A twist on the classic hummus recipe, this avocado version makes a creamy dip that is healthy and full of flavor. Make it with or without garlic, it stays fresh for several days and is the perfect snack with pita chips (recipe also in the post), as a spread for sandwiches or in salads.
Originally published in January 2018, this post has been updated with text and images to serve you better. The recipe remains the same.
Variations on the traditional hummus are always on my mind, probably because it is a great recipe that I eat a lot. And I mean a lot. The eggplant version is among the best hummus recipes I ever made, one of my favorite dips, but it was time to add new ones.
This avocado dip came to be a day the avocados I had were going to expire very soon. I tested and tweaked the recipe to get to this one, but there is room for personal taste. For me it's the perfect dip with pita chips, but it's also a great way to add some healthy fats to a sandwich or salad.
Whether you like it with or without garlic, more or less tahini, the idea is to let the avocado shine while maintaining that unique hummus flavor.
What is hummus?
Hummus is a middle eastern wonder of an appetizer or dip that comes together in a few minutes. It has few ingredients, but chickpeas and tahini (a slightly bitter paste made from sesame seeds) are a must.
Some say that the secret to creaminess is a good food processor and peeling the garbanzo beans, one by one, but I hardly ever do that. In this version the avocados add so much creaminess that you are safe in that area.
Ingredients
As I mentioned before, the ingredients are few and easily available. Some comments:
- Fresh avocados: Haas avocados, the small ones, are highly recommended as opposed to the large, greener avocados. Though it's a matter of personal taste, these small ugly things have the best flavor and less water content, and that really makes a difference imo.
- Tahini: is a sesame paste that gives the hummus that distinct smoky flavor. It's found in many grocery stores, middle eastern markets and online.
- Chickpeas: also called garbanzo beans, they are used cooked. You can use canned or dried that have been hydrated and cooked until tender. I prefer the latter for flavors, but use both depending on the time I have.
- Lemon juice: it adds some necessary acidity and is used freshly squeezed.
- Olive oil: use the best brand you can afford as the flavor is a big part of this homemade hummus.
- Salt and black pepper: they add some flavoring and balance the rest of the ingredients.
Choosing avocados
It's essential to choose just-ripe avocados for the best result.
- The stem at the top should come off easily and reveal a light spot. If the spot is brown the avocado is probably a little over-ripen (image left below).
- An avocado that is ready to be eaten is slightly soft but not mushy; when you lightly press it barely gives.
- The skin might be black but not always completely, some dark green might still be there. If you open it, it has green and yellow parts, but not brown ones (image below, right).
The avocado, being the good oil that it is, adds a layer of unctuousness to this dip that is very welcomed. A collateral healthy benefit.
How to make it
- Mixing: I love the immersion blender and a bowl because it's fast and it quickly becomes super creamy. But you can use a blender (I don't like how part of the mixture is always so hard to take out from the bottom of the jar). And I sometimes put everything in the bowl of a food processor, when I'm making double this recipe, because processors tend to be large and need a certain amount of ingredients in order to produce really creamy mixtures.
- Storing: add a thin layer of olive oil (image 4) to prevent it from turning a brownish-green so fast.
How to cook garbanzo beans from scratch: hydrate overnight in a bowl with cold water. Drain and cook in salted water until very tender. Keep refrigerated with a little olive oil, covered.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
Top tips
- Make it at the last moment possible to prevent the avocados from oxidizing and turning brownish.
- Keeping it: I recommend a glass jar with a tight lid, not a plastic airtight container, because it will keep the flavors better. If kept for a few hours, you can use the same bowl where you made it with tight plastic wrap on top.
- Topping: Keep some garbanzo beans and chunks of avocado to put on top of the hummus bowl just before serving. Alternatively, serve with a sprinkling of smoked paprika, a drizzle of olive oil and sesame seeds.
- Variations: throwing in a garlic clove, or a few fresh cilantro leaves before processing can be a good addition. As is some minced jalapeno pepper for a little kick. Don't add too much as they can overpower the other flavors. I always use lemon, but know recipes that call for lime juice.
How to eat it
- Tortilla chips: the store-bought kind is a great way to make your life simpler, instead of making homemade pita chips.
- Pita chips: are a breeze to make in the oven with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Simply take some pita bread and cut it in triangles. If you take the time to bake at a slow oven they will keep for weeks in a tightly covered tin. But if in a hurry you can bake them faster, like you would toast, and eat them immediately.
- In a salad: a few tablespoons of this creamy dip is great for adding to simple salads, or part of a healthy antipasto platter. You can add more oil and water and make it thinner, but be careful not to add too much and lose flavors.
Related recipes you might like:
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Creamy Avocado Hummus
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizers & Dips
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: International
Description
A twist on the traditional recipe, this Avocado Hummus is super creamy, healthy and full of flavor! Make it with or without garlic, it stays fresh for several days and is amazing as a dip, in sandwiches or salads.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe Haas avocados, scooped
- 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (canned or fresh)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
- 1 fat tablespoon of tahini (sesame paste)
- ½ cup olive oil (amount may vary depending on how thick you like your hummus)
- Sea salt or kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 4 pita breads, if making pita chips
- Smoked paprika
Instructions
For the pita chips:
- Preheat oven to 300ºF /150ºC.
- Open the pita bread and cut each half into 6 pieces (triangles or whatever shape you want).
- Scatter them on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, until dried and toasted.
- Sprinkle with smoked paprika as soon as you take them out. Let cool completely and keep in tins or cookie jars. If they are not well dried they will lose their crunch quickly. Otherwise, they keep a few weeks.
For the hummus:
- In the bowl of the food processor mix chickpeas, avocados (peeled, cored, scooped and cut into chunks), the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, some salt and pepper and process several minutes until very smooth.
- Check seasonings and add more juice and/or tahini and/or salt to taste. Or more olive oil.
- Serve with pita chips.
- Keep covered in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent darkening.
Notes
Avocados: I highly recommend haas avocados (small and wrinkled) as the results will be superior.
Tahini: can be found in some supermarkets, gourmet shops, middle eastern markets or you can buy it online Tahini 100% pure Sesame
Garlic: I don't use it for this recipe but it can be added. Roasted garlic works well too.
Serving: serve it with the pita chips mentioned above, with toast, as part of a sandwich or quesadilla, or as part of a budha bowl.
Storing: use a jar, add a thin layer of olive oil on top, close the lid and keep it in the fridge for several days. Even though the top starts to darken, below the hummus is green, similar to guacamole.
Keywords: avocado hummus
I like your recipes, but I no longer will click your links on Google puts them in my feed. This click-through style might benefit you for views, but it is frustrating. I just want to go straight to your blog page here, not go through all that other junk before it let's me see the direct link.
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Hi GW, I don't know exactly what you're talking about. Are you referring to web stories? I create content in different ways and they all link to my blog pages because it's where the recipe is well explained. How google shows content when we make a search is out of my reach.
You can go into my blog directly any time you want by bookmarking my url and access the recipes more easily. Have a great week.
I love the basics of this recipe. I used one avocado, maybe because it was a large avocado, but it worked well. The mixture was a bit thick and dry, so I added some the juice from the from the can of chickpeas, until it was the right consistency. It needed more cumin for my taste, but overall, good recipe. Thank you!
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Glad that you liked it Gabriel! Savory recipes usually need to be adapted to our own palate, and I'm happy you were able to achieve the right consistency. Have a great week!
thank you, a great tweak to hummus, which for me is just too tasteless, so avo is much appreciated in this!
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So glad you liked it Sabrina!
I've never thought about peeling garbanzo beans...I think mine will be a little less smooth. 🙂
Mine usually is, haha!
One of my favourites! I actually can eat this as the main with some wholemeal bread. So delicious and healthy. Happy New Year, Paula.
Thanks Angie!