Hummus Where the Heart Is: 15 Delicious Hummus Recipes

hummus recipe ideas

Tired of the same old boring store-bought hummus? Read on for some easy and delicious hummus recipes to elevate your snack game!

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What Is Hummus?

Hummus is a Middle Eastern spread, dip, spread, or savory side made from cooked and mashed chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) blended with tahini, lemon juice, and roasted garlic. It’s typically garnished with extra virgin olive oil, chickpeas, parsley, and paprika. It’s a budget-friendly and gluten-free snack that you can easily make yourself with a food processor or blender. As an excellent source of fiber, protein, it’s a tasty way to add some extra nutrients and antioxidants into your diet.

What Is Tahini?

Since it’s one of the main ingredients in hummus, you may be wondering what tahini is. It’s a Middle Eastern condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame seeds. It can be eaten by itself, but it’s also one of the main ingredients in hummus, baba ghanoush, and halva.

hummus recipes

Should I Use Dried or Canned Chickpeas in My Hummus Recipes?

You can use dried chickpeas and cook them yourself, but as a busy individual, I remind myself that using canned chickpeas still counts as homemade hummus. Whether you cook your own dry chick peas or use a can, save the excess chickpea liquid. It’s called aquafaba and can be used as an egg white substitute in recipes like meringue and marshmallows. If your hummus is too thick, add 1 tbsp of aquafaba at a time to reach your desired consistency. If your hummus is too thin, add more chickpeas.

Make It Yourself

The Simple Hummus Recipe: Why buy it when you can make it yourself with good-quality ingredients? Blend 30 oz cooked chickpeas (two 15 oz. cans), 1/3 cup reserved chickpea liquid (or more as needed), 1/2 cup tahini, 1/4 cup olive oil, the juice from 2 lemons, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp cumin, and 1/2 tsp salt. Garnish with olive oil, paprika, and fresh parsley. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, then enjoy with your favorite veggies or crackers!

The Great Diversity of Hummus

One of my favorite things about hummus is its versatility. Since chickpeas have such a mild flavor, they lend themselves to camouflage. The other day I literally ate hummus labeled “sugar cookie” and found it a pleasant surprise. Next on my list is the chocolate mint version. But the savory and garlicky varieties are a staple on my grain bowls, salads, pita bread, crackers, wraps, and appetizer trays. Truly, what can hummus not do? But what’s the best hummus recipe? That’s for you to decide!

hummus recipes red pepper

Spicy Hummus Recipes

Keep in mind that all of these recipes have a traditional hummus base.

Fajita: Fajitas are my go-to dish at Mexican restaurants, so I can’t wait to try this one. Luckily, sweet red peppers are my go-to snack, so I always have them around! This will be a great recipe if you need to spice up your usual snack game. In a food processor, start with 2 (14 oz) cans of chickpeas (drained, reserve liquid).

Add 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 of a roasted red pepper, 1 tbsp chickpea liquid, 2 tbsp cilantro, and pulse. Then add the juice of half a lime, 2 tbsp tahini, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp chili powder, and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, and 1/8 tsp ground black pepper to make this hummus with an extra kick. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil at the end to get the desired consistency.

Jalapeño Cilantro: Add three large (seeded and diced) jalapeños and 1 cup of fresh cilantro to the food processor along with your hummus. Add 1/3 tsp cumin and 1/3 tsp paprika. 

Sriracha Lime White Bean: This hummus recipe uses white beans instead of chickpeas. In the food processor, pulse 2 (15 oz) cans of white northern beans (drained), 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup sriracha, 3 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup olive oil. Don’t forget to garnish with some sriracha-spiced cashews!

Lebanese Pumpkin: In the food processor,  pulse 700 g of peeled and cored pumpkin (or butternut squash), 2-4 tbsp lemon juice, 1 garlic clove (minced), 1/4 cup tahini, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp hot chili powder. Garnish with fresh parsley or coriander, black and white sesame seeds, and 2 tsp chili oil.

hummus recipes squash

Mild Hummus Recipes

Beet Hummus: We actually featured this one in our article about ways to cook with root veggies! Beets have a mild flavor and are mostly there to provide a few extra antioxidants and, of course, the beautiful pink hue.

Ginger and Roasted Carrot: Carrots have a natural sweetness and provide plenty of extra nutrients! You’ll need 5-6 peeled and roasted medium carrots (cut into 1/2-inch pieces), 1 clove minced garlic, 2-1/2 tbsp tahini, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 3 cups cooked chickpeas, 2 tbsp warm water, 3/4 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste.

Green Goddess Hummus: Use spinach, basil, avocado, or fresh herbs to give your hummus a verdant hue. I like “green goddess” anything because it makes me feel a little empowered. That’s right. I’m a hummus-making goddess who eats green things. I’m so healthy and strong. Yay green, yay me.

Red Lentil: Lentils are another one of the trendy protein-packed legumes that seem to make their way into plenty of snack foods. They boast a sweet and nutty flavor and pack plenty of nutrients. Simply substitute 1 cup of cooked red lentils for 1 cup of chickpeas, and follow the rest of your basic hummus recipe!

Everything Bagel: I was inspired when I saw this sold at Wegman’s the other day (which, if you don’t have in your area, I give my condolences). You can easily make this mixture at home with 2 tsp white sesame seeds, 2 tsp black sesame seeds, 1-1/2 tsp dried minced garlic, 1-1/2 tsp dried minced onion, 1/2 tsp poppy seeds, 1 tsp sea salt flakes. Add to a basic hummus recipe for a little extra “everything” flavor.

Black Bean: You can find just about anything made with black beans these days (pasta is one of my personal favorites), and hummus is no exception. Black beans are another great substitute for chickpeas and can provide some variety for your favorite recipe. Simply substitute 1 cup of cooked black beans for every 1 cup of chickpeas.

hummus recipes

Creamy Avocado Hummus

A delicious guac-meets-hummus match made in heaven. Everyone will want just one more scoop.
4 from 1 vote
Prep Time 6 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 6 people
Calories 296 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 15 oz Can of chickpeas well drained
  • 2 medium ripe avocados peeled pitted
  • 3 tbsp olive oil plus more for garnish
  • 1-1/2 tbsp tahini
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/8 tsp cumin
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
  • red pepper flakes for garnish

Instructions
 

Creamy Avocado Hummus

  • Blend chick peas, olive oil, tahini, lime juice, and garlic in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cumin and avocados and pulse mixture until smooth and creamy, about 1 – 2 minutes.
  • Serve garnished with additional olive oil if desired. Sprinkle with cilantro and red pepper flakes to your taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 8gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 11mgPotassium: 549mgFiber: 10gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 131IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 3mg
Keyword appetizer
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
hummus recipes sweet

Dessert Hummus Recipes

Snickerdoodle: Blend together  1-1/2 cups of well-rinsed garbanzo beans, 1/4 cup almond butter (or cashew butter), 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/2 tsp molasses, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/8 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1-2 tbsp of milk (to thin it as needed). Chill before serving, and you’ll have the perfect make-ahead dessert!

Peanut butter chocolate chip cookie: This dairy-free treat is delicious on pretzels, fruit, cookies, even plain crackers! In the food processor, pulse 1 (15 oz) can of drained and rinsed chickpeas, 1/3 cup coconut sugar, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 3 tbsp unsweetened plain almond milk, 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp almond extract. Add more almond milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Fold in 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips and chill until ready to serve.

Chocolate chip cookie dough: I think I could eat chocolate chip cookie dough by the roll, so this may be a good alternative for me. Blend 1-1/2 cups chickpeas (drained and rinsed very well), 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1/4 cup almond butter (or nut butter of your choice), 1/4 cup almond milk (more or less as needed), and 1/2 cup brown sugar (or any sweetener of your choice). Add 2-3 tbsp oats or almond flour as needed to thicken. Once you reach the desired consistency, mix in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips. Chill before serving!

Try These Recipes!

Which of these recipes sounds the best to you? Whether it’s sweet or savory, it will definitely be a hit! Share your favorite hummus recipes with the people you love on FamilyApp!

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