No-Tahini Hummus

By
Saad Fayed
Saad Fayed
A restaurateur and food writer, Saad Fayed has published hundreds of recipes and articles about Middle Eastern cuisine.
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Updated on 03/7/24
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Traditional Middle Eastern hummus, a creamy and garlicky garbanzo-based spread, is always made with tahini, a paste resulting from grinding sesame seeds. The paste has a wonderful nutty flavor but also a touch of bitterness that is not very attractive to some. Because sesame is also a common allergen that many have to avoid, why not make a delicious hummus without it? Equally luscious and filling, our no-tahini hummus has the best of the flavors of typical hummus and a rich texture, but is allergy-friendly, easy to make, and way less caloric. Most recipes use 4 tablespoons of tahini per can of garbanzo beans, which results in 356 added calories in the recipe.

Our recipe for no-tahini hummus uses only olive oil and very few ingredients, so the quality of the oil is very important. Use organic beans in water and fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.

Hummus is the Arabic term for chickpea and the dish is a common staple on tables across the Middle East. Chickpeas, as they are commonly known in the United States, provide hummus with great nutritional value. In our recipe, you get 16 grams of protein from one can of chickpeas. Great as a dip with pita bread, tortilla chips, salty crackers, or raw vegetables, hummus is a very versatile ingredient as it can also be used on sandwiches, wraps, falafel, or vegan burgers.

Hummus in a bowl drizzled with olive oil, on a plate with cut up vegetables and crackers

The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo
What You'll Need to Make This No-Tahini Hummus Recipe
A Good Colander
A Handy Dandy Citrus Juicer
A Zippy Food Processor

Ingredients

  • 1 (15.5-ounces) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for no-tahini hummus recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  2. In a food processor, blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

    Smooth hummus in a food processor with a blade

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  3. Serve immediately with your favorite accompaniments.

    Hummus in a bowl on a plate with cut up vegetables and crackers

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

How Do I Serve Hummus?

It's common to place hummus in a bowl drizzled with a generous amount of olive oil and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes. Other toppings can include toasted pine nuts, roasted chickpeas, smoked paprika, chives, chopped parsley, or sumac. But any herb you find attractive will go well with hummus, and our recipe is a great base for you to experiment with to find which seasonings you like the most.

Other Flavors for Hummus

If you frequent Middle Eastern restaurants and eat their hummus, you've likely discovered that the taste varies from place to place. Some recipes have a stronger lemon flavor, others have a more pronounced garlic flavor, and some are distinctly spicier. Ingredients and amounts in hummus aren't set in stone and depend on the cook's preferences and traditions. When making your own hummus, you have to keep your own tastes in mind:

  • Replace the olive oil with any nut butter, such as almond or cashew. Or for an allergy-friendly option, try sunflower butter. Because these butters tend to be very dense, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth or water at a time until you've achieved your preferred texture.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder or 1 clove of garlic for a kick.
  • Add fresh herbs when blending, or to top the finished hummus. To make a pretty and tasty green hummus, steam 2 cups of baby spinach leaves in the microwave and add them to the food processor. Additionally, add 3/4 cup of cilantro leaves and adjust the salt and pepper after blending everything together.
  • Add 8 to 10 rehydrated sundried tomatoes into the food processor to make a red hummus. Top with chopped roasted red peppers and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
191 Calories
15g Fat
12g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 191
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 84mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 28mg 2%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 141mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Tahini. FoodData Central. United States Department of Agriculture.

  2. Chickpeas, Canned. FoodData Central. United States Department of Agriculture.