Easy Oil Free Hummus (5 Ingredients)

This dreamy, homemade oil-free hummus is a quick and healthy recipe you can make any time. In less than 30 minutes, and with only 5 basic ingredients, you can whip up the easiest snack around. Smooth, creamy, oil free hummus that's perfect with cut veggies or pita bread to hold off the afternoon cravings.

While banana bread muffins are a favorite sweet snack, cut veggies and hummus take the win on the savory side. It's quick, filling, satisfying, and has enough protein to keep me full between meals, plus it's honestly just delicious! While I usually buy mine from the grocery store, I found that it's just as convenient to make it at home!

In less than 30 minutes, you can whip up the dreamiest, creamy hummus for your afternoon snack. You only need 5 ingredients that are probably sitting in your pantry right now for this simple recipe. With just a can of chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, baking soda, and salt, it's possible to make the best homemade hummus ever without any olive oil!

WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE SO GREAT?

• It's made in less than 30 minutes
• You only need 5 ingredients
• Makes a great, healthy snack
• Is both vegan and gluten free
• So versatile, and can be easily customized!

INGREDIENTS FOR OIL FREE HUMMUS

1. Chickpeas: Also referred to as garbanzo beans, I like to use an organic canned brand like Whole Foods or O Organics
2. Tahini: I really like Mighty Sesame Co. because the only ingredient is sesame seeds, no refined oils added
3. Baking soda: As noted, this breaks down the skin of the chickpeas for the best hummus
4. Lemon Juice: I use fresh lemon juice, but bottled would work too. The lemon just adds a brightness and burst of flavor
5. Salt: For best results, start with a little and add to your taste. It's easy to add more, but impossible to take out

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY OIL FREE HUMMUS

1. Add chickpeas to a medium sized pot, sprinkle over baking soda, and pour in water
2. Set the pot over medium/high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes.
3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas with a sieve and add them to the base of a high speed blender or food processor
4. To the blender, add tahini, lemon juice, and salt. Blend on high speed, adding cold water as needed.
5. Add salt to your taste, and once smooth and creamy, serve and enjoy

WHY DO I NEED BAKING SODA?

You might've noticed I listed baking soda as one of the ingredients, while that probably seems like an odd thing to add, trust me, it's really like a secret ingredient. I read about this tip on another blog, and knew it was the way to go. The reason is, that baking soda helps break down the skins of the chickpeas so that they blend smoothly, and you're not left with a chunky hummus. (cause nobody wants that) Don't worry about the hummus having a baking soda taste though, the chickpeas are just boiled in a baking soda/ water mixture and then rinsed.

While it is an extra step and takes more time to boil them, I found that the final product is really worth it. I tested this recipe by just using the chickpeas straight out of the can and was left with a chunky, less than appealing hummus, but by simply boiling the beans for 20 minutes in a little bit of water and baking soda, they blended into the creamiest spread imaginable. So I HIGHLY recommend this tiny, extra step.

RECIPE VARIATIONS

The best part about making your own hummus is all the opportunity for creativity! You can easily customize your batch and have it exactly how you want it. Try one of these delicious recipes!

• Garlic: Add 1-2 cloves of peeled, fresh garlic, or 1 Teaspoon of garlic powder and blend
• Roasted Garlic: Better yet, roast garlic before hand and add some in
• Red Pepper: Blend 1-2 roasted red peppers into the hummus
• Chipotle: Use ½-1 (depending on your spice tolerance) chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• Spicy: For a general spice, blend in ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and ½ teaspoon garlic powder

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

One of my favorite ways is just with raw veggies like carrots and cucumbers, but here's a few more ways to use this basic hummus recipe

• As a cheese replacement in a quesadilla
• Makes a great salad dressing if you thin it a bit more
• Really good on top of turkey or veggie burgers
• The flavored variations make delicious sandwich spreads
• It's a great vegan dip to serve at a party with pita chips, multigrain crackers, or pretzels
• Crispy cauliflower bites taste good in it too!

EXPERT TIPS FOR THE BEST HUMMUS

• Read the entire recipe first
• Don't skip boiling with baking soda, in order to get the creamiest hummus possible
• Use good quality tahini, that can make or break the flavor
• Adjust salt to your taste
• Only add as much water as needed to keep it thick and creamy. Don't add too much or it'll be too thin
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-7 days

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Does traditional hummus have oil? According to my research, it depends on the recipe! Some call for it, some don't, others serve it alongside. It's a matter of preference.
2. How do I store leftovers? Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-7 days.
3. What brands have an oil free hummus? If you'd rather just buy it, most brands contain added oil. Some that don't are Cava (my favorite), Oasis, and Engine 2.
4. What can I use in place of tahini? I've only made it with tahini, so I can't guarantee any results, but you should be able to replace it with cashew butter.

Did you make this easy oil free hummus? If you did, I would greatly appreciate you leaving a comment and star rating down below. In addition, you can follow me on Instagram @coleinthekitchen and tag me if you make this or any other of my easy recipes.

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