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Easily the creamiest harissa hummus recipe in the galaxy— and no one’s going to believe you when you tell them it’s made from canned chickpeas. You don’t have to mess with soaking, peeling, or boiling, or making your whole house smell like a steamed armpit to have the smoothest, spicy harissa hummus around.
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At Tom Valenti’s Ouest, the first restaurant I ever worked in more than a quarter century ago (gosh, I am getting old), he taught me to make all of the hummus that went out on the table with artisan breads. His secret was finding the perfect balance of the sweetness of the tahini, the acidity of lemon, fat from olive oil, protein from the chickpeas, and, of course, the perfect equilibrium of spices. There was no recipe he made me follow, just the principles of balance he taught me. A simple lesson that significantly shaped my culinary career.
Because I am always trying to turn on non-vegetarian eaters to the glories of vegan recipes, I also always find the main hurdle to get over is the idea that “vegan food is bland and boring.” This spicy hummus brings the kind of heat that won’t torch your mouth, but still proves that vegan food can be so yummy your wig might fall off.
I worked this one until the texture was so smooth it could slide off a spoon, and the flavor hits you right in the face—good vibes only. Whether you're scooping it up with Arabic kuboos or Afghan Bolani, or serving it along other Middle Eastern dips like Lebanese baba ganoush, muhammara, and matbucha, this delicious dip is always on repeat. Veggies, sandwiches, pita chips, it’s the go-to hummus recipe you and your fam will be downright obsessed with.
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🥰Why you’ll adore this harissa hummus recipe
✊ Vegan AF & GF: Like all of my vegan Middle Eastern recipes, this harissa hummus recipe has no animal products. And yes, it’s 100% gluten-free! No dairy, no drama.
🧄 Smooth Operator: Using a high-speed blender helps achieve that ultra-creamy texture without tedious bean peeling that takes for-freaking-ever.
🛒 Pantry-Friendly: Chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon, harissa—these are all basics you can grab at any decent grocery store or keep on hand.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: After perfecting this, I passed it along to hundreds of recipe testers who loved it (and I’m pretty darn sure you will, too).
🤘Learn to make killer vegan Middle Eastern food
This guide to my most popular plant-based Middle Eastern recipes is 100% FREE, & you'll love the actual heck out of it 🥰
🥣harissa hummus ingredients
Cumin Seeds
The wild mountain cumin from Burlap and Barrel are my dessert-island choice for cumin seeds. These are slender, fragrant, and blend into your dip like they were born for it. Regular cumin seeds work just fine too, and even cumin powder will do the trick, but trust me, the wild mountain variety takes things to the next level. It’s one of my fave spices to cook with.
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Using this link, add the wild mountain cumin to your cart, spend at least $15 on some of the other absurdly good spices from Burlap & Barrel (they all seriously slap) and the bottle of this bangin' wild mountain cumin becomes FREE, and you will love it so much.
Chickpeas
For ease, I’m all about canned chickpeas, but make sure they come in a BPA-free can with no salted brine. You’ll want to use some of the brine for that ultra-creamy texture. And if you’re opening a second can for garnish, get creative with those extra chickpeas! Use them for a flavorful chana masala or Moroccan harira soup to make the most out of your pantry stash.
If you’ve got all the time in the world and want to cook chickpeas from scratch, here’s the drill: Soak your dried chickpeas overnight, toss the nasty soaking water, then cook them in plenty of water for about 1–1.5 hours or until they’re soft. When they’re soft, drain them and keep some of that liquid for the dip. If possible, pinch off the skins of the chickpeas for a smoother hummus.
Aquafaba
Aquafaba is the liquid from canned chickpeas, packed with starch and protein, making it a perfect emulsifier. For best results, keep a little bit on hand as you blend. You can always add more to adjust the consistency if your hummus is feeling too thick. Aquafaba magic is the super-power behind my vegan royal icing and my vegan potato knishes, too.
Tahini paste
When we’re talking tahini here, we’re talking tahini paste, not tarator or tahini sauce. The tahini paste is the essential slightly sweet & rich element in this hummus that balances the acidity of the lemon juice. Make sure to give it a good stir—because good tahini = great hummus. Tahini can vary in thickness, but the kind I use is thick, yet pourable—definitely not as dense as nut butter.
Harissa
Harissa is smoky, spicy, and a little tangy, and it brings regular hummus to the upper limits of the flavor stratosphere. You can (and should) adjust the amount depending on your heat tolerance and the strength of your harissa.
You can use my harissa recipe for the perfect spicy flavor. If you're looking for something with an even bigger bang, try swapping it for my shatta sauce, a fermented Middle Eastern chili paste.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
📖How to make harissa hummus
Get this vegan creamy hummus right on your first shot by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Toast Busters:
Toast the cumin and coriander in a small skillet over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step Two
Blend There, Done That:
Add the chickpeas, chickpea water, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, harissa, salt, and toasted spices to a high-speed blender or food processor.
Step Three
Sweet Hummus Alabama:
Process for 1–2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
Step Four
Harissa Ford:
Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Use a wide spoon to smooth and shape the hummus in the dish.
Top with additional harissa, or Yemeni Zhoug sauce, a drizzle of olive oil, a few chickpeas, and a dusting of smoked paprika, peppercorns, and sea salt. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
💡Serving Ideas
This hummus is more than just a dip. For a filling, flavor-packed dish, top it with vegan kofta or vegan shawarma made from my baharat-roasted oyster mushrooms. The spiced mushrooms pair beautifully with the creamy, smoky hummus.
This hummus is an obviously killer choice to include in a mezze platter. It’s a great complement to Turkish green beans, acılı ezme (or this lovely autumnal cranberry ezme), and vegan labneh. Add a side of kisir or taboule for that refreshing crunch, and you’ve got a meal that’s as nutritionally well-rounded as it is delicious.
👉Top tips
- Spice It Real Good: Toast your cumin and coriander for about a minute in the pan to really bring out their oils and flavors. It makes a huge difference in the depth of your hummus.
- Liquid = Texture Control: Blend everything together first, then gradually add water, aquafaba, or additional olive oil to get the right consistency. This way, you can avoid over-thinning it and make sure it’s just the right creaminess.
- Let It Spin: Don’t rush the blending! The longer it spins, the smoother your hummus gets. A few extra seconds means it’s creamier and easier to spread or scoop.
- Room Temp Rules: Cold hummus won’t give you the full flavor experience. Let it sit out for a bit before serving so it’s at room temp and all those flavors can really shine.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Depends on the harissa. Some have a bit of a kick, some are fire-breathing dragon level. If you don't like spicy food, start small and taste as you go.
Absolutely. A high-speed blender gets it quite a bit smoother, but a food processor does the job just fine, if you don’t want your hummus to be 200% creamy like I do.
You can leave out the olive oil, but use a bit more tahini and water to compensate. Keep in mind, there is naturally occurring oil in the tahini, and if you get rid of that, the flavor of this hummus will be boring as heck (in my opinion, at least).
Let the hummus cool to room temperature before storing. Transfer to a sealed glass or metal container. It’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Sure, you can freeze your hummus (if you are a butthead)… But know this… if you do, you might open that freezer door one day to find your hummus has transformed into a protein-rich gateway to hell. Don’t do it. Upon thawing, it will be grainy and sucky.
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Harissa Hummus
Equipment
- food processor optional
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 15 oz. canned chickpeas or 1 ¼ cup drained cooked chickpeas
- ¼ cup aquafaba reserved from the canned chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ⅓ cup tahini paste
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 teaspoons harissa
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste (based on saltiness of your harissa)
Optional Topping:
- Smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons harissa
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Additional canned chickpeas
- Coarsely cracked peppercorns
- Coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a small skillet, warm the ground cumin and ground coriander over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine the chickpeas, chickpea water, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, harissa, salt, and the toasted spices. Process for 1–2 minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed, until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. For a thinner consistency, add additional water in 1-tablespoon increments, processing briefly after each addition.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. For the optional topping, spoon additional harissa over the surface, drizzle with olive oil, and top with a few whole chickpeas. Finish with a light dusting of smoked paprika, coarsely cracked peppercorns, and coarse sea salt. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
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Ixtapan Larry says
Followed the instructions to the letter. This hummus is AMAZING! So smooth! Just enough heat! It's in my bookmarks forever!