Homemade Hummus Recipe: Vegan, Gluten Free & Lebanese Style
Homemade Hummus With Tahini, Lemon, Garlic And Cumin.
A Vegan, Gluten Free Middle Eastern Dip, Lebanese Style.
Easy, Vegan, And One Of My Favourite Middle Eastern Recipes.
Introduction to this homemade hummus recipe
This homemade hummus recipe blends chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and cumin into a paste, finished with a swirl of olive oil, a sprinkle of paprika and a few whole chickpeas. It’s vegan and gluten free. Use a can of chickpeas for speed, or dried chickpeas soaked overnight and boiled until soft.
I first enjoyed Middle Eastern food at the wonderful Lebanese restaurants on Sydney Road in Melbourne. After many happy times there, I wanted to make my own at home. This is the best version I’ve found, and then tweaked a little more.
Is it the original Lebanese hummus? That’s a contentious question, and I’m leaving the politics aside! Whatever its origin, it’s delicious, and it’s a tasty way to add plant protein to a meal.
I love it with my baked falafel and a simple salad, or alongside my chunky baba ganoush.
If you have any comments or questions, please contact us. Or chat with me at a Flametree yoga or meditation class via these timetables.
Homemade hummus, ready to eat
My final version, after some testing. I put a few whole chickpeas in the middle.
Ingredients for this homemade hummus recipe
Here are the ingredients for this Flametree Yoga Studio dish.
- 1 can of chickpeas, or dried chickpeas (see the note below)
- Half a cup of good quality tahini
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Juice of one lemon
- Olive oil: 1 teaspoon for blending, plus extra to garnish
- Half a teaspoon of ground cumin
- Half a teaspoon of baking soda (optional)
- A sprinkle of paprika
- 2 to 4 tablespoons of cold water
- Salt, to taste
- Parsley, to garnish (optional)
If you use dried chickpeas, soak them overnight, then boil them until soft. Keep a few whole ones aside for the top.
I buy my tahini, but I always tip the jar up in the supermarket to check it’s runny enough and not dried out. I prefer the hulled kind. You can also make your own tahini if you like.
How to make this homemade hummus recipe
Use these steps to make this homemade hummus.
Step 1: Blend
- Keep a few whole chickpeas aside for the top.
- Blend the rest of the chickpeas with the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, the cumin and the baking soda, if you’re using it, into a paste.
Step 2: Adjust and season
- Add the cold water a little at a time, until it’s the consistency you like. Don’t let it get too runny.
- Taste it, and add salt to your liking.
Step 3: Swirl and garnish
- Spoon it onto a dish, and swirl it into a circular pattern.
- Garnish with olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika.
- Put a few whole chickpeas in the middle.
- Sprinkle with parsley, if you want.
Hummus with baked falafel and salad
One of the many combinations I’ve made. Here it’s with my oven baked falafel, and a simple salad with red cabbage.
Is hummus gluten free and vegan?
Yes. This hummus is made only from plants, and none of its ingredients contain gluten, so it’s naturally vegan and gluten free.
If you need to keep the whole meal gluten free, serve it with vegetable sticks, or with gluten free bread.
Where does hummus come from?
Nobody quite agrees! Several Middle Eastern countries claim hummus as their own. The documentary Make Hummus Not War looks at that rivalry, and I recommend it.
I’m certainly not taking sides. Whatever its origin, it’s delicious.
Should I use canned or dried chickpeas for hummus?
Either works. A can of chickpeas is quickest. If you use dried chickpeas, soak them overnight, then boil them until soft. Either way, keep a few whole ones aside to garnish the top.
Homemade hummus recipe: quick questions answered
How runny should hummus be?
Add the cold water a little at a time until it’s the consistency you like, but don’t let it get too runny.
What kind of tahini is best for hummus?
Good quality tahini that’s runny, not dried out. I tip the jar up in the supermarket to check, and I prefer hulled tahini.
How do you garnish hummus?
Swirl it into a circle on a dish, then top it with olive oil, a sprinkle of paprika, a few whole chickpeas, and parsley if you like.
What do you serve hummus with?
I love it with baked falafel and a simple salad, or alongside baba ganoush. It’s lovely with flat bread too.
Can I add red capsicum to hummus?
Yes. Blending in some baked red capsicum makes a scrumptious variation. You can see it below.
Hummus with baked red capsicum
A scrumptious variation. I blended some baked red capsicum into the hummus.
More Flametree Middle Eastern recipes
Making a Middle Eastern spread? Try my baked falafel, my vegan shish kebabs, or my vegan pizza with tofu and za’atar.
Do you have a vegan recipe or dish you’d like to share?
Please contact me with any dishes you’d like to share with me.
Obviously, I’m especially interested in any dish that is already a great Darwin vegan option.
Alternatively, it may be a potential vegan Darwin recipe that I could adapt, or be inspired by, as I did here.
Experience eating alternatives at a Flametree Yoga Retreat
By the way, there are several upcoming Flametree yoga retreats in Bali in 2027.
Contact us for details of our Darwin yoga retreat packages, or our yoga class packages in the orange lines below.
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Learning to eat mindfully, as a result of yoga and pranayama meditation, is a great way to start more of a vegetarian or vegan journey, or simply mindfully eat whatever you choose.
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Recipe by Chris Lalor, Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin NT. General information only.
It is better to boil the canned chickpeas before blending them, also use a tablespoon of chickpea water