Hummus Without Tahini and Oil

Middle Eastern Fast Without Oil Published January 30, 2026

Traditional hummus calls for tahini and olive oil. Remove them and you still have something worth eating — just chickpeas, lemon, garlic, and enough of the cooking liquid to make it smooth. The flavor is sharper and more direct than the rich versions. The chickpeas themselves provide a subtle creaminess, and the lemon and garlic do the heavy lifting. This is not a lesser hummus — it is a different preparation, and a valid one.

Serve this as a dip, a spread on bread, or spooned into a bowl alongside raw vegetables. It is one of the most useful no-oil staples you can keep in the refrigerator.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast Without Oil (cooked food permitted, no oil, no wine)
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 15 minutes (with canned chickpeas) or 1 hour 15 minutes (with dried)

INGREDIENTS

- 2 cans (800g total) chickpeas, drained (reserve the liquid — this is aquafaba)
- 1/3 cup aquafaba (reserved chickpea liquid)
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
- Smoked paprika, for garnish

METHOD

1. Combine the chickpeas, aquafaba, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and a generous pinch of salt in a food processor or blender.

2. Process for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until as smooth as possible. The aquafaba replaces the oil and tahini — add more a tablespoon at a time until you reach a creamy, spreadable consistency.

3. Taste and adjust. This hummus needs more lemon and salt than the oil-and-tahini version — the acid and seasoning must compensate for the missing fat.

4. Spread on a plate, sprinkle with smoked paprika and parsley. Serve with bread, raw vegetables, or alongside other fasting dishes.

NOTES

- Peeling the chickpeas (pinching each one to slip off the skin) makes the hummus significantly smoother. It takes 10 minutes and is worth it.
- A tablespoon of white vinegar added to the food processor improves the texture and brightness.
- Roasted garlic (roasted dry in a covered pan) mellows the sharpness if raw garlic is too aggressive for your taste.
- Keeps refrigerated for 4 days. Stir in a splash of lemon juice and water if it thickens.