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Creamy Gluten-Free Hummus Recipe (Dairy-Free, Vegan)


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5 from 3 reviews

Description

Learn how to make easy gluten-free hummus for a fraction of the cost of buying it, and the secret trick to making this hummus recipe extra creamy and light. Eat it with crunchy tortilla chips, gluten-free crackers, or our super popular gluten-free naan bread. Dairy-free and vegan too.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas, (see notes below for how to prepare the chickpeas)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup chilled ice water, plus more as needed
  • 1/3 cup tahini paste
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Ground paprika, for garnish
  • Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Soak and Rinse Chickpeas: Cover the cooked chickpeas with hot water and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda and let the chickpeas soak for a couple of minutes.
  2. Peel the Chickpeas: Once they are done soaking, drain and rinse the chickpeas under cold water and rub the chickpeas between the palms of your hands to get the skins off, and remove the skins from the chickpeas.
  3. Blend Chickpeas, Garlic and Salt: Add the peeled chickpeas, minced garlic, and salt in your high-speed blender or food processor, and process until you get a sand-like texture, scraping down the sides as you need. If you use a blender like I did, you may need to process half of chickpeas first and then add the rest a bit of the time. 
  4. Add Tahini, Water, Lemon Juice and Olive Oil: As the blender is running, add the tahini paste, chilled water, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil. (It’s important that you add the liquids as the motor is running so more air is incorporated into the hummus and this creates a lighter, airier texture). If the mixture is still too thick for your liking, add in a little bit more of chilled water at a time until you get a smooth, creamy texture.
  5. Garnish and Serve: Serve this creamy hummus with a generous drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of ground paprika, whole chickpeas, and a handful of fresh chopped parsley. Accompany with tortilla chips or our favorite gluten-free naan bread.

Notes

Chickpeas: If you use dried chickpeas, soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas in water overnight, and then drain the chickpeas the next day. Transfer soaked chickpeas to a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until chickpeas are cooked. If you are using canned chickpeas, drain the chickpeas and then add them to a pot a cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes to soften them a little.

Garlic: The addition of fresh garlic creates extra flavor in the hummus and is an essential ingredient. However, if you prefer a less strong taste, feel free to reduce the number of garlic cloves used, or if you don’t enjoy the taste of garlic at all, leave it out completely.

Chilled Ice Water: Make sure you use chilled water as it will create a creamy, light and fluffy texture for the hummus that will change the way you make it from now on.

Tahini Paste: Tahini paste is what is traditionally used in hummus, but if you don’t have it on hand, you can also make the hummus without tahini (it just won’t be authentic).  In this case, you can swap out the tahini with equal amounts of cashew butter or almond butter, but beware that the taste will be slightly different from traditional hummus.

Lemon Juice: The acidity of the lemon juice adds a pop of freshness to the hummus. For the best taste, I recommend using fresh lemon juice as opposed to bottled lemon juice. 

Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil because it has a stronger flavor that adds more depth to the hummus. Alternatively, you may also use avocado oil if you prefer.

Ground Paprika and Chopped Parsley: I like garnishing the hummus with ground paprika and fresh chopped parsley for a nice pop of color and flavor.

Make Sure to Peel the Chickpeas: Try to remove the skins from chickpeas as much as possible. Even though it will take extra effort and time, trust me, this really is THE trick to creamier hummus.

To Serve: Traditionally hummus is usually served with some sort of flatbread such as pita bread. In our house, however, we eat 100% gluten-free and usually always have a bag of corn tortilla chips around, so we typically accompany the hummus with tortilla chips. You can also eat it with our popular recipe for easy gluten-free naan bread.

Adapted from: The Mediterranean Dish

This recipe was originally published in June 2020, but has since been republished to include clearer instructions and text, as well as ingredient notes and substitutions.

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Category: Appetizers
  • Method: Blender
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern