Rebecca Baron 80 Comments
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This is the best classic, smooth Clean Eating hummus without tahini recipe. There is one simple, easy secret to making nice smooth hummus and I explain what it is. Hummus is super-healthy, easy to make, and full of flavor.
I pretty much eat hummus all the time. It is one of my favorite things to eat for part of my lunches. It is great to go with The Best Healthy Clean Eating Spelt Pita Bread Recipe or veggies, such as carrots or peas or my Easy, 4-Ingredient Spelt Tortillas Recipe. Our smooth hummus recipe has a lot of flavors and is very smooth and doesn't have an odd texture to it. Most of my children love hummus too and they love to eat vegetables with it.
For those of you who have not met Hummus yet, let me tell introduce you. Hummus is a traditional Middle-Eastern dip comprised mostly of heart-healthy garbanzo beans. You can find hummus in many different flavors: horseradish; roasted pepper; curried; black bean; roasted eggplant; as well as many others. Hummus can be used as a dip, on sandwiches, and as a topping. I could go on and on about it!
You can get garbanzo beans either in dried form or in a can. I prefer the canned beans since they are ready to use. It is very easy to find these beans in an organic variety, so if you are going for organic eating, this one is for you.
A traditional hummus is made with tahini (ground sesame seed paste) but I never seem to have any just hanging around the house and I don't particularly like the taste of tahini. Don't worry if you do not have any at home, you can make a fantastic hummus without it!
After you master the traditional hummus, feel free to play with your recipe to create some amazing hummus spreads (my favorite has to be horseradish or maybe roasted red pepper. I can't decide . . .)!It will only take you about 5 minutes to make this amazing dip!
And you never know who will like hummus. Our two little girls love it. When I first started eating it, I never even thought to offer it to them. It doesn't seem like something a kid would like. Then they started stealing my baby carrots and dipping it in my hummus and eating it and loving it. Now I have to get some for them every time I make some for me (as long as it's not too spicy).
FAQ
How do I make hummus smooth?
The secret to a perfectly smooth hummus is peeling the skins of the chickpeas off. It is definitely time-consuming but makes a HUGE difference.
If you hold each chickpea between two fingers and pinch it a little, the skins will sort of just pop off. It adds about an extra 8-10 minutes to the prep time, but I think it's worth it.
You can make the hummus with the skins on, but it will not have the same smooth texture. Besides, my kids think it's fun when they pop out of the skins and they like to do it.
What can I use as a substitute for tahini?
Tahini is a butter made out of sesame seeds. The recipe below substitutes peanut butter but any nut butter would probably work fine, but I haven't tried them so I can't say for sure.
Some people just replace it with ground cumin and olive oil. I made this recipe and just left out the tahini, I didn't replace it with the peanut butter but I did put extra cumin and olive oil in it and it tasted fine. It won't taste the same for sure, it had a very mild plain flavor.
What should I serve with this?
You can serve it with veggies, homemade tortillas, crackers, and flatbread. If often eat hummus for lunch, either a big bowl with some carrots and maybe some crackers as my meal.
Or I really like to use it in place of mayo. on sandwiches or wraps. It's healthier and I really like the flavor, especially if your sandwich has some Mediterranean flavors on it.
How do I add extra flavor?
This is extra good with roasted red pepper on top. Just bake a red pepper until it's charred on the outside and soft inside, then put it in a bowl with a lid on it, or plastic wrap over it or in a bag - just some way to steam it.
Do that for about 10 minutes or so and then the skins come right off. Then just throw it in a food processor or blender. It's so good and flavorful and not spicy at all and compliments the garlic in the hummus really well.
Trust me. Now that I've tried it with the red pepper, I'm never going to eat it plain again. You can see me showing how to make the sauce in the video above.
You can also add jalapeno, sun-dried tomatoes, curry seasoning, green olives, red pepper seasoning or cucumber and dill.
Or add things on top - like pine nuts, caramelized onions or blended roasted red peppers.
Why Is hummus so healthy?
Hummus is made up mostly of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) which are often called the most nutritious food in the world. Garbanzo beans are loaded with fiber, which is helpful for proper digestion and proper digestion helps to boost your immune system and prevent diseases.
A half-cup of garbanzo beans has about 143 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, and 6 grams of muscle-boosting protein. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber with about 5 grams in a half-cup serving. They are also nutrient-dense; packing magnesium, potassium, and iron! You get all of these benefits in the virtual cholesterol and trans-fat-free garbanzo bean!
Why do they put tahini in hummus?
Tahini is very tasty to some people and gives the hummus and extra nutty flavor.
Is tahini good for you?
Tahini contains more protein than most nuts and milk. It is rich in B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, and iron. So yes, I would say it's good for you.
Can you use sesame seeds instead of tahini?
Yes, you can. Just sub peanut butter and cumin like the recipe below mentions and you won't even miss it!
Hummus is a healthy and delicious snack - not to mention very easy and quick to make. These are all things I look for in a great snack. That is probably why I consume so much of it. 🙂 What do you enjoy eating with hummus? I would love to hear how I can make it more versatile. Comment below.
You may enjoy this Quick and Easy Einkorn and Spelt Naan Recipeto go with your Classic Clean Eating Smooth Hummus Recipe.
Recipe
Best Classic, Smooth Clean Eating Hummus Without Tahini Recipe
★★★★★5 from 41 reviews
- Author: Rebecca Baron
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Clean Eating
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Description
The secret to a perfectly smooth hummus is peeling the skins of the chickpeas off. It is definitely time consuming, but makes a HUGE difference. If you hold each chickpea between two fingers and pinch it a little, the skins will sort of just pop off. it adds about an extra 8-10 minutes to the prep time, but I think it's worth it. You can make the hummus with the skins on, but it will not have the same smooth texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 15 oz Can Chickpeas (skins removed (Garbanzo beans))
- ⅓ Cup Tahini Paste * (or substitute 2 Tbl. peanut butter and ⅛ tsp. of cumin)
- Juice of half a large Lemon
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- ⅛ tsp Cumin
- 1 t Real Salt *
- 3-4 T Water (or reserved liquid from chickpeas)
- Olive oil (for garnish)
- Paprika (for garnish)
- Chopped Parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients(except for water) in the bowl of a food processor. Process until very smooth, at least 1 minute. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process until desired thinness is achieved. Check seasonings and add more salt if desired.
- Spoon Hummus into a bowl. Drizzle the top with olive oil and sprinkle a few dashes of paprika and a few pinches of parsley on top.
- Optional toppings or mix-ins - roasted red pepper, horseradish, sun-dried tomato, roasted garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, cucumber, avocado, cayenne pepper or paprika
- Keep refrigerated.
Keywords: Smooth, Classic, Easy, Healthy
You may also like...
- Clean Eating Lunch Ideas
- Easy, 4-Ingredient Spelt Tortillas Recipe
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Recipe
Reader Interactions
Comments
Katie H.
Added a tbsp of Epicure roasted garlic hummus seasoning & it is the bomb!
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Angie C.
I love it!
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Abril Salas
Great snack!
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Stephanie Hostetler
I substituted almond butter and I thought the flavor was a little weird. The texture was awesome though!
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Rebecca Baron
I'm glad you liked the texture but it isn't a good idea to make substitutions to my recipes if you want them to taste good.
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Jamie
Thank you for posting recipe.
Although I have to say a lot of the other comments referred to different substitutions or additions made that they liked and thought tasted good. So that isn’t really entirely fair to say lol
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r@mmi kumari
My favorite!
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Teri N
I don't like cumin and used chili powder and smoked paprika. Very good.
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Daniel C
Great!
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Shannon Honeycutt
Love this recipe!
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Kremlen A
I added more cilantro. Therefore, giving it more of a lime color. Came out great.
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Michelle
Made it with toasted sesame oil, olive oil, everything bagel seasoning, sprinkled along with minced garlic & red pepper flakes & lemon. Yummy!
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Vivian H
I love it!
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Anita
The best hummus I've ever made! I will cut down a little bit on the salt - I use HP so it's stronger - but otherwise, WOW!! Thanks.
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Rebecca
I'm glad you like it. Thanks for commenting!
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Katie Ellis
Smoked paprika on the top is so good!
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Becky W.
This was delicious!
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Rebecca
Good to hear. Thanks for commenting!
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Cheryl Floyd
DELISH!! I doubled the recipe. I also added chipotle chili pepper; smokey with a little kick. I didn’t remove skins either.
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Amber Coffey
I did not remove the skins as I like a little more texture. Best hummus I have ever had. Next day I had half left and added a mashed avocado, juice from 1 lime and some cilantro.
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Barbara McKeithan
I was too lazy to peel the skins off the chickpeas, but it is delicious. I added some roasted red pepper. So good!
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karen A
Best hummus I’ve had! So easy to make. I added the roasted red pepper and some Siracha sauce - awesome!!!
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Angel Rodrigo
My favorite roasted red pepper hummus. Very smooth
★★★★★
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Lidija P
Beautiful smoothness and fluffiness! Definitely needs pilling, but worth it! Added dried tomatoes and smoked paprika!
★★★★★
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Megan Macdonald
Was delicious and so easy
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Amy Cole
First time making hummus. It was great! I did double the garlic, because I’m the kind of person that believes you can never have enough garlic. I made it as part of a lunch meal prep. I will make this again!
★★★★★
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Haley Stocker
This recipe is my new fav! The family loved it and I used the almond butter instead of the tahini 😃
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Alicia Hernandez
I loved it!! It’s so creamy, and easy to make
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Tamara K
Delicious!
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Rachel
Sooooo good.
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Maria Ellis
Just made this! It is really good! Is a serving 1 Tbsp.?
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Rebecca
There are 8 servings in the recipe, so however much 1/8th of the recipe is would be the serving size.
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Mags
Hi is there an alternative to the cumin I'm not a big cumin fan
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Rebecca
The cumin is part of what gives it the tahini-type flavor. If you don't like that flavor, you can just leave it out. It will be quite bland though. I would make up for that with one of the optional mix ins I mention in step 4 of the recipe.
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Madison
Made it exactly to the recipe. Some of the best hummus I've ever had!
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Raemi Wilchynski
Delicious recipe!
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Emily Stone
I just made this and it was very easy. I had to use my blender and after much trial, figured that only on it's lowest setting would it actually move/blend the mixture. I made the fatal (to me) mistake of using green pepper infused EVOO and the hummus is so hot I can barely eat it, but I know my husband - who can handle spicy things - will love it. I will definitely make this again (mild)!!
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PorterPaws
Made this and it turned out amazing. Going on my list of favourite things!
★★★★★
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Rebecca
So good to hear! My favorite thing to add flavor is putting roasted red peppers in the food processor for a few seconds. So. good.
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Linda
Just made this to serve over brown rice & steamed veggies for dinner... oh my... hands down best hummus recipe I've ever tried! And yes, the skins were time consuming to remove, but wow it came out silky smooth, just like you would get at a restaurant.
A couple of subs I made since I didn't have some of the ingredients on hand... I used 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar instead of the lemon juice, light sesame oil instead of olive oil, and smoked paprika sprinkled on top.
★★★★★
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Rebecca
Thanks for the comment and the suggestions!
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Ashley
I do think peeling the chickpeas makes a difference, however i get lazy with it. If i'm making a dessert hummus I'll definitely do it because it takes away some of the bitterness of the chickpeas and that's what you want for a sweet hummus. Occasionally I'll put in the work for regular hummus if I'm really feeling like making it spectacular or if I have a lot of time on my hands - I'll just jam out to some music or listen to a podcast while I peel the chickpeas.
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Rebecca
Yep. Sounds about like what I do!
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Susan
Have been searching for months for a Tahini free recipe for Hummus; can't wait to try this out
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Rebecca
I'm glad you found us. Please let me know if you try the recipe and like it.
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VM
I add tons of great flavor to my hummus by using infused olive oils like basil, oregano, garlic and sun-dried tomato in place of the plain olive oil.
Then add a little on top to really complete the flavor combo.
Works great with spicy red pepper infused olive oil for a little kick!★★★★★
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Rebecca
Thanks for the suggestion! I'm sure it will help other people.
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Sarah Ann
I love hummus and I can't wait to try this! I have made and loved many of your recipes and am following you now so I don't miss a minute of your great site!
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Theresa @DearCreatives
I love making homemade hummus. Looks yummy! Hope your having a great week! Pinned & shared. Hope to see you again soon.
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Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom
I love hummus! This sounds and looks fabulous!
Wishing you a lovely week!
xoxoReply
Diane
This hummus recipe looks so pretty! I'll bet it tastes great too. I'm thinking ai might have to whip up a batch!
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Kristen from The Road to Domestication
Ooo! So smooth and creamy! Love it!
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Diane
Smooth and creamy. I would add half the salt.
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Rebecca
If you're using regular salt, you will find most of my recipes to be too salt, but I tend to use more Real Salt because it's not as salty. It has more of a sweet, "real" taste and really just brings out the flavor of the food without making it salty. I highly recommend trying it if you haven't already.
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Nibbles By Nic
Without a doubt one of our favorites too.
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Kyla @HouseOfHipsters
Oh I just absolutely love your recipes and this one does not disappoint. It's easy and delicious and good for my family!
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Kearsten
What type of processor do you have? I am scared to buy one that doesnt work?
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Jessy @ The Life Jolie
This looks delicious! I love hummus but have never actually made it. I'll have to try this recipe, thank you for sharing!
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Travel Animal Doctor
Yum!!! This looks delicious. I like the prep time!
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Jennie @ TheHousewifeModern
Excellent idea! I wouldn't have thought of removing the skins...but would probably we worth the effort.
p.s. Planning on going to check out your Pinterest page right now.Reply
Johan
I was looking for a hummus recipe as it is not really something I know or ever tried to make. This recipe looks easy and very tasty, will certainly give it a try! Just 1 question, how long will it stay fresh? and how should I store it?
★★★★★
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Rebecca
It will stay fresh for a week or so in the fridge.
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Johan
Thanks, Rebecca. I tried the recipe tonight...... super easy to make and incredibly tasty!!
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Rebecca
Hooray! We make it a lot too. We also like to throw in a roasted red pepper sometimes and then it's even better.
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Birdiebee
I have tried your recipe and it is wonderful. Thank you for sharing it.
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Birdiebee
I am such a fan of Hummus and have to eat foods high in fiber. This sounds like such a great recipe. Thank you for sharing.
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Rebecca
You're welcome. Thanks for stopping by!
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Sarah L
I've never made it with peanut butter, but I can see where it would be good that way. I like roasted red peppers in mine.
★★★★★
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Birdiebee
I love hummus. This recipe looks easy and wonderful.
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sheila miller
Never have been a fan of hummus ~ BUT, now I can truthfully say, this was delicious! Who knew you should take the husk/peeling/shell off of the garbanzo bean???? Well, it took about 8 mins to do the whole can, but it was well worth the time spent! I added Peruvian Lime Olive Oil, sea salt and a dab of horseradish. I figured if it had some of the things I really liked in it, then it might taste better...it did!!! For lunch I had it with red pepper, granny smith apple slices and carrots, plus Sea-salt and Black Cracked Pepper Rice Thins! Fully satisfied and can't wait to make it and take it to an event this Saturday!!! I love your site too! Thanks.
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Pamela S
Just the thing for when I run out of tahini! Thank you!
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Tempe
I make humus with garbanzo beans, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, pickled roasted red peppers, red pepper flakes and PB2. I use 1 TBSP of PB2 and a 2 TBSPs of Olive oil. PB2 is dehydrated peanut butter with 75% less fat. It's fabulous and for those peanut butter lovers out there, it's the cat's meow :-). PB2 can be found in the natural/whole foods section of stores like Kroger.
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Rebecca
Sounds great! I'll have to try that.
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MISSY MARIE
I have made my own hummus and used Tahini. Peanut Butter? Wow,sounds interesting. I love PB just never thought of adding it to hummus. Thanks for the great tip:)
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Diana
Thank you, I love hummus and have wanted yo make my own but can never find tahini.
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Melanie Cruger
I found tahini in the Asian food section of local shop rite.Its in the same isle with salsa and Japanese cooking stuff.hope that helps
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Bragan
I love hummus and tahini, but this sounds yummy too!
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Jana
I'm glad to find a hummus recipe that does not require tahini! I don't always have easy access to buying tahini, so this will be a life-saver! Thanks!!
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Rebecca
Plus, I personally don't like the taste of Tahini so I'm glad we could help you out!
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JustAHintofVintage
Skip the tahinni and use the peanut butter substitute and added 1/4 cup roasted sesame seeds. No need to peel the fiber casings of the beans either. Used a blender for my spread. Worked beautifully and is very tasty!
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