Vegan Hummus [Dairy free & Gluten free]

Vegan hummus is so easy to make from scratch - once you try it you will never go back to store bought. This authentic Turkish recipe starts with dried chickpeas for that super creamy texture, and only adds 4 ingredients: tahini, garlic, salt and olive oil for a recipe with just 5-10 minutes of active time cooking.

Why you will love this recipe

• It's easy to make - just soak & boil chickpeas then let your food processor create a super creamy vegan hummus for you
• It's mainly hands-off - it does take a bit of time and planning since you need to soak & cook the chickpeas, but that's all hands-off time
• It's super creamy thanks to the use of dried chickpeas and the chickpea cooking water - it really is worth using dried chickpeas
• It's easy to adjust texture and taste - since you can just taste and test your vegan hummus as you go!

What you need to make it

Ingredient notes

• Dry chickpeas make all the difference - you'll never get the same texture with canned. However, if that's what you have and you need it ready in five minutes... then go for it.
• Chickpea cooking water is another important ingredient to make the hummus super creamy. If you're using canned chickpeas you don't have this - so double the amount of olive oil instead and add cold water as needed to get the texture you want.
• Tahini can be light or dark - I prefer the dark one. I try to find a brand that sounds Middle Eastern, that usually means the tahini is a bit more authentic.
• Olive oil can be switched for a neutral vegetable oil, which gives the same texture without any added taste. Or skip it, your hummus will still be good.
• Garlic - Adjust the amount if you want more or less garlic flavor. This recipe makes a vegan hummus with a bit of garlic flavor, but not too much.
• Fine table salt is added when cooking the chickpeas. If using canned chickpeas - or if you think your hummus needs more salt - feel free to add more when making the hummus.

How to make it

Making a vegan hummus from dried chickpeas is done in three steps: soaking your chickpeas, cooking your chickpeas, and making your hummus. Here I will walk you through all three steps.

How to soak and cook dried chickpeas

1. Place your dry chickpeas in a large bowl and cover generously with water. Cover with something (like a lid, a plate or a piece of plastic) and let sit for at least 12 hours in room temperature.
2. After 12 hours the chickpeas will be a bit swollen and the water will be a bit foamy.
3. Drain the chickpeas.
4. Then place them in a large pot, cover generously with fresh water and add the salt. Boil for 30-45 minutes. Test the chickpeas by picking one up and smashing it with a fork. When it smashes easily they're done. It won't hurt to overcook them, so if in doubt - let them cook a bit longer. Then bring the pot from the heat, and set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes.

How to make hummus

5. When you chickpeas have cooled for at least 30 minutes, drain the water but do not throw the water away - you will need it to make the hummus.
6. Place the cooked chickpeas in a food processor.
7. Add the tahini and peeled garlic cloves.
8. Cover and mix for about a minute.

9. Remove the lid and use a spoon to mix it up a bit if needed.
10. Add about half of the chickpea cooking liquid stated in the recipe.
11. Add olive oil.
12. Cover and mix again, for about a minute.

13. Use a spoon to mix up the hummus and test the consistency. Feel free to taste test as well to see if you want to add more salt, garlic, tahini or olive oil.
14. Add more cooking liquid as needed.
15. Cover and mix again for about 30 seconds.
16. Repeat step 13-15 until you're happy with taste & consistency - and then you're done!

How to serve it

You can serve your vegan hummus whichever way you like - many people just pour it in a bowl and that's that. But below I will teach you how to serve it in a pretty traditional Middle Eastern way - on top of a plate, with some added olive oil and chili flakes. Perfect for a meze party!

1. Bring out a pretty plate and place your hummus on top of it. Then, using a regular spoon, create ridges in the hummus in a spiral pattern. Do this by pressing the back side of a spoon lightly into the hummus, starting at the middle of the plate and circling out.
2. This is what the hummus should look like when you're done.
3. Carefully pour some olive oil into the ridges.
4. Top with chili flakes (optional).

Tips & tricks

• Soak and cook chickpeas for more than one batch at once, and then freeze the leftover chickpeas together with some of the cooking water. The next time you want to make hummus, just bring out a bag of chickpeas the night before and let it thaw slowly in the fridge.
• If you don't have a food processor you can make this using a handheld immersion blender or a regular blender instead
• Adjust the consistency by adding more or less cooking liquid
• Adjust the taste by adjusting the amount of garlic, olive oil, tahini and salt
• Use a small cream jug for the olive oil to make pouring it slowly on top of the hummus much easier
• For a less spicy topping, use a less-spicy type of chili flakes (like Aleppo chili flakes*) or use a fresh or dried herb like parsley or mint instead
• Leftover chickpea cooking water can be used as a vegan egg substitute in many recipes that call for eggs, for example when making cookies, meringue and mayonnaise.

Recipe FAQ

How to eat it

This vegan hummus is great for any meal of the day! Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:

• For breakfast on top of a piece of bread, maybe topped with a few slices of avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, Feta cheese or some chili flakes
• For lunch as a topping for salads - even better when paired with tapenade
• For dinner as a side for most proteins - especially lamb, chicken and falafel
• As an appetizer either on its own or as part of a meze platter together with a spicy acili ezme. Serve with strips of pita bread, Turkish Overnight Bread, or other white bread for the ultimate dipping experience.
• For a snack with veggies to dip in it

More amazing mezes

Love mezes you can dip your bread in or spread on top of a sandwich? Then have a look at this amazing options:

• Smoked Salmon Pâté
• Vegan Tapenade
• Acili Ezme
• Whipped Feta Cheese (Tyrosalata)

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