Easy Homemade Lemon Hummus With Garlic

You'll be making this easy homemade lemon hummus with garlic on repeat. It's citrus flavor is refreshing and zesty.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• What I love about this lemon garlic hummus recipe is the boost of citrus flavor in contrast to the traditional dip, all thanks to the addition of lemon zest.
• You just won't get that same bright lemon flavor with store-bought hummus. By the way, if you're vegan read about what to look out for when buying hummus.
• This recipe uses relatively simple ingredients that you can find at your local supermarket. 
• Dietary friendly, it is completely natural, vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, and there is no added oil!
• It's the perfect appetizer, snack, or addition to any feasting table.

Ingredients and Variations

I used my homemade hummus recipe as the base to make this lemon hummus, which is chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini, salt, iced chickpea water or water, and lemon. The only difference is the addition of the lemon zest.

I watched my elders make hummus with dry chickpeas, which will yield the best flavors. Trust me, the difference is palpable. 

However, there are times when I need to whip up this great dip quickly and use organic canned chickpeas. Whichever way you decide, you'll adore the results, and for the sake of this recipe, I'll be using canned chickpeas.

If tahini is a new food to you, then you're in for a treat. It's sesame paste, and it's deliciously rich and nutty, most local supermarkets now sell tahini, otherwise, you can source it online. Always use the best tahini you can find. 

What's With The Ice Water

Using ice-cold water, or ice-cold chickpea water, when making any type of creamy hummus is crucial to achieving a smoother consistency, helps to control the blending temperature to prevent overheating, and preserves ingredient freshness, resulting in the ultimate textured dip

How To Make Lemon Hummus

Blending

Blend in a high-speed food processor (this type of food processor properly breaks down ingredients, otherwise you can use a high-speed blender).

Combine the chickpeas (see recipe card below for more info on the chickpeas), lemon zest, tahini, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and salt until the lemony hummus is creamy.

You will need to blend several times, scraping down the sides of the bowl of a food processor to ensure a smoother consistency.

If you don't have a blender, make mortar and pestle hummus.

Adjust The Consistency and Flavor

To adjust the consistency, gradually add some of the icy water (or icy aquafaba) to achieve your desired thickness. See notes in the recipe card below.

Taste test and adjust the amount of salt, lemon juice, and zest according to your preference. 

Serve

Serve chilled, let the hummus chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to enhance the flavors.

Serve cold by using the back of a spoon to spread it out in cute serving bowl topped with extra lemon zest.

It is also traditional practice to top with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. But if you are avoiding oil, just leave this off, you might also like this vegan bean dip which is oil free.

Serving Suggestions

I love dipping freshly cut-up veggies (crudites) into this vibrant dip, along with homemade chickpea crackers or gluten-free pita chips.

Spread this flavorful dip on sandwiches, like falafel pita wraps.

In this linked roundup, I've covered more traditional and contemporary foods to eat with hummus.

Storage 

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

I do not recommend freezing lemon hummus.

More Hummus Recipes

How does a fragrantly herbaceous basil hummus sound? Or a refreshing cilantro lime hummus? Perhaps a mildly spicy jalapeno cilantro hummus? Yes, they're fabulous!

For a fun bright pink dip, try beet hummus.

If you've come this far, I feel as though you might be a hummus lover, you should read more on this Middle Eastern dip, and the difference between hummus and baba ganoush.