Lower-Fat Hummus With Yogurt

Hummus and baby carrots
Jamie Grill / Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 2 cups

Hummus can get a bad rap for its high-fat content, most of which comes from the tahini in the spread. Made of ground sesame seeds and oil, tahini lends a smooth texture and signature nutty flavor to the chickpea mash, but also adds calories and fat. This easy hummus recipe, however, replaces most of the traditional tahini with yogurt, making it a tasty lower-fat alternative.

Chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, and yogurt are blended in a food processor until nice and creamy along with just a tablespoon of tahini, which contributes a little of that expected nuttiness. Most yogurt sold is low-fat or fat-free, which means this hummus will have less than half the amount of fat compared to when it's made with all tahini. You can eliminate the tahini altogether, if you prefer, just keep in mind the hummus won't have that familiar earthiness.

You can serve hummus as a dip for vegetables or pita chips, spread it on a sandwich as a protein-boosted condiment, serve alongside falafel, or use it to dress a salad or a bowl of pasta. Once you master the basic recipe, it's easy to customize your hummus by substituting different beans for the chickpeas, or adding different flavors and textures with chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and fresh herbs.

Ingredients

  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and liquid reserved

  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

  • 1 tablespoon tahini

  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt

  • 1 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and yogurt. Blend well. Add the salt and continue blending until smooth and creamy.

  3. If you would like to thin the hummus, add a little of the chickpea liquid, about a teaspoon at a time, until the mixture reaches your desired consistency. You can also mix in warm water or olive oil to loosen the spread even more.

  4. Serve and enjoy.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of regular?

Greek yogurt can be substituted one-for-one with regular yogurt. Because Greek yogurt is strained, it will be thicker and denser than regular yogurt, so you will probably have to thin the hummus with the chickpea liquid or water.

Recipe Variations

  • For a unique flavor, add a teaspoon or so of curry powder, along with a little cumin and turmeric, to the hummus.
  • Add a 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives to the food processor along with the other ingredients. Garnish the hummus with a few chopped olives.
  • Toss in a handful of fresh herbs, such as cilantro or parsley.
  • Add fresh spinach or drained artichoke hearts—or a combination of the two—to the processor along with the other ingredients.
  • Top off the hummus with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of cumin, and some toasted pine nuts.


Nutrition Facts (per serving)
65 Calories
2g Fat
9g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 65
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 353mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 45mg 3%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 87mg 2%
*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.)