Easy Hummus without Garlic

Name: Easy Hummus without Garlic
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas ((15 oz can)); ⅓ cup runny tahini; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed ((or more to taste)); ½ tsp garlic powder ((optional, for depth of flavor)); ¼ tsp salt ((or more to taste)); Freshly cracked black pepper; 3-4 tbps ice cold water; 1 ½ tsp lemon zest; ⅓ cup dill, chopped

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This Hummus without Garlic is bright, zesty, and easy to make! It comes together in just 5 minutes, and is naturally vegan and gluten-free!

Hummus without garlic in a white bowl served with fresh vegetable and pita chips on the side.

Once you make your own homemade hummus, you can't look at store-bought hummus the same way. Making it at home tastes SO much better, and luckily, it's super easy as well!

This garlic-free hummus is made with just 8 healthy ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right now!

Perfect to make for meal prep and to serve as a healthy snack. It goes well with pita bread, homemade bagels with onion, and fresh vegetables like raw carrots and celery.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
How to Make Hummus without Garlic
Expert Tips
FAQs
Optional Add-ins
Serving Suggestions
Storage
More Dips to Try
📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

A healthy recipe packed with plant-based protein.
Easy to make with simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry.
Customizable and versatile! You can add as much or as little spices as you want.
This easy hummus recipe tastes a million times better than any store-bought brand.

Ingredients

Chickpeas: This is the main ingredient used to make traditional hummus. I like to use canned chickpeas to make this recipe easier and faster. Make sure to rinse them well after opening the can.
Tahini: This is basically a sesame paste and Is available in any big grocery store. It's important to use high-quality tahini that is creamy and not bitter!
Extra virgin olive oil: A little bit of olive oil gives body to the hummus and makes it luscious and creamy!
Lemon juice: You'll need a little bit of fresh lemon juice to add tanginess and freshness.
Lemon zest: When you're zesting your lemons, zest the yellow part only. The white part is bitter and doesn't taste good.
Spices: You'll need salt, black pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder for a depth of flour, and optionally, ground cumin.
Dill and lemon zest: They're optional, but I like to use them to make a herby and lemony hummus.
Ice cubes and cold water: This is what will give the hummus a creamy texture.

How to Make Hummus without Garlic

Start by adding chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, spices, and ice cubes to the bowl of a food processor.

Blend for 3-4 minutes, until you have a smooth paste. Start by adding ice-cold water gradually, until smooth and creamy.

Chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices in a food processor.

Hummus witout garlic in a food processor.

Add the lemon zest and chopped dill (optional). Pulse a few times until just combined and you're ready!

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top if desired!

Chopped dill and lemon zest in a food processor bowl filled with hummus.

Lemon and dill hummus in a food processor bowl.

Expert Tips

If you have the time, remove some of the chickpea skins. You don't have to spend much time, but I do recommend removing as many as you can. This makes a big difference when making this hummus without garlic.
Use good-quality tahini. Tahini is one of the main ingredients and it can make or break your hummus. Use a tahini that you love, one that is not bitter.
Use ice cubes. I don't the nitty-gritty behind why this helps, but it's a matter of fact that using ice cubes makes the best hummus.
Adjust the taste as you go. If you feel like your hummus is lacking something, try adding some more lemon juice or salt to taste.
If you're looking to save money, instead of using a can of chickpeas, you can cook your own dry chickpeas from scratch. If you have a pressure cooker or an instant pot, they can make preparing beans from scratch very easy.
If you don't have a food processor or a high-speed blender, you can use an immersion blender and add all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl instead.

FAQs

Why is my hummus without garlic bitter?

This may be because your tahini is bitter, or you've used the white part of the lemon when zesting. As mentioned above, use high-quality tahini for the best results!

Can I make it oil-free?

Yes, you can replace the oil with the same amount of ice-cold water and you'll still have a creamy hummus!

Can you freeze it?

I have never tried freezing hummus and I don't recommend it. I think it will change the texture quite a bit.

A wooden board with vegetables, a bowl of hummus without garlic and pita chips.

Optional Add-ins

The best part about making hummus without garlic at home is that you get to add anything you want!

Roasted red peppers: You can add a jar of roasted red peppers to the hummus to give it a smoky flavor and a pop of color.
Paprika: Add up to ½ teaspoon of sweet or smoked paprika for more flavor.
Red chili flakes: If you like your food spicy, you can add a dash of red pepper flakes.
Sun-dried tomatoes: I like to use a couple of sun-dried tomatoes that have been soaked in oil, drain them and blend them with the rest of the ingredients.
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: Now, if you want to make one delicious hummus, I highly suggest adding 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Olives: You can stir ⅓ cup of chopped green olives at the end.

Serving Suggestions

We love serving it with tortilla chips, air fryer pita chips, homemade vegan naan, and fresh or roasted veggies like these roasted Brussels sprouts or salad kabobs.

You can put it on sandwiches, and vegan flour tortillas or serve it as a side dish next to Five Guys cajun fries and air fryer smashed potatoes.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 6 days!