This hummus (chickpea dip) recipe does not use tahini, and takes on some subtle spice notes for ensuring deliciousness. The result is 100% awesomeness. All you need is a can of chickpeas and some basic spices!
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💭Why you'll love this chickpea dip
If you love a good hummus but also a good curry, this recipe is the perfect dip for you.
- Simple ingredients and process: You basically gather a few ingredients and process them together to create a creamy, spicy(ish) dip
- Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free: This is a great dip that everyone can enjoy regardless of dietary restrictions!
- Super versatile: You can use this as a traditional dip or you can treat it as a creamy base layer for sandwiches, or even throw it on pasta if you like!
- Healthy and nutritious: This is a great snack to have on hand for when you want something light but don't want to spend too much time or effort! Turmeric brings in anti-septic properties and chickpeas an awesome source of protein!
Psst, I know it's questionable to call it hummus without tahini, but once you get past that semantic hump, this really is ultra delicious.
📋 Ingredients and variations
You'll need a can of chickpeas, jalapenos, turmeric, red chili powder, cumin powder, garlic, olive oil, and lime or lemon juice for this recipe.
Variations and Notes
- Use dry or canned chickpeas: I find that canned chickpeas works great for this recipe, but if you want to use fresh chickpeas, make sure to soak overnight beforehand. Then, cover with 2x the amount of water and simmer for about an hour. Check the consistency and make sure it's soft, and cook a bit more if you require.
- Adjust the spice notes: I use jalapeños and a pinch of red chili powder for the spice (and color!) in this recipe, but you can leave either or both out or substitute with red pepper flakes if you desire too. If you want something with a bit more kick, check out this spicy harissa hummus instead.
- Add other warm spices: You can also use warm spices like cloves, nutmeg, or the Indian garam masala to this dip to add more depth of flavor.
📖 How to make hummus without tahini
Okay, not going to lie - this is a super simple process. Start by draining the chickpeas (and save a tablespoon of the aquafaba, aka chickpea liquid to help smoothen out the recipe).
Add the chickpeas, garlic cloves, and diced jalapenos, along with the chickpea liquid (or water) a pinch of turmeric, red chili powder and cumin powder to a food processor. Pulse until they blend together. Add a spoonful of olive oil and continue pulse until it gets to a really creamy consistency. Then your chickpea dip is basically ready.
Transfer to a nice bowl, top with more olive oil, squeeze some lemon juice on top and garnish with cilantro. Serve with flatbread or chips of your choice!
🍴 Serving and storage suggestions
To save this dip, just throw it in an airtight container and in the fridge - I suggest not storing it for more than a week at most given potential oxidation!
You can serve this dip alongside so many different dishes!
- Serve alongside other dips (e.g. guacamole) with some tortilla chips or crackers (simple!)
- Add a layer of chickpea dip to any flatbread (like this homemade naan) to make a great base for a flatbread sandwich
- Serve it as a condiment for some crispy snacks (e.g. vegan fritters or baked samosas)
- Throw it on some pasta and call it a day (because, let's face it, hummus pasta = delish)
If you enjoyed this recipe, you'll also love my other dip recipes:
Did you make this recipe?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Please leave a comment and a star rating and let me know how it went! We love hearing from you, thank you so much
📖 Recipe
Spicy Chickpea Dip
Ingredients
For the base:
- 1 can chickpeas, 14.5oz, I use the low sodium variety
- 1 tablespoon aquafaba, Reserve all aquafaba from chickpea can - adjust quantity based on food processor strength!
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeno, check recipe notes for spice adjustment
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder, ground*
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder, I use Kashmiri red chili powder - adjust this to your spice tolerance
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon is approximately half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped finely, optional
Instructions
- Drain the chickpeas, saving 1 tablespoon of the brining liquid (aquafaba). If you're using dry chickpeas, just add a tablespoon of water instead.
- Add the drained chickpeas, 2-3 garlic cloves, 1 chopped jalapeno, along with a teaspoon each of turmeric, red chili powder and cumin powder to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are processed to a creamy mixture. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to this and continue pulsing.
- Transfer to a bowl and garnish with a tablespoon of olive oil, some fresh lemon juice and top with cilantro for a super easy chickpea dip your family will love!
Notes
- Adjusting spice levels: I use Kashmiri red chili powder as well as jalapenos (with seeds) in this recipe as written. There are many ways in which you can decrease the spice level - you can remove the seeds of the jalapeno or leave it out, and also substitute with a milder red chili powder!
- Additional flavors: In addition to the spices mentioned, you can also add chole masala (found in most Indian stores) or a pinch of garam masala to take this up a notch. Sometimes I also like adding a bit of ginger when I pulse the ingredients.
- Food processor strength: Different processors have different capacities, and the aquafaba is intended to help smooth out the process. I use a Breville Sous Chef, and I've found that a tablespoon of liquid is more than sufficient to get the ingredients into a nice creamy dip texture. However, if you need to use more liquid, add additional aquafaba or water in 1 teaspoon increments!
Nutrition
Note: This recipe was originally posted on Feb 20, 2020. It was updated on Feb 14, 2021 to simplify the ingredients and with better process photos and tips.
I made this for dinner tonight with rice and omg it was so delicious!! Just with enough spice to give that extra umami-ness. I'll be honest and say that I tried to make this recipe before but I was lazy and used canned tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes...This was a terrible mistake and fresh tomatoes made a world of difference. LOVE IT!
Thanks for the comment! I definitely recommend using fresh tomatoes if you can! My other recipe, for authentic chana masala, is a bit more forgiving with canned tomatoes (in fact it's preferred there!)
Hello, How many cardamom pods, cloves ( ground or whole), would I need if I wanted to add those. Also what size can of tomatoes to use. Thanks so much
Hi Susan - thanks for the question! I'd use one 14.5 oz can. And if you want to use cardamom and cloves, I'd suggest 1-2 whole ones to start with! They have quite strong flavors. Thanks and please do let me know how it goes.
I tried it, it is so good. Even without cilantro(didn’t have it, when I made it), it is good. So easy and quick. Shruthi, thanks for sharing this easy recipe.
So glad to hear that, thank you!!