whether I should peel the zucchini or not but left the skin on. I also added some extra garlic cloves. It is sooooo good!! I also added some red pepper flakes for spice. Mine turned out green maybe because of the skin. I will definitely be making this again.
A HUGE hit!!!
Had not eaten hummus since I started keto almost a year ago. Made this recipe for a dinner party yesterday and hands down was voted “best in show” even by the non-keto folks. DELICIOUS!!!
Definitely adding to my “go to” keto recipes!
Totally over-delivers on your expectations, right?!
Totally!!