Avocado Hummus
Avocado hummus is a creamy chickpea dip blended with ripe avocado, tahini, garlic and lemon for an extra-silky texture and a boost of healthy fats. It comes together in one food processor in about five minutes, no cooking required, and makes the perfect comfort snack to scoop up with bread, crackers or fresh veggies. If you love classic hummus but want something even richer and greener, this is the version to make.
I make a killer hummus, and it seems like I’m getting better and better at it. Every new hummus recipe I try becomes my new favorite. Ever since my first hummus recipe, I discovered lots of new tips and tricks on how to make the best hummus ever, and I’ll mention everything I’ve learned so far about “the art” of making hummus here. I always try new flavors because I get bored quickly, so far I’ve made arugula, basil pesto, roasted red bell pepper and wild garlic versions, and every one of them was pure bliss.
What goes into this avocado hummus
The ingredient list is short, so each one matters. Chickpeas are the base. I almost always use canned chickpeas because it’s faster, but you can boil the chickpeas yourself if you have the patience. I just never seem to have time to think a meal ahead and soak the chickpeas overnight, so you’ll always find 3 to 4 cans in my pantry. This recipe uses two 14oz (400g) cans, rinsed and drained.
The avocados are what set this apart from a regular batch, so pick ones that are soft and ripe. Press gently near the stem end, it should give a little without feeling mushy. Tahini brings the nutty depth and helps the texture stay smooth, while lemon juice keeps everything bright and, as a bonus, slows down the browning of the avocado. I love a hint of garlic in hummus, three cloves here, plus olive oil, ground cumin and salt to round it out.
How to get it extra creamy
Here is the single biggest lesson I’ve learned: the longer you process the hummus, the creamier it gets. I discovered this over many batches, so now I leave the food processor running for about five minutes straight. It feels long, but that’s what breaks down the chickpeas fully and gives you that smooth, whipped texture instead of a grainy paste.
If you want it even silkier, add a little ice-cold water while the processor runs, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency you like. The cold water helps the tahini and oil emulsify and loosens the dip without thinning the flavor. I don’t always do this, but it’s worth it especially if you want a super-soft hummus. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil on top.
A few mistakes to avoid
Go easy on the salt at the start and taste as you go. I learned this the hard way and completely ruined a batch of hummus by over-salting it, so add a little, blend, then adjust. It’s much easier to add more than to fix a too-salty bowl.
Make sure your avocados are actually ripe. An underripe avocado won’t blend smoothly and leaves the dip lumpy and bland, while one that’s gone too far adds an off, bitter note. And don’t skip the rinse on the chickpeas, draining off that canning liquid keeps the flavor clean and the color fresh.
How to store it and what to serve alongside
Because of the avocado, this hummus is best eaten the day you make it, when the color and flavor are at their peak. To keep it for a day or two, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface so no air touches it, then refrigerate in an airtight container. The extra lemon juice helps slow browning, but a thin layer of olive oil over the top is even better insurance. Give it a stir before serving if the top has darkened slightly.
I scoop this up with warm gluten-free flatbreads or fresh veggie sticks, and it’s lovely as a spread or side next to a light summer salad. If you want to keep exploring, my basic 5-minute hummus recipe is the perfect starting point for inventing your own flavors, and there are plenty more ideas in my roundup of savory avocado recipes.
If you make this avocado hummus, I’d love to know how it turned out, did you go for the ice-water trick or keep it thick? Leave a star rating and a comment below with your tweaks, it always makes my day to read them.
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Avocado Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas rinsed and drained; I used 2x 14oz(400g) cans
- ½ lemon juice only
- 2 avocados soft, ripe
- 4 Tbsps tahini
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsps olive oil
- salt to taste
- ½ tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in your food processor.
- Process on high speed for 5 minutes until hummus is extra-smooth.
- Add a little bit of ice-cold water in order to make it as smooth as you want.
- Drizzle with olive oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This avocado hummus is fully plant-based, made with chickpeas, avocado, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin and salt. There are no animal products, so it is suitable for both vegan and vegetarian diets.
Process it longer than you think you need to. Running the food processor on high for a full five minutes breaks the chickpeas down completely for a smooth, whipped texture. Adding a little ice-cold water while it blends helps the tahini and oil emulsify and makes it even silkier.
Absolutely. Canned chickpeas are faster and what I usually reach for, but you can soak and boil dried chickpeas yourself if you have the time. Use about the equivalent of two 14oz (400g) cans, cooked until very soft for the smoothest result.
It is best enjoyed the day you make it because of the fresh avocado. Stored in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface or a thin layer of olive oil on top, it keeps for one to two days in the fridge. The lemon juice helps slow the browning.
Avocado oxidizes and darkens when exposed to air. The lemon juice in the recipe slows this down, and pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface or covering it with a little olive oil keeps air away. A quick stir before serving usually brings the color back.
It is wonderful with warm flatbread, pita, crackers or fresh vegetable sticks, and works as a spread or a side next to a light salad. A final drizzle of olive oil on top makes it look and taste even better.
Love this recipe! I’m going to try it today, really. By the way, cool shots. 🙂
Thanks Cris! Hope you’ll like it! 😀