Hummus is a Middle Eastern and Arabic food dip or spread made from cooked and crushed chickpeas blended with lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, garlic, and salt.  These days, it is most popular in the Middle East, North Africa, Morocco, and Turkey.  Since the end of the 20th century, hummus can be found in health food stores across North America.  To call hummus a vegan staple condiment would be both a massive understatement and doing a great disservice to the condiment of choice for many of us green monsters.  With the variety of flavors out there, you will never get bored of hummus, and your taste buds will love you for it!

Hummus is high in protein and Vitamin C, and an excellent source of vitamin B6, while the chickpeas that most hummus is made from are high in dietary fiber.  Depending on the recipe, hummus can vary in levels of monounsaturated fat.  Hummus is most often used as an alternative to fatty dips for pita chips as well as celery and/or carrot sticks, but its versatility hardly stops there.  Here are ten ways you can use and enjoy hummus for your next potluck or trip to the beach.

1. Tomato Filling & Topping

Cut off the tops of cherry tomatoes, scoop out the seeds, then use a piping bag to fill each one with hummus.  Go even bigger with hummus-filled tomatoes, filling each one with a different flavor for a unique appetizer.  Hummus also makes a great topping for sliced tomatoes.

2. Pasta Sauce

Combine two parts hummus with one part vegetable stock for a delightful take on pasta sauce.  For a fresh Mediterranean twist, add roasted red peppers, olives, or fresh tomatoes.  Alternatively, toss in some vegan parmesean cheese and garlic for a new twist on alfredo sauce.

3. Hummus Pizza

Spread your favorite hummus on a frozen pizza dough, and sprinkle on your favorite vegan cheese and toppings (you can never go wrong with a variety of vegetables here!).

4. Creamy Soup

Stir in a couple tablespoons of your favorite flavor of hummus into soup to make it more rich and creamy, but without all of the saturated fat (the particular kind that doesn’t play well with your heart) of soups made with cream.  As a suggestion, a roasted red pepper hummus goes great with a tomato soup!

5. Substitute For Mayonnaise and Sour Cream

Hummus makes for a perfect substitute for whenever a recipe calls for some kind of mayonnaise (such as a veggie burger or other kind of sandwich or wrap), and you may well end up and a much healthier dish for it.  It is also a healthier and more nutritious substitute for sour cream in baked potatoes.  Try it with a slice of toasted whole-grain rye bread and top it with roasted veggies like eggplant, onion, and bell pepper.

6. Salad Mixer

Spruce up your salad by topping off individual bowls with a sizeable dollop of hummus.  To make your presentations more colorful, use multiples styles and flavors of hummus.  Your party will admire your variety and creativity, and thank you for the healthy treat!  Also, for a chilled pasta salad, toss penne or spirals with hummus and a number of minced or shredded veggies such as artichokes and sundried tomatoes or carrots, red onion, and zucchini.  Make an instant salad dressing by blending hummus, salt, pepper, and vinegar.

7. Avocado

Spoon several tablespoons of hummus into an avocado for a quick and nutritious snack.

8. Tofu Scramble

Stir a spoonful of hummus into a tofu scramble or a vegan omelete before cooking.

9. Cooked Pasta Topping

Toss hummus with hot cooked pasta and season with cracked black pepper.  Sprinkle with parsley or chopped, fresh chives.

10. Portobello Mushrooms

Grill or broil Portobello Mushroom caps and then top with a teaspoon or two of your favorite flavor of hummus.

Quick Sriracha Hummus Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas, mostly drained (save some fluid on the side for later)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 2-3 tbsp. Sriracha sauce (start with less and add a little more depending on how spicy you want it to be)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Paprika for garnish

Preparation:

1. Toss the Sriracha, tahini, and chickpeas in a food processor and blend.
2. Slowly add olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice and blend to a smooth consistency.
3. If too thick, add either more lemon juice or some of the leftover chickpea fluid that you drained.  If not thick enough, add more tahini.
4. Sprinkle a bit of paprika on top for garnish.

Cooking With Hummus: Check out these amazing hummus recipes, and recipes that use this versatile spread.

1. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2. Fresh Pumpkin and Kale Hummus

3. Spicy Sweet Potato Hummus

4. Eggplant Burger

5. Kale Salad with Grilled Eggplant

6. Avocado and Black Bean Tortas

7. Lotus Chips