Oil-Free Hummus

This is an oil-free hummus that’s quick, easy, naturally vegan, and gluten-free.  It’s not a fat-free recipe, it uses tahini which gives hummus its distinct flavor. 

Since the majority of the flavor comes from tahini, I would recommend using good-quality tahini.  To get smoother hummus without oil, I use aquafaba (chickpea liquid) and ice-cold water.  The aquafaba helps to give the hummus a fluffy and creamy texture. 

This no-oil hummus recipe is very adaptable.  Don’t like cumin?  Don’t add it.  Prefer more lemon?  Add more lemon.  Hummus works great as a sandwich spread, as well as a dip for veggies, pitas, or crackers.

To get a smooth hummus, a lot of recipes call for cooking chickpeas from scratch for a little longer than you normally would with a little baking soda and removing the skins for a smoother consistency.  You can even boil canned chickpeas for about 15 minutes with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, which makes the chickpeas so soft they create a smoother consistency.  

I’m not personally bothered by my oil-free hummus not being perfectly smooth and would rather use my time somewhere else.  Especially when I make it often!  I know if there’s hummus in the fridge my husband and kiddo will snack on more vegetables.

For more ways to use leftover tahini, try creamy tahini soba noodles, smoky tahini dressing, or lemon herb tahini.  

How to Make No-Oil Hummus

To get ice-cold water, place a bowl of water in the freezer for about 10 minutes or add ice cubes to a bowl of water and let it get cold before starting the recipe.

Drain chickpeas and save the liquid (aquafaba). Add garlic to a food processor or high-speed blender and mince until finely chopped.

Add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and cumin to the garlic and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Once smooth and while the food processor (or high-speed blender) is on, add aquafaba and then the cold water.  Keep adding cold water by the tablespoon until you reach your desired consistency.

Then taste and adjust for personal preference, more lemon, tahini, salt, or garlic.

Tips for Oil-Free Hummus

• Drain the chickpeas and save the liquid (aquafaba).  The liquid will help create a fluffier hummus.
• If you use aquafaba often, the leftovers can be frozen in ice trays.  Once frozen, pop them out of the tray into a freezer-safe container.
• For cold water, I fill a small bowl with water and place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before starting the recipe.  To keep it cold when you pull it out of the freezer, place a couple of ice cubes in it or wait to pull it out of the freezer right before using it.
• How much cold water you’ll need will depend on how thin or thick you like your hummus.
• Stir your tahini before measuring, sometimes there will be oil separation and the bottom of the container will be a little drier than the rest.
• Fresh garlic can be a bit harsh if you’d like to mellow the flavor slice or dice the garlic and let it sit in the lemon juice for about 15 minutes.  Then add the lemon juice and garlic to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients.
• If you have a high-speed blender, it creates a smoother hummus than a food processor does.  I did have to stop my high-speed blender frequently for air bubbles, then once the liquid was added I could get a much smoother hummus.

Storing Plant-Based Hummus

Store oil-free hummus in an air-tight container for about a week in the refrigerator.

How to Serve

• As a dip for crackers, pita, or veggies
• Use it as a sauce for pasta
• A dressing for Buddha bowls
• A spread on sandwiches or wraps
• On vegan toast or bagels
• Thin it out with a smidge of water and use it as a salad dressing

More Oil-Free Vegan Dips

• Vegan nacho cheese
• Guacamole
• Pico de Gallo
• Curry chickpea salad
• Peanut dipping sauce
• Vegan honey mustard
• Buffalo chickpea dip
• Lemon herb tahini sauce

I hope you enjoy this recipe for vegan oil-free hummus with tahini!

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