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A simple way to eat more vegetables is to add in a dip. Yet not all dips are created the same! I need my snacks to be filling as well as delicious, so I pair my carrot sticks and bell peppers with this homemade hummus recipe. It’s got healthy fat, which works with veggies to fuel me through the day. Plus, a healthy hummus recipe can be used in so many different ways!
I obviously use hummus as a dip with fresh veggies. Yet I also use it as a spread on a good piece of ciabatta bread piled with grilled vegetables. It works great on vegan pizza crust, lettuce wraps, or in a rice bowl. I love using it as a dip for a charcuterie board as well or in a layered Greek dip.
Table of Contents
Simply Healthy Hummus Recipe
Create a flavorful snack in just 5 minutes; are you ready?!
- Place the chickpeas into a food processor or blender, then pulse to chop.
- Add the remaining ingredients, process or blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed. If you choose one of the variations I suggest below, then add those ingredients in at this step as well.
- Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with a little more paprika.
If you wanna keep this homemade hummus super easy, then baby carrots, pre-cut celery or those adorable baby sweet peppers make great additions. Publix has a whole section of pre-cut vegetables I love grabbing if I need a snack while shopping.
Don’t forget to leave a comment and let me know how this turned out for you! What fun ingredients did you add?
Homemade hummus FAQs
No! Our bodies need healthy fat and protein to thrive, which hummus provides in a delicious package. My homemade hummus recipe is made from 100% real plant ingredients with no weird additives. You can customize it to your taste preferences and turn this into a weekly snack recipe.
Tahini is sesame seeds ground into a paste. If you need a swap, then I suggest using cashew butter or almond butter. Sunbutter is also a great alternative. Make sure whatever nut butter you choose is super smooth.
It definitely can be. Homemade hummus is actually pretty quick to make (my recipe takes 5 minutes!) and you know exactly what’s in it. Store bought brands often contain additives, preservatives, and flavor enhancers that aren’t whole food ingredients. Always read labels when buying from the store, so you know what you’re putting in your body.
4 Easy Variations
I love how this homemade hummus recipe can be the base of a few different taste variations. Feel free to doctor this up! I love the following options (add in step 2):
- Roasted Red Pepper – add 1/2 roasted red pepper (jarred or fresh), 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon paprika
- Pesto – add 1/4 cup pesto
- Artichoke and Spinach – add 1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained, and 1/4 cup spinach
- Sun-dried Tomato – add 1/2 cup softened sun-dried tomatoes plus 1 teaspoon dried basil
I’m all about snacks that I can easily change based on what’s in my pantry. If you’ve got a fav store bought brand with certain ingredients, then use this recipe as the base to recreate your preferred version at home.
Hummus origins
It’s safe to say hummus originated in the Middle East… yet many different countries lay claim to inventing this savory snack. Though it’s not certain exactly where and when this snack was created, we agree that traditional hummus contains chickpeas, tahini, garlic and lemon. And depending on where you try it, the combination of these ingredients, amounts and local flavors create a unique dish every time.
Healthy Snacks To-Go
Snacking is a way of life for many people. Instead of 3 large meals a day, many Americans eat smaller ‘meals’ throughout the day. Yet have you ever noticed that you eat a snack, feel satisfied, then 30 minutes later you’re just as hungry as you were before the snack? I make sure my snacks are balanced with protein, healthy fat, and whole food carbs so that my body can breakdown, then use that snack as energy.
A few tips— When I eat a granola bar, I often top it with almond butter for healthy fat. My smoothies are boosted with homemade protein powder to provide healthy fat + protein. I often combine 2 snacks to ensure I get a good balance of macros and fill up :-).
- Zucchini bread
- Granola bars
- Yogurt parfait
- Protein bars
- Tamari almonds
- Avocado caprese salad
- Chia pudding
- Tofu nuggets
Make snacking fun + filling. Use the snacks like this healthy hummus recipe to fuel your body the right way, then chase your passions. You’ll notice a big difference in your energy, conquering the dreaded ‘mid-day slump’ without caffeine, and sleeping better when you are constantly refueling with foods that help you instead of harm you.
Homemade Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp lemon juiced
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 2-4 tbsp tahini to taste
- ½ tsp sea salt, unrefined
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- ⅛ tsp smoked paprika
- everything bagel sprinkle optional
- fresh vegetables of your choice: carrots, bell peppers, radishes, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
Instructions
- Place chickpeas into a food processor or blender then pulse to chop.
- Add the remaining ingredients and process or blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning
Equipment
Notes
- Roasted red pepper- add 1/2 roasted red pepper (jarred or fresh), 1 tsp chili powder, and 1 tsp paprika in step 2.
- Pesto- add 1/4 cup pesto in step 2.
- Artichoke and spinach- add 1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained, and 1/4 cup spinach in step 2.
- Sun-dried Tomato- add 1/2 cup softened sun-dried tomatoes plus 1 tsp dried basil in step 2.
- Tahini can be a little bitter or strongly flavored. Start with 2 tbsps and add more to taste.
- Freeze hummus in 1/4 or 1/2 cup portions and take out + thaw a bit before enjoying.
- Swap tahini with a nut or seed butter of your choice. Note that this will change the flavor/consistency slightly depending on what you use.
I am wondering why the herb hummus recipe is no longer available. My family and I thought it was AMAZING and I can’t find anything similar on the internet.
Love this hummus. Definitely making it again n again. It’s football weekend great healthy snack.
This sounds good, but I have 3 questions: First of all, except for end of summer in Denver, I never see fresh dill in the stores. Second, I REALLY don’t like cilantro. Could I use all parsley? How do you measure a cup of fresh herbs? Packed? Loose? Is there an equivalent weight?
Hey Marsha,
If you don’t have fresh dill you can use dried dill. Yes, if you do not like cilantro you can leave that part out completely. For the measurement we do not have a weight. We usually suggest a handful as a cup or loosely pack it into a measuring cup.
Hope that helps!
???? What recipe is this referring to???? As written above this hummus recipe does NOT have fresh dill or cilantro in it. ????? What am I missing ?????
Good catch, Carolyn! This recipe is an update from the original, which contained those ingredients. Hope you enjoy the new formula! 🙂