Hummus Without Tahini (Worth Making, Call It What You Want)

Classic Middle Eastern hummus, minus the tahini — aka chickpeas, lemon, garlic, cumin, and olive oil.

I'll be honest — calling this hummus feels a little controversial.

The full Arabic name, ḥummuṣ bi ṭaḥīna, literally translates to "chickpeas with tahini." So technically, what you're making here is just... chickpeas. But if we can have beer without alcohol and bread without gluten and butter without dairy, who am I to say you can't have hummus without tahini. I don't make the rules. Call it hummus without tahini, call it a chickpea dip — call it whatcha want. It's worth making.

What I can tell you: people ask for this constantly, so here it is.

Same base as my classic hummus — chickpeas, lemon, garlic, olive oil — minus the tahini and water. Without tahini, the texture shifts: less creamy, more chunky. Think crushed chickpeas rather than fully pureed.

To add some depth to what tahini usually brings, I swapped raw garlic for roasted. That low-and-slow roasting transforms the sharp, pungent bite into something sweeter, nuttier, almost jammy. It won't replicate tahini's rich, sesame-driven depth, but the subtle umami from the roasted garlic elevates the dip. Optional, but worth turning on the oven for. Raw garlic works fine if you don't feel like it.

Hummus without Tahini Ingredients:

All the same ingredients as my classic hummus — minus the tahini and water, with roasted garlic swapped in for raw.

This recipe is five ingredients — they all matter.

Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas are totally fine — drain and rinse them well. You can take the skins off too for even smoother results. Cook your own from dried and your hummus will be even better — but that's a slightly higher level of commitment.
Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice is not fine — fresh only, always. 
Garlic: Buy the whole fresh head — not the pre-peeled jar stuff.
To roast: Slice a bit off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves, drizzle the exposed garlic with olive oil and salt, wrap in foil, and roast at 400°F for 40–45 minutes, until the cloves are soft, golden, jammy, and easily squeeze right out of their skins.
Raw works too — pressed, grated, or finely minced. Omit if you must.
Cumin: get the good stuff and check your jar — pre-ground loses its punch fast. If it doesn't smell like anything, it isn't doing anything.

DO AHEAD: Hummus without tahini will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. 

Colorful Middle Eastern Dips

Think of this as your hummus playground — there are endless colorful ways to riff on classic hummus (this recipe + tahini 😉)

• Beet Hummus - a vibrant, earthy roasted beet hummus that's marvelously magenta.
• Carrot Hummus - a bright carrot hummus that works beautifully with every color of the carrot rainbow.
• Black Hummus - a dramatic hummus made with black tahini for a richer, nuttier, more intense flavor.
• Butternut Squash Hummus - roasted squash adds a seasonal sweet-and-savory twist to classic hummus.
• Loaded Hummus - a playful riff on the classic American 7-layer dip... hummus style.
• Hummus with Spiced Lamb - a popular Middle Eastern dish that turns hummus into a hearty appetizer or full meal.

If you're looking for the perfect hummus topping — these crispy chickpeas were made for every bowl.

Or try my green tahini for a brighter, zestier, herbaceous twist on the classic Middle Eastern tahini sauce, my whipped feta for a creamy, tangy, party-perfect Mediterranean dip, my labneh — a thick, creamy Middle Eastern 2-ingredient yogurt cheese, or my muhammara - a sweet, sour, smoky, spicy roasted red pepper and walnut dip.

If ya try this recipe, I'd love to hear about it - leave a comment below and let me know, and tag me on IG, @danielagerson, so I can see too.

Keep exploring for more seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides designed to inspire ya to play in the kitchen.

Let’s make waves in the kitchen.