Easy Oil-free Hummus

Easy Oil-free Hummus made with the healthiest of pantry staples. This ultra-smooth, garlicky hummus can be on your table (or in your mouth) in under 10 minutes!

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Let’s talk about hummus! Hummus is so quintessentially “vegan”. Before veganism went (mostly) mainstream, the reliable vegetarian menu option was almost always a hummus sandwich with vegetables. We’ve come a long way since then, and so many restaurants have now expanded their offerings, but hummus is still one of the best, most comforting spreads.

Hummus is a traditional Middle Eastern spread made with chickpeas, garlic, tahini, and lemon. Despite store-bought varieties of hummus containing large amounts of oil, traditional hummus is not typically made with oil. Instead, a high-quality olive oil is typically added at the end for serving only.

What’s special about this Easy Oil-free hummus recipe?

Well, true to the title, this recipe doesn’t contain any oil. This hummus does contain tahini, though. I’ve found that many whole-foods, plant-based recipes omit both oil and tahini. Frankly, I think that’s a mistake. (Though such a bean dip is super delicious, I don’t think I’d call it hummus.) Here, I’ve used a relatively small amount of tahini to achieve the delicious hummus texture you know and love.

The secret ingredient that really makes this recipe special is miso. Miso is an umami powerhouse made from fermented soybeans that needs to be in your pantry ASAP! In this recipe, the miso adds saltiness, richness, and complexity. It also helps the minimal amount of tahini bind everything together.

About the Ingredients

In such a simple recipe, each ingredient should ideally be high-quality. Try to keep this in mind when purchasing your ingredients, since you’ll almost certainly end up with a better bowl of hummus! Thankfully, all of the ingredients in this recipe will keep in your fridge for a while. Once you find your preferred tahini and miso, you can make this hummus over and over again with almost no effort and at very little cost.

• Chickpeas are, of course, the main event. I’ve used homemade chickpeas for this recipe, and highly recommend that you do the same. If you have an Instant Pot, try making a batch of garbanzo beans at home!
• Aquafaba sounds like something fancy or complicated, but it’s simply the liquid you find in a can of chickpeas. It has some unique egg white-like properties and contributes airiness in vegan baked goods and meringues, for example. In this recipe, I use the liquid from homemade chickpeas, cooked without salt, to get that perfect, fluffy hummus texture. It’s important that your aquafaba is very cold!
• Use a high-quality raw tahini for this recipe, if at all possible. When I started buying better tahini, the difference in my hummus was shocking. Choose raw instead of toasted or roasted tahini, because cooking high fat foods (like the sesame seeds in tahini) at high temperatures, can lead to unhealthy compounds like AGEs (advanced glycation end products) and acrylamide.
• Miso packs so much delicious umami flavor. Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans, and thus contains the vitamins, minerals, and isoflavones of soy, as well as probiotic benefits. It has been consumed in Asia for a LONG time and is considered a traditional soy food.
• Garlic is so tasty and so healthy. Add more or less to your personal preference.
• Lemon adds such brightness to hummus. Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not juice from a bottle.
  • Tip: Roll your lemon against the counter to soften it up and then use a lemon squeezer. It makes a big difference!
• Smoked paprika is one of my absolute favorite spices. It adds a smoky flavor to this hummus, and looks fabulous sprinkled on top.

How to Make the Smoothest Oil-free Hummus

The not-so-secret secret to hummus is a food processor. A food processor is a kitchen workhorse that you will have for years to come! If you’re in the market for a food processor, be sure to purchase one with a variety of blades and attachments. Making purees and blending hummus in a food processor is wonderful. Being able to slice and grate vegetables in the same food processor is amazing and time-saving! Be sure your food processor of choice can do both. 🙂 This is the food processor I’ve been using for years.

The actual secret to hummus is BLENDING. And blending. And blending some more. Blend until you feel ridiculous because your food processor has been running for 5 minutes straight and surely it must be done by now… At that point, scrape the sides and blend for a minute more!

I have never, and will never, remove the skins of the chickpeas, as some recipes recommend. I absolutely love food, but I do not have that kind of patience! Not to worry though. This healthy, easy, oil-free hummus is still extremely smooth and delicious.

Substitutions

• Chickpeas: If you can’t make your beans from scratch, you may substitute a 15.5 oz can of your favorite chickpeas instead. Please just be sure they aren’t overly firm. I have had some chickpeas that are practically crunchy right out of the can. Unfortunately, those chickpeas will not do this hummus recipe justice! (If preferred, you may also substitute canned white beans, such as cannellini, with very good, smooth results.) Canned chickpea tips:
  • Refrigerate your can of beans for a few hours before making your hummus.
  • Drain your canned beans well, reserving the liquid from the can.
  • Rather than using a full 6-8 tablespoons of aquafaba (liquid from your canned beans), use half iced water and half cold aquafaba.
• Lemon: Feel free to use a lime if that’s what you have on hand and you don’t mind a slightly different flavor. Note that you might need an extra lime half, depending on the size of your limes.
• Spices: Feel free to use your favorite spices in (or on) this hummus. I love smoked paprika, but regular paprika will also work well. Many hummus recipes also call for cumin, but I personally don’t like it in hummus because I think it overwhelms the other flavors.

How to use this Easy Oil-Free Hummus

You probably know by now how delicious and versatile hummus is, but here’s some inspiration just in case. I hope you enjoy this easy, tasty, healthy hummus recipe!

• Dollop onto nourish/Buddha bowls.
• Spread onto a tortilla or wrap.
• Slather onto your sandwiches.
• Create a quick pasta sauce.
  • Add a bit of pasta water or broth to thin the hummus out a little and top with freshly cracked black pepper and your favorite Italian seasonings.
• Transform into a salad dressing.
  • Add some additional lemon (or vinegar), mustard, dried herbs or spices, and water and give everything a good shake in a mason jar.
• Dip your vegetables, crackers, pita bread, etc.
• Make hummus toast!
  • Pictured above, hummus on whole-wheat toast is one of my favorite breakfasts. I like to top mine with hemp hearts, microgreens, and hot sauce, but there are so many combinations. Let me know in the comments what your favorite combo is!

The Background And Science Behind These Ingredients

• An overview of the benefits of beans and a recommendation to eat beans and/or whole grains at every meal
• Beans are a great source of fiber, and “fiber is the key to good health“
• Why you should avoid eating roasted nuts, seeds, and other high-fat foods cooked at high temperatures
• A scientific study on AGEs (advanced glycation end products) that includes a helpful list of AGE levels by food and cooking type
• Miso is very healthy and doesn’t cause an increase in blood pressure the way salt does
• “There’s no debate: Soy is beneficial to your health”
• A scientific description of garlic’s health benefits, including anticancer and antimicrobial properties

What do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by! If you make this recipe, then please leave a comment and rating. I would love to hear what you think and how it worked out for you!

Don’t forget to check out my other spreads & sauces as well!