Lemon hummus bursts with refreshing citrus flavor, perfectly zesty and vibrant. The addition of lemon zest takes it to the next level, adding a bright and tangy twist.

a plate of lemon hummus wth black seeds surrounded by lemons — How zesty do you like your lemon hummus?

Homemade lemon hummus with garlic is one of my favorites due to the way the lemon zest adds a bright citrusy boost that you just don’t get in store-bought hummus.

This recipe is super simple, made with ingredients you can easily grab at the supermarket. It’s all-natural, completely vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, and there’s no added oil, which I really appreciate.

I love serving it as an appetizer, a quick snack, or as part of a feasting table, it’s always a hit!

More Hummus Recipes

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

For a fun bright pink dip, try beet hummus or for a muted pink try kidney bean 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.

Ingredients and Variations

cooked chickpeas, lemon, garlic clove, tahini, ice water and salt laid out — +Baking soda (bicarb soda)

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

I used my homemade traditional hummus recipe as the base to make this lemon garlic hummus, which is chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini, garlic clove, 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.

lemon hummus covered in lemon zest in a plate with lemons on the side

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.

blending lemon zest, lemon juice, chickpeas, tahini, garlic, salt to make lemon 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 serving bowl topped with extra lemon zest. I've covered traditional and contemporary foods to eat with hummus.

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.

a plate of lemon hummus wth black seeds on top surrounded by lemons

Storage

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

I do not recommend freezing lemon hummus.

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

Lemon Hummus

Lemon hummus bursts with refreshing citrus flavor, perfectly zesty and vibrant. The addition of lemon zest takes it to the next level, adding a bright and tangy twist.

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Lebanese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Servings: cups

Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

2 cans Chickpeas
½ teaspoon Baking soda (bicarbonate soda)
4 cups Water for tenderizing the chickpeas
¼ cup Tahini
1 medium Lemon zest
¼ cup Lemon juice freshly squeezed
¼ cup Iced chickpea water see note 2. this is to be reserved from the water the chickpeas cooked in.
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
1 clove Garlic or to taste

Instructions

Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas and then add them to a pot with baking soda. Cover with water. Bring them to a boil on high heat, then turn down to low-medium and simmer them until the skins have started to fall off, about 15-20 minutes, with the lid ajar. See note 1. If you are using home-cooked chickpeas skip the previous step.
Reserve half a cup of chickpea water (aquafaba) and place a few ice cubes in it. See note 2. Drain the chickpeas well and let it cool slightly, enough to handle and pick out any loose skin to discard.
In a food processor, add the drained tender chickpeas, lemon juice, lemon zest, tahini, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. If required, adjust the consistency by adding small amounts of the reserved iced aquafaba or iced water (see note 2). Blend again, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure a smooth consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust the salt, lemon, and tahini if necessary.
Transfer the lemon hummus to a serving dish, and drizzle it with (optional) extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sumac, fresh parsley or paprika or fresh thyme

Video

Notes

Note 1 - While canned chickpeas are cooked, they are best when they are super tender and the skins are falling off. This is why they are simmered. If you'd like, you can skip this step, however I find the texture to be creamier when the chickpeas are tenderized further. Discard as many skins as possible.

Note 2 - Keep some of the chickpea water from the pot that they were boiled in. Then place ice in the water, which will help the dip to blend into a smooth consistency. Add a tablespoon at a time, blending it through to see how much more the consistency may need adjusting.

Use the best quality organic fresh lemons only.