Always travel with hummus. That’s my advice to new vegans and to anyone trying to eat healthy on the road.
Having hummus in a small cooler saved us last month when my family went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. With the streets and streetcars closed for parades, we were limited to restaurants we could walk to, and because it was Mardi Gras, all of the vegan-friendly ones that were close enough were closed.
So we ate hummus–hummus on carrots, hummus on crackers, hummus on bread. The best meal we had was hummus on a Subway Veggie sandwich; after dry bread and crackers, a sandwich with all those veggies tasted like something from a 4-star restaurant, I kid you not.
The night before my family goes on any trip, you’ll find me in the kitchen making this hummus, which takes about 5 minutes in a high-powered blender. Up until a few years ago, I always used my food processor to make it, but once I tried the silky smooth hummus that a Vitamix produces, I’ve never gone back to the processor.
The recipe is basically the same; the blender version just uses more liquid to get the blades moving, but somehow it comes out as thick as the food processor version. And the best part: if you want, you can use whole sesame seeds instead of tahini. The blender grinds them as it makes the hummus.
Hummus in the Vitamix
If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can make my basic hummus in a food processor. Start by chopping the garlic first, and use only 1/4 cup of liquid. Bryanna Clark Grogan says that you can get silky smooth hummus from a food processor if you start with warm chickpeas, so if you cook your own beans, I recommend that.
I like to make a a mildly-seasoned hummus for general use (and my daughter’s taste), and then scoop out half of it, add additional seasonings to the Vitamix, and blend. Since the seasonings I like to add are usually spicy, I garnish the “doctored” hummus with slices of jalapeno to let my family know which container holds the fiery hummus. The amounts of seasoning in the recipe below are conservative, so feel free to add more to taste.
Want More Hummus?
I have over a dozen flavors of hummus and hummus-type dips and several recipes where hummus is an ingredient. Find them all here.
Hummus in the Blender
Ingredients
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas (See notes below for home-cooked chickpeas)
- 2-4 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 tablespoons tahini (or 4 tablespoons sesame seeds)
- 2-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4-1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8-1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
Suggested Tools
Instructions
- Drain one of the cans of chickpeas. Dump both cans (including liquid from one) into the blender. Place all remaining ingredients except salt in the blender in the order listed, using the smaller amounts. Start the machine on low and increase speed to high. Use the Vitamix plunger to break up air pockets and push chickpeas toward the blades, if necessary. (Other blenders: Stop and use a spatula to do this.) If the mixture is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time. Turn up to the highest speed and blend for a few seconds until hummus is completely smooth.
- Stop blender and taste the hummus. Add additional seasonings and salt to taste and blend briefly to combine.
- Store hummus in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It’s best after it’s had a chance to rest for at least an hour, but use within a week.
Notes
Variations
I often remove half of the hummus to serve as-is and get creative with the other half. Try adding any one of the following during the last brief blending: roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, chipotle chile peppers, green onions, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, jalapeno peppers, black or green olives, balsamic vinegar, spinach, smoked salt or Liquid Smoke. 1/8 of the recipe counts as 1 Smart Point on Weight Watchers Freestyle program.Nutritional info is approximate.
P.S. I’m on the road again as I write this, so it may take me a little time to approve and respond to your comments. Rest assured that I have a big tub of hummus in the ice chest!
suezianne
This is my second time making hummus and I love it. I made it without the Tahini
Sherisse H (@lovesplantbased)
I made this hummus for new years, it was a hit! I regret only making a half batch lol. I soaked the chickpeas in hot water since I don’t have a blender and wanted a smooth hummus, worked really well. Thanks for another awesome recipe Susan!
stephanie
I have been using this recipe to make beet hummus, using 4 medium cooked, cubed beets (instead of chickpeas) and eliminating the water. It’s good with some extra lemon juice, the zest from the lemon and i add a bit of sumac. This way is so much easier than the way I was making beet hummus before!!!
JoelM
In order to avoid the salt I add miso instead; 2 Tablespoons would be about right for this recipe.
od-kuchni
The best hummus I’ve ever had! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Laura T.
Do you think this could be made with either red or green lentils instead? Looks great!
Laura T.
Update:
Made in food processor this evening with red lentils as the pulse. Added a couple of sundried tomatoes and a generous squirt or sriracha. Delish! Best hummus I have ever made, or tasted for that matter…and without oil! Have some hm spelt bread baking atm and going to enjoy hummus on toast :3
Edith
This is tasty! I fudged a bit with mine, made a half batch to test, used preserved garlic from a jar, which I won’t be buying again after I use up (too much fat) and probably put in a little more tahini than you called for. I added my spices without salt, realized it did need some, and used Cajun salt with chili powder for some extra zing.
It smelled a little funny at first, until I realized I had overloaded my cheapo food processor and was smelling the engine oil! But it tastes great ^_^
janice
What is the serving size. I just started weight watchers and tried to do it eating meat. Ugh. Trying to go back to being vegan and losing weight. Also I wish you would include the specific serving size in all of your recipes. Makes dieting easier.
Ben Hall
Thanks! This was incredibly easy to make, even in our old processor. It just came out a little coarser than yours. I will definitely make it again. I have a question: does this still count as low-fat with tahini in it?
Susan Voisin
Ben, I call this a “higher fat” recipe because it is around 20% calories from fat. But, compared to traditional hummus recipes, it is MUCH lower in fat. Consider that most comparable recipes have 2/3 cup of tahini while this has 2 tablespoons. That’s about 4-5 times less fat than usual.
Fran
Most traditional and store bought recipes also call for olive oil or some other type of oil, which makes it have a lot more fat! Your recipe sounds delicious and I will be trying it….
Sheri
Susan…. This is hands down the best hummus I have ever eaten!!! Can you tell me if hummus travels well without refrigeration?? I want to take it with me on my carry on bag on the plane …. Would love to know your thoughts! 🙂
Susan Voisin
I’m so glad you liked it, Sheri! I think that if it’s a short trip, it should be okay, but I wouldn’t let it go for more than 5 hours before eating it. But check with some reliable source before doing that–I wouldn’t want you to get sick!
Stevio
I like that you have included suggested variations and I will no doubt try this. Thanks for your blog, it’s inspirational.
Kate the South Aussie
Best hummus ever! Thanks for a great recipe. The only addition I made was adding a tablespoon (or two!) of Beerenberg’s Caramelised Onion sauce. Unbelievably yummy!
JuicingAndBlending
Definitely agree! I can never get enough of hummus recipe variations that go with my tortilla chips 😀 Plus they’re always a hit at parties.
anne kraul
I have a vitamix, and love it, but find it difficult to use for making hummus. How do you successfully get all the hummus out of the blender? Any tricks up your sleeve?
thanks!
anne
Susan Voisin
I use a flexible silicone spatula, but it’s still a little of a pain getting the hummus out from under the blades. I just like it so much better than food processor hummus, so I put up with the time-consuming clean out.
Alison
would this work in a nutribullet? Thanks!
Susan Voisin
I’m afraid I don’t know anything about the nutribullet. If its motor is as strong as a Vitamix, then it may work.
Shar
I just got a Vitamix and so far, we’ve enjoyed very wonderful smoothies and soups. Today I tried making hummus in it and was very disappointed when I couldn’t get all of it out of the blender. This is because, unlike a traditional blender, the Vitamix doesn’t have blades that can be removed. Still, it was sad to waste all that tasty hummus I couldn’t successfully extract! Do you have any tips for working with thicker things like dips in the Vitamix? Thanks for all your great recipes. We’re really enjoying them!
Katie Loss
Hey Shar, I love the way this hummus comes out, so smooth and creamy. I have the same issue with getting it all out of the Vitamix and noticed that Susan answered this very question a few posts ago. I’ll copy and paste what she said here. She said: “I use a flexible silicone spatula, but it’s still a little of a pain getting the hummus out from under the blades. I just like it so much better than food processor hummus, so I put up with the time-consuming clean out.” Guess we just have to be a little patient and realize we won’t be able to lick the bowl clean. The results by using the Vitamix are definitely worth it. When I make it in my food processor it just never quite comes out with the creamy consistency of a good hummus. 😉
Jenna
Thanks Susan! Love this recipe! As far as getting the hummus out of the Vitamix, I turn it upside down and turn the blades (from the outside!) Then I juice a whole lemon and a little more garlic and blend again, making a yummy salad dressing and then none of the hummus is wasted!
Tammy
I made this today using the full amounts of spice & 1 teaspoon of salt. It was FABULOUS! Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe.
Kim
I used your recipe as a base to re-create some fat-free roasted red pepper hummus that I had purchased from Whole Foods. Thank you once again for a successful recipe! I actually used some (accidentally) overcooked navy beans and skipped the tahini. (No tahini in the WF version). I ended up using a little bit more than 3 tbsp of lemon juice and I also added about 1/4tsp of dried lemon peel. A tiny little pinch of citric acid gave it the extra tang. Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
roy tanoulas
Hello Susan,
I hope to go from a semi-vegan to a full vegan diet before the middle of 2014. Using a vegan recipe for hummus should be key approach to break bad habits
of a toast and butter breakfast etc. etc.
Thanks for your creative web page toward a plant based diet!
Roy
Jill Cherni
Oh this sounds awesome! I am in a serious hummus phase. I have been vegan but wander in vegetarian land when eating out sometimes. Now I am trying wheat free as Im sure I have leaky gut and I am ALWAYS hungry so…. hummus to the rescue. At $4 a container for the organic kind Im going to have to make my own and yours sounds like just the ticket. Thank you.
Pravina Parikh
Wow looks so mouth watering I will try for my grand kids thank you for posting
lisa
Just to ask again- what IS a serving size ?
thank you
Marjorie Bregar
To easily remove hummus from Vitamix, instead of trying to clean the blender by hand, I swish some water in it to get all the hummus and pour into a pan to add seasonings and make delicious soup. I can’t bear to waste any of the delicious hummus left in that hard-to-clean Vitamix. It becomes the base for a great tasting soup with or without more veggies added. And the Vitamix is almost clean & ready for some soap and water.
Beatle Bangs
That is brilliant, Marjorie! I am a firm believer in waste not, want not and hummus enriches all foods!
Mick Shanahan
Susan, you are a rock star and I love your recipe collections. But I find your website complicated and I would love, love, love to have a FatFreeVegan app for my Windows tablet. I know you’re pretty diversified with Facebook and email subscriptions and now this thing I just chanced on called Feastie, but the existing vegan recipe apps for tablets don’t hold a candle to your collection. I would certainly jump at the chance to buy the app for my Surface. (If you’re wondering why I left this comment here, it’s because I couldn’t figure out from the website how to email you.)
jaann oliver
I have just went vegan. Having g a bit of a hard time because I am diabetic.
Chantel
Going vegan is the best thing you could do if you’re diabetic. My sister was recently diagnosed with diabetes and after researching quite a bit we decided to put her on a low-fat vegan diet. You should look up Dr. Neal Barnard. Good luck on your journey! 🙂
Ann
Would you say that a normal serving size is a couple of tablespoons? Thanks for this easy low fat classic recipe.
Susan Voisin
A serving would be about 6-7 tablespoons or somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 cup.
Lynn Pierce
Love the sight, but I have one problem with the Hummus recipe: My daughter in law is EXTREMELY allergic to sesame, in any form. Is there something I could substitute for it in this recipe? For instance, would lime juice instead of sesame make a suitable substitute? She would dearly love to be able to eat Hummus again…and I would love to make it for her.
Thank you for your help,
Lynn Pierce
Susan Voisin
Hi Lynn–you can always just leave out the sesame, or if you want the richness that it gives, use a nut butter like cashew, peanut, or almond butter. Even sesame butter would be a good option. I hope your daughter-in-law enjoys it!
Jackie Jardine-Moore
When I leave out the tahini I like to use a couple of drops of sesame oil and then liquid from bottled kalamata olives in whatever proportion you like with water. I also throw some of the olives in the blended hummus to chop slightly before serving. I skip the cumin when I use the olives.
SamuelS
I have a quick question…. I have made this before for the family and just last night they said it was too dry and wanted oil added. Is more tahini or sesame seeds the answer here or ??? TIA, as I have a request to make it this week… SS
Susan Voisin
Yes, I would add more tahini or water or veg broth before I’d add oil. Most people are used to packaged hummus which does contain oil and is not as thick as this is. Tahini would add a little fat but water or broth would thin it down better. Don’t add too much or you’ll have soup! 🙂
Pam Brown
I use my Vitamix to make veggie smoothies / juices & have begun to use hummus as a flavor component. I just happened to make one using your Berbere Red Lentil Hummus…tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, celery, carrot & a couple tablespoons berbere hummus + salt. So tasty! (the texture is like a canned tomato juice) Though I will admit to a period of time getting used to the mix…kind of like adjusting to green smoothies. The more I drink them, the more I like/love them.
Pam Brown
But….
my point was to be, that in using the Vitamix for hummus, I would be inclined to add a bit of water to the dab of hummus left in the container & blend; put in the fridge…saving it for the next veggie “juice”.
Chantel
I just made this and I love it! I also added about a 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes and that really amped up the flavor. I’m so excited to explore your other recipes!
George
I read all the mentioned above, but I do not know how it tastes. The Hummus I know is a little different than the above.
Tuheeni must be more than 2 t spoons for such quantity and must be broken aside in a different dish by adding first a little lemon juice and stair by a spoon then u add a little more juice and stair again, at the beginning the hummus looks to be hard u keep adding juice and stair till the tuheeni become loose and whiter in color add a little water less than what u mentioned. The secret of a delicious dish of Hummus is with this Tuheeni preparation . Then add the garlic and mix all with the gounded hummus. I do not put any thing else beside salt and olive oil on the top of the plate.
Genahj
Hello and thank you for what sounds like a delicious and easy recipe! I am going to be making it this weekend! I don’t know if this has been asked but should I use whole or ground cumin? It’s one of my favorite spices so I have both.
Susan Voisin
Use ground cumin. It will come out much smoother. Hope you enjoy!
Genah
Thank you! I’m making 2 batches, one with triple garlic and one with sun dried tomatoes. Can’t wait!
Susan Voisin
Oops, I meant GROUND cumin. LOL
Lucy
Great recipe! Just made it today. The paprika gave it a nice flavor. No tahini since my son is allergic. We’ve also used sunbutter instead of peanut butter due to allergies as well. I’m going to be making lots of hummus since I found the joy of using chick pea water to make vegan meringues! Too many beans left over! Wish I could trade my beans for some else’s bean juice! Thanks for this great recipe!
Rochelle
I don’t understand how the hummus recipe can be fat free if it contains tahini. Tahini has a lot of fat in it.
Susan Voisin
https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2005/12/just-faqs.html
Cynthia
I don’t have a Vitamix but have a Preethi mixie. Does anyone know if that will work? It’s not a regular blender/processor but it’s not a Vitamix either.
Michael Lauriston
My rather lightweight Hamilton Beach blender did OK. Working from homecooked dry chick peas, it *did* need more fluid and still did not blend perfectly. The taste was great. Next time I will probably make a half batch, or blend the chick peas, mix that with the other ingredients in a bowl, then blend it again in smaller batches.
I only prepare food for myself (I hesitate to say “cook” 🙂 so I have learned to eat my “mistakes”. The Queen deferred her next visit until she comes to Canada again
Kelly
This is delicious!!!
Tosca Schwehn
Thank you !!! Taste sooo good 🙂 I love the recipe and I like to add 2-3 dried tomatoes 🙂
Holly
How long does healthy homemade hummus last in the fridge? ( It may not *last* long, how long will it keep?!)
Susan Voisin
I wouldn’t use it after 2 weeks.
Becky
I thought my regular food processor would make good hummus. It made grainy hummus until I read on someone’s recipe blog to not forget to spend a little extra time and pinch the seed coverings off the chickpeas. It made all the difference. Now it is perfectly smooth like store bought. I had no idea my hummus could be so much better. Maybe this will help someone else.
M Lauriston
I admire your patience and persistence. I think my chick peas had no skins, at least the hummus wasn’t grainy. Given how labour intensive your process is, I think I would have settled for graininess!
Michael Lauriston
I take it back, the top half of the batch was kind of grainy, but I was just using a rather lightweight blender. Even with a lot of manual stirring it didn’t blend quite evenly. I had to let the machine rest quite a bit to avoid burning out the motor!
I have only myself to please so its good!
Judith D. Stensland
Yummy and amazingly easy. You are one of this new vegan’s go-to sites!!!