Searching for a delicious and healthy dip nowadays becomes a struggle if you are a vegan. It all starts with plant-based ingredients but ends up with non-vegan addons.
Hummus is not an exception, but you can create your own hummus to have your “peas of mind.”
Is hummus vegan? When is it not? We’ll give you answers.
What is Hummus?
Hummus is a tasty Middle Eastern dip with the usual ingredients of mashed Garbanzo beans, more commonly known as chickpeas.
The traditional hummus Middle Eastern recipe has extra virgin olive oil with parsley and paprika. This is usually partnered with pita bread.
Vegans love hummus since the basic ingredients are very vegan-friendly. There are regional variations of a hummus recipe, and one that is very common is mixed with tahini, garlic, and lemon juice.
Is Hummus Vegan or Not?
Yes. Hummus is vegan. As we pointed out, all the ingredients are plant-based. Therefore, it is considered vegan. However, as the recipe evolves, the addons become unlimited, and that is where the doubt comes in whether hummus is vegan friendly or not.
There is commercial hummus sold for individuals who do not have time for making hummus. Some hummus brands stick to the original recipe or just add a little bit but do not go far from it.
Common Ingredients
- Cooked chickpeas - can be canned or boiled for home-made hummus
- Tahini - It is better to use unhulled sesame seeds and mix them with a neutral-flavored oil
- Garlic
- Olive oil or water
- Lemon juice
- Sea salt
Benefits of Hummus
Protein
Consumption of hummus gives you 7.9 grams of plant-based protein per serving. You can eat hummus to compensate for your immune system and your optimal growth. This is a tasty variation to your plant-based diet.
Fiber
Every 100 grams of hummus provides 24% of women’s daily fiber recommendation and 16% of men’s. This greatly improves the digestive system of an individual. It boosts fullness hormones called cholecystokinin (CCK), GLP-1, and peptide YY, which lowers levels of the hunger hormone known as ghrelin.
Weight Loss
Regular consumption of hummus causes high levels of protein and fiber, which prevents obesity and maintains lower BMI. This is mainly because of the health benefits provided by the main ingredient of hummus which is chickpeas, known to be very high in protein and fiber.
What Do Vegans Eat with Hummus?
Vegans eat hummus with bread or chips. The classic pairing is pita bread or pita chips and hummus; however, it is also perfect as a dip for chips and vegetables such as celery, carrots, cauliflower, or broccoli.
It complements the natural tastes of these veggies, and you can enhance the flavors if you add other ingredients like black beans or red pepper.
Hummus also tastes great with regular foods like pasta or sandwiches—a perfect pair for anything since it is gluten-free(1).
Ingredients to Watch Out For
Dairy
There is store-bought hummus that has dairy products in it.
Some hummus brands are not very transparent with the content of their products, or it could be that they have 3rd party ingredients that they are not aware of.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a delicious food; however, the source of this is cow’s milk - certainly non-vegan.
You can look for a variation of this flavor, which is derived from almond milk, but you have to check the labels if this comes from an animal source.
Palm Oil
Technically, palm oil is vegan, but palm oil production is not abiding by the ethical standards of a strict vegan.
It affects the lives of animals as their homes are greatly affected by the production of palm oil.
Sugar
Simple sugars are vegan as these are coming from plant-based sources; however, the refining process begins with the problem. Production of refined sugar involves the use of bone char which are animal parts.
Additives
Additives can be from plant sources. However, it becomes questionable if these are also deriving from animal sources. There may also be unwanted additives like guar gum which derives from guar beans, or citric acid, which can be acceptable in small servings but better if none.
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Let's Make Our Own Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 can (15oz)(garbanzo beans or chickpeas drained and rinsed or 1 ½ cups cooked (if you want it smoother, take the peel off)
- 4 tablespoons tahini (can be store-bought)
- ¼ cup water (+ 2 tablespoons as needed)
- 1 – 2 garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 or 2 lemons (for the citric acid)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- roasted pine nuts, (optional)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients inside the food processor and blend until your desired consistency is reached.
- If you want added flavor and smoother hummus, you can choose to add two tablespoons of olive oil to the mixture.
- You can top it with your preferred garnish, such as caramelized onion, roasted red peppers, or roasted green peppers, which are still part of a vegan diet.
- Your gluten-free hummus is ready to eat.
FAQs
Yes, eventually. If you are used to buying hummus from grocery stores, you can store unopened cans of hummus at home for a couple of months. However, if it is already opened, you may need to consume it, even refrigerated within 3 to 5 days.
It depends. This hummus brand is kosher, non-GMO, and gluten-free, but not all their variants are vegan. Manufacturers made hummus recipes in varied flavors to accommodate individual palates, but not every one of these can be eaten by vegans.
Not really. Many vegans eat hummus, and some believe these are raw, but it does not fit that classification since chickpeas are cooked before they get into the food processor. You still get complete protein as you eat perfect hummus recipes. You rarely make hummus without tahini, and that one is raw.
Key Takeaways
Like many other foods in the market these days, hummus spread can be a healthy addition to your diet.
Is hummus vegan? Yes, it is most of the time. As long as you have vegan hummus that does not have any non-vegan ingredients or addons, you are safe.
Choose the vegan hummus that does not contain any animal products or anything against the morals of vegans. You can make hummus a part of your everyday foods by enhancing its flavors. There are no limits to its flavors. Is hummus good for you? Of course, it is. It can make you enjoy life more because you are living healthy.
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gluten-free-foods
About Author
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Zane
As always, another great recipe from Kathy! I snuck in a tad more cumin, it’s a favorite spice of mine!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Zane, so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for the feedback.