Classic Hummus with Vegetables (Printable Version)

Smooth chickpea blend with crisp veggie sticks creates a fresh, healthy, and flavorful snack or starter option.

# What You Need:

→ Hummus

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 3 tablespoons tahini
03 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
04 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
05 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
08 - 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Vegetable Sticks

09 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
10 - 1 cucumber, cut into sticks
11 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
12 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
13 - 2 stalks celery, cut into sticks

# How to Make It:

01 - In a food processor, combine chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, and salt.
02 - Process the mixture until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Gradually add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until reaching the desired creamy consistency.
03 - Taste and adjust seasoning, adding additional lemon juice, salt, or cumin as preferred.
04 - Transfer hummus to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and, if desired, sprinkle with smoked paprika or chopped parsley.
05 - Place the prepared vegetable sticks on a platter surrounding the hummus and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 15 minutes, which means you can make it the morning of a gathering without stress.
  • One food processor, a can of chickpeas, and you've got something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • It actually gets better the next day as the flavors settle, so making it ahead is your friend.
02 -
  • If your hummus comes out grainy instead of smooth, your food processor didn't blend long enough or your tahini was too thick—give it another 30 seconds and it'll transform.
  • The temperature matters: cold water makes the texture lighter and fluffier than room temperature water, so keep it chilled.
  • Taste it immediately after blending, then taste it again the next day—it gets deeper and more complex as the flavors meld overnight.
03 -
  • Bring your tahini to room temperature before blending if it's been in the refrigerator; cold tahini is harder to incorporate smoothly.
  • The olive oil you drizzle on top isn't just decoration—use something flavorful and peppery that you'd actually want to taste.
  • If you find yourself making this weekly, buy tahini in bulk because you'll go through it faster than you expect.

Go Back