Since I’ve been eating Low Carb hummus has been off the menu. But I don’t miss it given there are so many delicious hummus substitutes in my cooking arsenal.
What is Hummus?
Hummus is a Middle Eastern sauce / dip made from pureed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic. It’s nutty. It’s creamy. It’s absolutely delicious.
There is a lot of debate on the history of hummus as detailed in the fun documentary ‘Make Hummus Not War‘.
It’s also goes by the alternative names hommos and houmous.
The Best Hummus Substitutes
1. Greek Yoghurt
A nice thick Greek yoghurt seasoned with salt and pepper, makes an excellent hummus substitute. For an even closer match, add a little finely chopped garlic to the yoghurt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
2. Tahini Yoghurt
Tahini is a sesame seed paste that gives hummus its distinctive nutty flavour. I often make a sauce by stirring together equal amounts of tahini and Greek yoghurt and a generous amount of salt. It’s slightly more creamy than hummus (a good thing for me!). And can be substituted anywhere you’d normally use hummus.
3. Tahini Sauce
Made my mixing together 3-4 tablespoons each of tahini, lemon juice and water. Sometimes I add a crushed clove of garlic but often I don’t.
4. Almond Hummus
If you’re avoiding the lectins or carbohydrates in chickpeas, like I am, an almond hummus is an excellent solution. It’s my favourite go-to hummus replacement at the moment.
Just puree 100g (3.5oz) almond meal (almond flour), 100g (3.5oz) water, garlic (if using) and 2 tablespoons lemon juice using a stick blender or regular blender. Season with salt and stir in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Whole almonds can be substituted for the almond meal but you’ll need to process for longer to get a creamy sauce.
Or see full recipe here.
5. Other Nut Hummus
Use the recipe above for almond hummus but substitute cashews, macadamias, walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans. Each nut brings a slightly different flavour.
6. Vegetable Hummus
Another excellent option for low carb fans. Just substitute steamed or roast veggies for the cooked chickpeas. Broccoli hummus is my personal favourite but cauliflower is also incredibly delicious. And if you don’t mind the carbs, sweet potato hummus is another option.
7. Mayonnaise
With or without garlic, a good mayonnaise works most places you would use hummus. Especially when it’s being used as a sauce. I sometimes use a 50:50 blend of mayonnaise and greek yoghurt for a fresher sauce.
How to Make Hummus
Home made hummus is super easy. Just puree 1 drained can chickpeas with 1 clove garlic and 3 tablespoons each lemon juice, tahini and water. Season with salt and add a little extra virgin olive oil if you prefer a richer hummus.
For a video demonstration see the recipe here.
How to Store Hummus
In an airtight container in the fridge. Will keep for 1-2 weeks. Can be frozen.
Favourite Hummus Substitutes Recipes
- Spiced Salmon with Almond ‘Hummus’
- Almond Crusted Fish with Hummus & Green Chilli Oil
- Broccoli Hummus with Spicy Sausage
- Lebanese Roast Ratatouille with Hummus
- Hummus & Chorizo
- Spiced Beef with Hummus
Delicious Hummus Flavour Pairings
- Broccoli & Hummus
- Chickpeas & Hummus
- Chilli & Hummus
- Lamb & Hummus
- Chicken & Hummus
- Beef & Hummus
- Spinach & Hummus
- Kale & Hummus
- Lemon (or Preserved Lemon) & Hummus
- Olives & Hummus
- Feta & Hummus
More Ingredient Substitutes
- The Ultimate Guide to Vegetable Substitutes
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Collard Greens
- Miso Paste
- Oyster Sauce
- Pesto
- Tahini
Also see see the Simple Ingredients Substitutes Index.
Have fun in the kitchen!
With love,
Jules x