The Best Hummus Recipe (WFPB, Oil-Free)
Looking for your go-to, oil-free hummus recipe? This is the best whole food plant-based hummus!Â
This recipe is one that has only been in my cookbook, Plant-Based Cooking for Kids, until this point. However, I’m trying to put more of my go-to recipes that I make over and over onto the blog, so this hummus had to go up! I make hummus SO often. The larger our family gets, the more hummus I have to make. It seems to disappear.
Hummus is one of the main ways my kids eat beans or protein and healthy fats in general. It helps them eat more vegetables, as it’s a great dip for a baby carrot, bell pepper strip, or cucumber slice.
I love to make oil-free hummus because whole foods are the best way to get healthy fats and nutrition, not oil that has been stripped of fiber and other nutrients. Oil adds a ton of calories and it’s just not necessary here.
Hummus makes a terrific party food on a colorful vegetable platter. It makes a great filler for a picnic, potluck, or packed lunch. I like to make and freeze homemade pita bread and enjoy pita and hummus. Pretzels are void of nutrition and not a whole food, but boy are they a guilty pleasure of mine dipped in hummus!
Does Hummus Freeze Well?
Hummus freezes really well! I often multiply the recipe and freeze some. Thaw it out in the fridge (or I put it on the counter for a few hours), give it a stir, and it’s good as fresh! I have some two-compartment containers like these, and freeze some hummus in one side. Once it thaws out, I simply add some carrots and crackers and for an easy lunch or snack for my kids to take when they need a packed lunch.
How long does Hummus last in the Fridge?
Hummus keeps well in the fridge for about 5 days in an airtight container. If you need it to last longer, put it in the freezer.
Can I make this oil-free hummus lower in fat?
Yes, you can reduce the tahini by half if you want to. It won’t be as creamy, but still very yummy!
Is there a substitute for tahini in hummus?
Yes, you can use peanut butter or even sunflower seed butter! You’d be surprised how much you can’t taste the difference. I’ve also used red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice when I am out of lemons. It’s pretty versatile.
Creative Ways to Serve Hummus
I occasionally teach cooking classes for kids at the library, and one time we made little hummus lion snack plates, with bell pepper strips to make the mane, olive eyes and nose, cucumber or cracker ears, and carrot match-stick whiskers.
For a Halloween party, I have served hummus in a hollowed-out pumpkin.
At Easter, I put hummus or some kind of ranch dip into the hollowed-out tummy of my famous bread bunny vegetable tray.
And at Thanksgiving, this bread turkey is a cute serving bowl for hummus!
Hummus Variations
When you make hummus a lot, you might start to want to try different flavors. While I make original most often, we do love a few other varieties. I have roasted red pepper hummus, beet hummus, and curry hummus adaptations listed in the recipe card below. I also have other recipes for hummus, including several sweet varieties to serve with fruit. Seriously, try them all!
Pumpkin Cookie Dip (Pumpkin Hummus)
Chocolate Hummus
The Best Hummus Recipe (WFPB, Oil-free)
Ingredients
- 1 large clove garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup tahini (can use less if you want lower fat)
- 1 can chickpeas (1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
Instructions
- Add the chopped garlic and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the raw garlic loses its sharp flavor.
- Add the water and tahini and process together until creamy and smooth.
- Add the chickpeas, salt, and cumin and process until smooth. Taste and increase salt, cumin, and lemon juice if you feel necessary until it's just right to you.
- Curry Hummus I also love to add about 1 teaspoon of curry powder for curry hummus (1/2 a jalepeno is yummy in there if you like heat!)!Beet Hummus Process in about a cup of cooked beet (boil it yourself or use canned). This makes delicious and super vibrant humus. Red Pepper Hummus Add 1 cup of roasted red pepper when you blend the chickpeas in. You can buy roasted peppers or roast them yourself and take the skins off.
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