Homemade oil-free hummus that is fluffy, smooth, flavorful, and delicious. The recipe is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and easy to make. This creamy hummus with tahini is ready in less than 25 minutes and therefore perfect as a quick side dish and meal prep.
Oil-Free Hummus
I love eating hummus, especially when it’s creamy and fluffy. Therefore, I created this hummus recipe which contains only wholesome ingredients and zero oil.
You might love this hummus because it is:
- A quick and hearty side dish
- Creamy, fluffy, and flavorful
- Easy to make with healthy wholesome ingredients
What Is Hummus?
As per Wikipedia, Hummus is a Levantine dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas or other beans, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. It is popular in the Middle East and Mediterranean, as well as in Middle Eastern cuisine around the globe. It can also be found in most grocery stores in North America and Europe.
“Hummus” comes from the Arabic word meaning “chickpeas”, and the full name of the prepared spread in Arabic is ḥummuá¹£ bi á¹aḥīna which means “chickpeas with tahini“.
How To Make The Best Hummus?
Apparently, the best hummus in the world is made by an Israeli chef named Michael Solomonov. His hummus is light, fluffy, and super creamy. Now, what’s his secret? The secret to creamy hummus is overcooked chickpeas which are actually falling apart.
Solomonov cooks the chickpeas from dry, and he adds baking soda which makes them cook faster. I also prefer making the hummus from scratch (and often cook the chickpeas in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker), however, if you are in a hurry, you can of course, also use canned chickpeas.
Just make sure to boil the canned chickpeas in water with some baking soda until they are overcooked/a bit mushy (which takes about 15 minutes)!
It’s also important to blend the garlic, lemon juice, spices, half of the plant-based milk, and tahini first. Blend until completely creamy and smooth. Only then start adding the overcooked chickpeas.
Keep blending and add the remaining amount of plant-based milk. You can also add water (preferably ice-cold water), however, I had a better result with plant-based milk. In the above photo, you can see the hummus before adding the remaining milk.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt to taste and more lemon juice, if desired.
Should I remove the outer skins from the chickpeas?
I tried both versions and yes, removing the outer skins from the chickpeas definitely makes the hummus creamier and more luxurious! It will turn out less grainy and fluffier. It is time-consuming though and takes an additional 10 minutes or so to remove the skins from the chickpeas.
Oil-Free Hummus Ingredients
I am not the biggest fan of processed foods and since oil is highly processed I often avoid it. This homemade oil-free hummus contains only simple ingredients which are as follows:
- One 15 oz can of chickpeas
- Lemon juice
- Tahini
- Plant-based milk (or water)
- Fresh garlic
- Ground cumin
- Paprika
- Sea salt to taste
- Fresh herbs to garnish
- Baking soda
Find the exact measurements below in the recipe card!
Health Benefits Of Chickpeas
I found a great site that describes the health benefits of chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
1) Diabetes
Chickpeas are particularly high in fiber. Studies have shown that people with type 1 diabetes who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels. For people with type 2 diabetes, higher fiber intake may improve blood sugar, lipid, and insulin levels.
2) Bone health
The iron, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K in chickpeas all contribute to building and maintaining bone structure and strength.
3) Blood pressure
Maintaining a low-sodium (low-salt) intake is essential for maintaining a low blood pressure, however increasing potassium intake may be just as important because of its vasodilation effects.
4) Heart health
The high fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B-6 content all support heart health. Chickpeas contain significant amounts of fiber, which helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease.
To learn more about the health benefits of chickpeas, visit this site.
This Oil-Free Hummus Is:
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free
- Hearty
- Low-fat
- Healthy
- Creamy
- Fluffy
- Light
- Comforting
- A great side dish
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
Maybe you want to make my delicious vegan lasagna roll-ups that are filled with this homemade oil-free hummus?! Here you can see a photo of it:
Should you give this creamy hummus a try, please leave a comment and rating below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your remakes! 🙂
Are you interested in more savory oil-free dishes? If yes, definitely also check out the following vegan recipes:
- Mexican Avocado Salad
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Chickpea Eggplant Curry
- Vegetable Curry With Pineapple
- Gluten Free Buns (Bread Rolls)
- Vegan Hungarian Goulash
- Easy Vegan Pasta Salad
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Healthy Vegan Mac And Cheese
- Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Vegan Chickpea Tacos
- Spinach Pasta Sauce
Oil-Free Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can of chickpeas
- 1/4 cup (60 g) tahini
- 4 tbsp (40 ml) lemon juice (or more to taste)
- 1/3 tsp salt or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 4 tbsp (40 ml) plant-based milk (or more for a creamier hummus)
- 2-3 small cloves of garlic
- 1/3 tsp baking soda
- Paprika for serving
- Fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Rinse and drain canned chickpeas, then place in a medium saucepan and add 1/3 tsp baking soda. Cover chickpeas by at least 2 inches (ca. 5 cm) of water and bring to a boil over high heat. See recipe notes if you want to cook the chickpeas from dry.
- Boil the chickpeas for about 15 minutes. Once they look overcooked and slightly mushy, they are ready! Drain the chickpeas in a strainer, rinse with plenty of cool water and set aside.
- Process the lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin, half of the plant-based milk, and tahini in a food processor until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pause the food processor to scrape down the sides of the processor.
- Add the mushy chickpeas to the food processor and blend for about 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the processor as needed.
- Now add the remaining plant-based milk and blend for a further 1-2 minutes, or until very smooth, creamy and fluffy.
- Taste the hummus and add more salt to taste and more lemon juice, if desired.
- Serve in a bowl and top with more lemon juice (I also added a bit of the chickpea cooking water), a dash of paprika (use smoked paprika for a variation), and fresh herbs.
- Store leftover hummus covered in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days.
Notes
Video Of The Recipe
- Recipe adapted from Michael Solomonov, via The New York Times.
- If you don't want to use canned chickpeas you can cook them from dry. Here is how:
- In a medium bowl, cover 3/4 cup (150 grams) dried chickpeas by at least 2 inches (ca. 5 cm) of cold water.
- Add 1/2 tsp baking soda and let soak at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse.
- In a medium pot, cover soaked chickpeas by about 4 inches (ca. 10 cm) of water.
- Add 1/2 tsp baking soda and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until chickpeas are soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Drain and rinse under running water.
- You might also enjoy this Vegan Ricotta Cheese.
- Recipe serves 6. Nutrition facts are for one serving.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Equipment
Simple and Delicious Vegan Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!
I followed the recipe except for the tahini, (which I hate the taste of), so I used peanut butter and it was so nice. I used plant based milk to help give it the creamy texture rather than water. This is my go to recipe for hummus from now on.
Thanks for your great feedback, Liz. 🙂
What is the portion size for each serving? I know it says 6 servings. Is it Tbsp and how many?
Hi Jill, one serving is about 70 grams. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi Ela, how do you think this would be if harissa seasoning was added? If it would work how much would you suggest adding? Thank you in advance.
Hi Nicole, I never tried it, so I am not sure. Maybe just add a little and then increase to taste?
thanks for the speedy reply. I will give it a try today and let you know! Second question is do the flavors enhance over time or is it best fresh? Thank you in advance.
I made this recipe with chickpeas I cooked in vegetable broth, water and spices. I kept the small amount of remaining liquid after cooking the chickpeas and added it to the food processor. I did not peel the chickpeas and used just the first half of plant based milk. The hummus was creamy and so flavourful, better than any I’ve ever purchased. Thank you for sharing this outstanding recipe!
You are very welcome, Cher! 🙂
You are my hero! I have tried several other oil free recipes and they just missed the mark for me and didn’t compare to store bought. But this was amazing!! I brought it to a friend’s house and received rave rev all around. Will definitely be my go to now, thank you!
That’s wonderful, Nicole! So glad you liked it. 🙂
Hi Ela,
I love your recipes and can’t wait to try this one. Wondering if you can tell me how you cold the chickpeas in a pressure cooker, I have an InstantPot. I am trying to learn to cook more beans and would love to know how in the InstantPot. Do you have a guide on how to cook beans? Thanks again 🙂
*** I meant “how to COOK the chickpeas”…oops 🙂
Hi Susan, I have a recipe for Instant Pot Refried Beans and how to cook pinto beans. I think chickpeas should have a slightly longer cooking time, so I would maybe add 10 minutes or so. 🙂
what would 1 serving be as far as amounts?
Tap on the servings and move the slider left to 1. However, this is such a small amount, that you can’t make it in a food processor, so I don’t recommend it.
Such a perfect recipe! I am not very good in the kitchen (at all) but I subbed fresh basil leaves for the cumin and paprika, and it is DIVINE!
So happy you liked it, Katie! 🙂
I was looking for a salt free hummus recipe as I have oedema and a few other health issues . I cooked my own chick peas and I have to say I was very happy with the end result . I would really love a savoury biscuit recipe if you have one please . Everything store bought has so much salt in it , if you could help me out with foods that pack a punch with flavour I would really appreciate it . Thank you ???? Sue
So glad you like it, Sue. I don’t have a biscuit recipe yet, but you can find lots of flavorful meals in my meal planner where you can also personalize all recipes to your preferences (e.g. no salt). 🙂
I just made this hummus recipe and it s delicious! I’ve been using another recipe for a few years, which I liked, but having tried some of Ela’s other recipes I thought I should give it ago. I’m so glad i did. It’s far better than the one I’ve been using. Definitely my new go-to hummus recipe!
That’s awesome, Kathy! I am so glad you like it. Thanks so much for your feedback. 🙂
I added an extra garlic and lemon juice. It’s to die for! So good.
So happy you love it, Cindy. 🙂
OMG, this is SO delicious and SO easy! Thank you, Ela!! This is now saved as a favorite recipe. 😀
And a quick note for anyone who needs it: To make it much easier to take the skins off, what I did that worked GREAT this last time was to “blanch” the chickpeas after boiling. Basically: Gently drain them into a colander, then fill a large bowl with ice-cold water, and just as gently pour the chickpeas into that (I did it in smaller portions, when I made a double-batch). The cold water helped to separate the skins, and made “peeling” them a LOT easier. 🙂
(Also: The first time, I made the single batch and my “mini” Ninja food processor/chopper handled it without any issues. So you don’t need a big fancy one to make this recipe — hurray!)
Wow, thanks so much for your helpful comment, Grace! So interesting to hear about the ice-cold water method. 🙂
I agree, I, also, used small blender & subbed sunflowerseed butter for tahini – didn’t bother to remove skins – and this turned out so smooth & creamy. This is going to be a regular at our house.
Thanks so much for sharing, Glo! I appreciate it. 🙂
The best hummus I ever had and I made it myself! Not difficult and I wasn’t planning on taking the shells off, but the boiling made them come right off as I shorted through the chickpeas in the strainer, so I just went ahead and removed them – and, boy, what a difference! So awesome! Thanks
Yay, I am so glad you loved it! 🙂
Can I use a vitamix if I do not have a food processor? Will it change the taste?
Hi, I think that should be fine. No, it won’t change the taste. 🙂
Hi Ela, thank you for all your wonderful recipes, I try them regularly.
Do you think I can try using sunflower seed instead of tahini?
Thanks,
Eni
Hi Eni, I think sunflower seed butter should be fine. 🙂
I will be recommending this recipe to all my hummus loving friends. So easy and so tasty! I will never buy any hummus in the supermarket again. Already thinking about some variations such as adding roasted red peppers. Thanks a million!
You are very welcome, Iris! So happy you loved it and will recommend it to your friends. Love the idea of adding roasted red peppers. 🙂
I m so proud of myself, my daughter bought me a fancy food processor for my birthday ???? and I made this hummus, it was so delicious!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
You are very welcome, Tamia! So glad you liked it. 🙂