Hummus Recipe Without Tahini (Pantry Ingredients)

You are going to love this creamy hummus recipe without tahini, especially if you are anything like me and rarely have fresh tahini on hand. We use a simple pantry ingredient that we all have in our kitchens instead of the traditional tahini – peanut butter! Peanut butter is more readily available in many kitchens, making it a convenient substitute for tahini in a pinch. We balance the nuttiness of the peanut butter with bright citrus lemon and mint flavors!

Can You Make Hummus Without Tahini?

You absolutely can make a no tahini hummus! I frequently find myself craving a creamy homemade hummus, but rarely have fresh tahini in the fridge. And on the occasion that I do, I have noticed that it is really similar to peanut butter and always wondered if you can substitute peanut butter for tahini in hummus.

Tahini has a unique taste, slightly bitter with a pronounced sesame flavor, as it’s made from ground sesame seeds. However, in terms of texture, it closely resembles thick nut butters such as almond butter or peanut butter!

While tahini is a traditional ingredient in hummus and adds a distinct flavor, you can still create a delicious hummus without it. And I’m here to show you how!

Peanut Butter Hummus Ingredients

• Canned Chickpeas – We use canned chickpeas in this recipe to save on time. You have the option to simmer the canned chickpeas in water until soft for an extra creamy texture, or you can just use them right out of the can. Chickpeas are a good source of essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein necessary for various bodily functions.

• Lemon Juice – Opt for around 2 tablespoons, which is the juice from one medium and juicy lemon. You can also use lime juice if you prefer!

• Cumin – The spice of choice in this specific recipe is cumin for its warming flavor, but you can play around with flavors and use a different spice if you like! That’s the beauty of this peanut butter hummus recipe, it’s super versatile!

• Peanut Butter – We use peanut butter instead of tahini because it has a similar texture and nuttiness to it. Feel free to swap it out for almond butter, but note that you may need to add more liquid if it is on the denser side. Smooth peanut butter would be preferred, but chunky also works great!

• Mint – We add mint to the hummus to add a fresh and vibrant flavor, as well as a subtle hint of coolness to complement the earthy and savory notes of the chickpeas and cumin. It brightens the whole thing up, and I highly recommend it as your herb of choice!

• Garlic Cloves – We use raw garlic cloves for the added health benefits. Raw garlic cloves are beneficial for our health due to their rich content of sulfur compounds, particularly allicin which has antimicrobial properties. If you wish to use roasted garlic cloves, these would taste amazing as well!

How To Make Hummus Without Tahini

Hummus really can’t get much simpler. Toss it all into a food processor and process until smooth! Garnish, and voila! But here, let me try to break it down into a little more detail.

1. Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid from the can. You have the option to simmer them in water for about 10 minutes until nice and soft, or you can use them straight out of the can. If you simmer them they will be softer, yielding a creamier consistency, but in my opinion, it doesn’t make a huge difference.

2. Add to a food processor the chickpeas, lemon juice, cumin, sea salt, garlic cloves, mint leaves, and peanut butter. Pulse until everything starts to blend.

3. Pour about 1/3 cup of the reserved chickpea liquid (aquafaba) into the food processor and process again for about 20 seconds. Check the consistency and add 1 tbsp at a time of chickpea water until the desired consistency is met.

4. Scoop into a serving bowl and make a spiral with the back of a spoon (as best as you can). Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with minced mint leaves and lemon zest. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!

How To Serve This Hummus

In the Middle East and in Mediterranean countries, hummus is commonly served as a dip or spread, alongside various accompaniments. It’s typically presented as part of a mezze platter, which includes a selection of small dishes served as appetizers or snacks (think tapas).

Hummus is often enjoyed with warm pita bread, flatbreads, sourdough, or vegetables such as cucumber, carrot sticks, or bell pepper slices. It is also frequently drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and garnished with herbs, spices, or additional toppings like olives or pine nuts.

Hummus is also frequently incorporated into wraps, or sandwiches as a condiment, or baked in the oven with chicken or fish. Check out my Sheet Pan Hummus Chicken and Veggies recipe!

Check Out These Recipes That All Use Hummus!

Did you make this easy hummus recipe without tahini? If so, it would mean so much to me if you left it a star rating in the recipe card. Thank you so much!