This Loaded Hummus is a great crowd-pleasing appetizer, but the hummus recipe itself is a keeper! Make this regularly and keep a container in the fridge! It’s great for snacking, lunches and dinners.
Vegetarian | Vegan Options | Gluten Free
Hummus is one of those things I make regularly, without a measuring cup or spoon in sight. Is it always the same? Never. Is it always delicious? I mean…I think so.
So, today, I forced myself to break out the cups and spoons and meticulously measure everything. Was it delicious? Oh my goodness…yes! Incredibly so. And really, I’m excited to finally have those measurements down!
The hummus itself, is perfection. You certainly don’t need to load it up with anything, so use this recipe for the hummus alone. Or, create your own combination of toppings. Either way, I just know you’ll love this recipe.
And…except no substitutes! This recipe is an original, developed right here, and was featured on The Kitchn!
How to Get a Silky Hummus…
Let’s talk about texture. There are recipes that will tell you to remove the skin from each chickpea to create a smooth hummus. I’m not into that.
I’ve found that a good blender is key to processing the chickpeas properly and yielding a smooth, creamy texture.
If your blender isn’t powerful enough, try cutting this into two batches. You may have to stop and give things a stir repeatedly, or you may have to add a bit more water, but in the end, you’ll get a silky smooth hummus.
If you’re not preoccupied with how silky your hummus is…and truthfully, it’s not a game-changer for me, go ahead and use your food processor.
You’ll still want to lick this off a shoe.
This loaded hummus is great for entertaining a crowd! Serve it with an assortment of pita wedges, pita chips and crackers.
Use whatever you have on hand to make it your own, just don’t miss topping it with some extra virgin olive oil.
Loaded Hummus
Ingredients
- 29 ounce or two 15 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (See Notes)
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cold water more or less, as needed
- 1 -2 medium cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
- extra virgin olive oil
Toppings
- feta cheese crumbled (omit to keep this vegan)
- Kalamata olives
- Castelvetrano olives
- roasted red peppers diced
- tomatoes cut into wedges
- fresh parsley chopped
- additional chickpeas
- ground sumac
- cayenne
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, add all of the ingredients except the olive oil and the toppings. Blend on high speed until smooth. In a high speed blender, this should take 45 to 50 seconds. In a food processor, blend for about 1 minute.
- Spread the hummus onto a serving platter and top with your favorite toppings and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
If you love this Loaded Hummus, you’ll love…
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Balsamic Roasted Grapes with Brie
Baba Ganoush
If you get a chance to make this, I’d love to see your creations!
Just snap a pic and tag it with #tasteloveandnourish on Instagram!
I have made this a few times for large gatherings and this will be the second time for a Christmas appetizer. The first time I made it, my “man” friend wrinkled his nose but reluctantly sampled it and lo and behold, he loved it! He was very enthusiastic when I said I was going to do it again this year! Hooray and thank you for another way to encourage everyone’s veggie intake.
Hooray to you, Barbara! Thrilled that you got your friend to try it and love it! Thank you for your kind words…made my day. Happy New Year to you!
I made this recipe a few weeks back and everyone loved it. I am making it again for thanksgiving!
Lin! That’s so nice to hear! It is a crowd favorite in our home too!
Hi,
Thank you for the recipe. Looks awesome. If I follow the normal size recipe, how many people would a platter like this serve?
Great question, Elmien. This recipe makes a LOT of hummus and plus the toppings, it will feed a crowd for sure. Honestly, I don’t have an exact number as it depends on the amount of toppings and what else you are serving.
I am not exaggerating when I say this hummus is LIFE CHANGING! I made this recipe for some friends and now they all use this every time for their hummus too. AMAZING! ❤️
Wow…that’s quite a compliment, Jessica! I’m smiling from ear to ear! :) Thank you for your kind words!
Thank you for this recipe! It has become a staple appetizer whenever I’m entertaining. And when it’s just us, I make the hummus on it’s own to keep in the fridge. The whole family and all of my friends LOVE IT!
Monica! I am so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying this recipe as much as we do. It really is perfect for entertaining…or for snacking! Thanks for taking the time to comment. :)
Wow! That’s all I can say. My mouth is full of hummus. ;)
If I ever want to impress anyone, this is what I’m making. Thanks for the great recipe and inspiration!
Most beautiful dish at our party! Got lots of compliments! And most delicious hummus recipe. Thank you!
You are so kind! Thank you, Hilaria. Glad everyone enjoyed it!
WOW! This is the absolute best hummus I’ve ever had! I’ve tried quite a few hummus recipes and this one is now my go-to. Every time I make it, it’s a huge crowd pleaser. The toppings were perfect!
Kate! This just put a big smile on my face! Thanks so much for sharing it with others and for your sweet words! :)
I made this for an outdoor get-together and it was devoured in no time! I’m not sure I needed to put out any other food, honestly! LOL! I promised to email all my friends and family a link to this recipe this morning! Thanks for taking the time to create this tasty recipe and share it with all of us! And you are right about using a blender to get a creamy hummus. I have tried removing the skins from chickpeas before. It just makes a big mess and takes too long. Keep doing what you’re doing!Love your site.
Lena, you are so sweet! I really appreciate your kind words. Awesome to hear that everyone enjoyed this and I appreciate you sharing the recipe! Yes…peeling chickpeas is so unnecessary…and no fun at all! ;)
The taste is amazing!! I used all the extras and everyone loves it. One problem I had was it was VERY thick. I used a Vitamix to make it. Did anyone else have this issue? Should I have added more water and lemon juice?
I’m so happy to hear you loved it, Josh! Absolutely add more water and lemon juice if the hummus is too thick! I always keep some water nearby as I’m blending and add as I go.
This was delicious and pretty even though I threw it together and didn’t have all of the toppings. I used a good quality store bought hummus,didn’t have parsley and used cumin and paprika. I can only imagine how much better it will be when I do it properly.I recently picked up sumac at the bulk store and am interested to try that for the first time.The beauty of this one
is that all the toppings can be pre cut or prepared and the plate put together in minutes when needed.
I love your tips and adaptations, Jay! This loaded hummus is super adaptable, right? Thanks so much for sharing! :)
I have been making hummus similar to this for years but never thought of adding all of the other goodies to it. Looks beautiful! I cant wait to make it tomorrow to bring to a party. Really makes for a much prettier presentation and Im sure its even more delicious!!
I hope you had fun adding the toppings, Christine! And hope you all enjoyed eating it! :)
A very pretty, light dish that makes a nice appetizer. It’s now my go-to for parties. I made it exactly as presented. It’s impressive, yet so easy! Thank you.
Yay! This makes me so happy!
do you have nutritional stats for this recipe? I made it and it’s amazing! I just don’t want to overdo it. I had it for lunch today :) Do you have listing for calories, carbs, protein, available?
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Bridgett! I love hummus for lunch! I don’t currently have stats on this, but there are some great online tools that should help.
I am very happy to have come across this recipe. My husband recently began his vegan diet and I am making this for his birthday celebration this weekend. I am so excited to put this out on the table!! Thank you for sharing.
SO BEAUTIFUL!
Thanks so much!
Made this on Thanksgiving. It was amazing! I loved it! I had to make it again the next day.:)
Elizabeth, that’s like the best compliment ever! So happy you loved it! Thank you for brightening up my day!xo
You explain what sumac is, but it is listed as a topping, I do not see it as an actual ingredient in the hummus. (?)
I am surprised that you add water, I always use the aquafaba from the chickpeas. I also use that in place of tahini. (Esselstyn follower, no oil)
LouAnn, the sumac is listed under toppings because that’s how I use it. You can certainly put some in your hummus if you like, but be aware that it will change the color of your hummus. I always drain and rinse canned beans for several reasons. The liquid in canned beans is full of starches and sodium. Those starches, or sugars can cause digestive distress to many (chickpeas, actually, have the highest amount of those sugars) and can change the flavor and texture of your finished food. Hope that answers your questions! xo
This was absolutely delicious! A big hit at parties… a fresh change from mayo or cream cheese laden dips. I made everything the same as listed above but I did marinate my veggie toppings (olives, tomatoes, roasted peppers and parsley) in a splash of Greek dressing for about and hour then drained excess dressing before spooning over hummus. I could have eaten the entire plate!!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Yay! So glad you and your guests enjoyed this, Amy! Love the idea of marinating the veggies…that sounds yummy! Thank you for taking the time to comment…you’re so kind! xo
This was delicious! I mixed up some of the toppings, added a bit of arugula, did some sliced pita bread and ate this as a salad. Delicious lunch for the summertime! Thanks for the idea
Love the addition of arugula, Jaki! Great idea! Sounds like a perfect lunch! xo
I made this hummus over the weekend and I’m serving it tonight (loaded) along with some whole grain naan and a salad out of our garden for dinner – can’t wait!!
I’m so happy to hear that, Debbie! I hope you all enjoyed it!
What is your favorite tahini? Thanks
Hi, Renne! We have an awesome Middle Eastern market that sells Beirut brand tahini. You can buy it on Amazon here.
Beautiful picture good enough to eat.
My question is, do you use can tahini? I could buy it fresh at Whole Foods at one time. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, Joanna! I use a tahini that I get from a favorite Middle Eastern market. It comes in a jar. If you are referring to the canned brand that is fairly popular in grocery stores, I can’t recommend that. I’ve had bad luck with that brand. The consistency has always been hard as a rock and unusable. Look for tahini in jars where you can see exactly what you’re getting. Hope that helps!
I made this for a party and one guest literally licked the plate at the end. Everyone asked for the recipe. Delicious!
Hahaha…that’s awesome, Linda! You just made my day! xo
Humus was great. I noticed you only mentioned water in the paragraph before the recipe. I had to add 2-3 T of water. It then became silky and creamy. I also like to add 1-2 fat free yogurt. Delish!
Thanks so much for letting me know, Rhonda! I did omit adding the water in the recipe! I’m fixing that right now. Yogurt is a great idea, too…it adds a nice creaminess. We do that a lot when making tahini. So glad you enjoyed it! :)
How long will this keep in fridge?
There’s hardly ever any left to keep in my house, Judi! ;) Really, though, it will keep refrigerated for three to four days. Hope you love it!
I have just now seen this for the first time. It is STUNNING!!! Can’t wait to make this for my BF this weekend!!
Yay! Hope you and your BF love it, Patti! :)
I made this last weekend for a party at our house. It was a huge hit! I copied your presentation and it was the prettiest dish on the table. You are right. The hummus itself is the best I’ve ever made. I probably will save the toppings for entertaining, but this is going to be my new hummus recipe. Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear you and your friends enjoyed this, Barbara! Yes…the hummus on its own is really delicious! Thank you for taking the time to comment! :)
What a beautiful looking dish! Just love humus & veggies such a clever way to present. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Thanks so much, Retha! I love hummus, too…we’ve always got some in the fridge! Hope you get a chance to make this! xo
Your photo reminded me of the wonderful foods we enjoyed in Israel and Greece. I too have a Blendtec and will use it as it was intended. A great machine! Thank you for the inspiration!
Well, that’s a wonderful compliment, Michele! Thank you very much!
Feta is not vegan though so you might want to remove that comment. What a stunningly beautiful picture, I feel like making this next weekend!
Thanks for pointing that out, Christine! I did add a note about omitting the feta to keep this vegan. It was the hummus itself that was being classified as vegan since all of the toppings are totally optional. I appreciate your kind words and hope you get a chance to make this…and love it! xo
I have always used my food processor. I still have a blender from my bridal shower 23 years ago!😜 Can you share what blender you use? Thanks so much!
That’s awesome, Diane! Honestly, it’s hard to find anything that lasts that long anymore, isn’t it? I have to say, I’ve been very happy with my Blendtec (I talk about it here). It’s only three years old, but it really is a workhorse! Thank you for stopping in! :)
I’ve been so addicted to homemade hummus lately and I completely agree – a good blender is key! This is the most gorgeous platter of hummus ever!
You are so sweet, Sarah! Yes…testing out the blender method totally convinced me too!
Totally craving this right now!!! -CK
Ahhh…I hope you get the chance to make it, Christiann! xo
This hummus looks so good. I, too, make it all the time, but never thought about topping it off with such goodies. This looks incredible.
Thank you, Aysegul! I’ve never gone this far in topping my hummus off before, but now that I have…mmmm, it’s really wonderful!
I am excited to try your silky hummus tip! I’ve only ever made it in the food processor – can’t wait to try it in the blender. I’m also loving the loaded toppings! Gorgeous photos, Caroline. xo
I had always used my food processor too, Tessa. Once I had a descent blender, I tested it out and have never gone back. Thanks so much…this was fun to shoot…and eat! :)
Oh yes I love a good silky hummus! And I’m very into this idea of a “loaded” hummus with all the toppings, too. Lovely!
Thanks so much, Sara! Yesssss…the toppings make it amazing!
Not only looks delicious Caroline, but it looks like a work of art! Just beautiful. Can’t wait to try!
Ahhh…you’re so sweet, Mary Ann! Thanks so much! xo
Love this idea! Hummus is a lovely thing, but sometimes I use canned Great Northern beans. I just find them softer and smoother, right out of the can!
I looove Great Northern Beans, Mimi! I agree…they are so creamy and tasty!
Your photos are beautiful! Now if I can only create my dish to look this appealing! Thanks!
You’re so kind, Pam! Thank you! Yours will look even more beautiful…it’s really easy and fun putting this together! Enjoy! xo
That’s the perfect recipe for Humus!
I usually keep the cheakpea water and add a little if necessary, the tahini needs water. That would make it even more silky and smooth. Give it a go…
Thanks so much, Zee! My Mom used to use the chickpea water, too! I’ve just gotten so used to draining and rinsing the beans.
I also add the chick pea liquid from the can to make the hummus more creamy – although I do rinse the chickpeas. any leftover liquid can be whipped with icing sugar for vegan meringues! (takes 15 minutes in my kitchenaid though). I love your website and your recipes!
Thanks so much, Anna! You’re so sweet! I keep meaning to try making meringues that way. They sound amazing! xo
Hi Caroline, Hummus looks wonderful. Great dinner for me, can’t wait to try this recipe.
Hi Mom! :) I know you’ll love it! Mwah! xo