Lemon Garlic Hummus
Lemon Garlic Hummus- Made with just 6 ingredients, this vegan friendly hummus is bursting with bright lemon and savory garlic flavor. Perfect as an appetizer or a spread for sandwiches!
I’ve been on a lemon kick lately. The bright yellow color and clean refreshing scent is perfect for springtime.
I’ve also been on a hummus kick for as long as I can remember because I love how creamy and versatile it is. You can put it on a sandwich, eat is as a dip, or even use it for salad dressing.
OK, I guess it might be a little thick for salad dressing, but if you’re like me and forget to pack salad dressing with your lunch, you improvise…with hummus…and lots of violent shaking of your salad container to try and get said hummus to spread out evenly.
I first tried lemon hummus back when we lived in California and since then it’s become my favorite flavor. For some reason I can never find it at the store so I had to develop my own recipe instead.
Lemon Garlic Hummus Ingredients
- Garbanzo Beans- I like to use canned garbanzo beans to save time. Make sure the excess liquid from the can is drained before using in the recipe. If the beans are salted you can rinse them in a colander or omit the added salt in the recipe to reduce the sodium level.
- Tahini- The tahini can really make or break this recipe so make sure you are using a high quality brand. My favorite is Once Again Organic Sesame Tahini but I’ve also heard good things about Soom.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil- For added flavor, moisture and healthy fats, we’re adding a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Again, the higher the quality the better the flavor.
- Fresh Lemon- I’m borderline obsessed with citrus so in my book, the more the better. If you are more sensitive to it, start with 1/4 cup, blend together, then taste test and add more as desired.
- Garlic- Fresh garlic gives the hummus a nice savory punch. You may want to adjust the amount depending on your preferences and size of your cloves.
- Fine Sea Salt- Salt brings all of the flavors together in harmonious bliss. Taste test and adjust as needed.
- Water- This might seem like a strange addition but I’ve found it does the trick for a nice creamy texture without the need for anything strenuous like peeling the skins off of the chickpeas. Start with 1/4 cup and add more as needed to reach a smooth consistency. The level of smoothness will depend on your blender or food processor (I find the Vitamix to be superior for hummus). You’ll likely want to add more citrus and/or salt after you finish adding the water as that will dilute the flavor a little.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Hummus
The best part about making your own hummus is that it’s super easy. Just add everything to a blender and blend until smooth!
I tried making a batch in my food processor but ultimately the Vitamix achieves the creamiest texture.
Serving Suggestions
As I said before, hummus is great because it is so versatile. You can spread it on sandwiches or wraps, make quesadillas, toast…I’ve even seen it used in lasagna!
This lemon garlic hummus, however, is best enjoyed on a sunny spring day with a beverage and your favorite dippers like crackers, pretzels and fresh vegetables. I recently tried Bob’s Red Mill Oat Crackers and was super impressed. Not only are they made from whole grains (which I love) but they have a nice crispy texture that pairs perfectly with a creamy dip like hummus. Plus they are certified gluten-free and Non-GMO so you don’t have to worry about serving them to anyone with allergies to gluten.
How long does it keep?
I find that the longer the hummus sits in the refrigerator, the more the citrus flavor intensifies. Just a heads up, it is a very lemon forward recipe so you may want to adjust depending on your preferences.
Bonus: the lemon juice also acts as a natural preservative that allows the hummus to keep for longer in the refrigerator. Mine has lasted up to two weeks!
Lemon Garlic Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- ⅓ cup tahini, or sesame seed paste
- ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼-⅓ cup water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the olive oil and tahini. Blend until a smooth, whipped texture is achieved. Add the lemon juice and garlic then pulse until finely chopped.
- To the bowl, add the remaining ingredients: garbanzo beans, lemon zest, salt and water (starting with ¼ cup of water). Blend until a smooth and creamy texture is achieved, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl in between blending. Add more water if a thinner texture is desired or more salt, if desired.
- Serve immediately drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fresh lemon zest, chopped parsley and cracked pepper (optional), or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on April 4th, 2014, and republished on March 14th, 2022
This post was created in partnership with a brand that I have used and loved for years, Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions and text are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make it possible for me to bring you quality content. For more delicious recipes and a coupon for $1.00 off any product, please visit Bob’sRedMill.com.
I figured that was what you meant. Oh, I will have to try it with cumin, thanks for the tip! :)
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