You’ve done it, decided to go vegan; well done! Perhaps it has been a long time coming, or Venganuary went well. Either way, welcome aboard; it’s great to have you here!
Only now, you are met with a dilemma, right? You’ve taken the plunge, gone vegan, and are sitting at home or wandering around the supermarket asking yourself, can I eat this? Is this vegan?
Don’t worry; we’ve all been there! It’s a struggle at the start, but before long, you’ll be a label reading whizz and fountain of vegan knowledge. Snacking was what I struggled with the most—finding the best snacks for my new lifestyle.
So today, we are going to look at one of the most famous snacking ingredients: hummus. Enjoyed with carrot sticks or warm pitta bread, it’s a staple for many of us. But is hummus vegan? Let’s find out!
Is hummus vegan?
Let’s get straight to the point: yes, hummus is vegan! You can dip your sticks once more, as hummus is entirely vegan. A relief for many of you budding vegans, I am sure.
Hummus is typically made from chickpeas, garlic, tahini (sesame seed paste), and some lemon. These ingredients are all vegan and widely available in most supermarkets or online if you fancy making your hummus. Don’t worry; we have a super easy recipe to follow below!
What about prepared hummus?
Many of us will have seen hummus in the prepared food or ready meal section. Pots and pots of different flavoured hummus just waiting to be brought home with us! These too are vegan, so yes, red pepper hummus can be enjoyed once more!
It is best to take extra care when purchasing flavoured hummus, though. Different flavours often run the risk of added ingredients that aren’t vegan. Be sure to thoroughly check the ingredients list to ensure that they are suitable for vegans.
If there are any ingredients added that aren’t vegan, they will usually be milk-powder or honey. You will usually find milk listed in bold as it is an allergy for some, making it easy to spot the non-vegan hummus!
Prepared hummus is reasonably affordable depending on your supermarket of choice, so your lunchtime snack is saved (so is your hummus and pitta bread starter at Nandos, you can thank me later!).
How to make hummus
For those who don’t want to purchase hummus or feel a little creative, making your hummus could not be easier! You will only need a few ingredients and a food processor or blender.
I’d recommend a powerful food processor, as my first attempt was a little too grainy for my liking!
To make hummus, you will need the following ingredients:
- 400g of canned chickpeas
- 100ml of lemon juice
- 150 ml of olive oil
- 125g tahini
- 1 ½ tsp of ground coriander
- Five cardamom pods
- Salt to taste
The added herbs and spices are entirely optional; you can adjust your hummus to your taste. Once you’ve cracked it, why not get creative with your hummus?
You can follow this simple method below:
- Drain your chickpeas and set the water to one side
- You can warm them in the microwave gently, although it is not entirely necessary.
- Tip the chickpeas into the food processor with lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, and ground coriander.
- Crush the seeds from your cardamom pods and add these. You can add some salt to taste too here.
- Blend the mixture until it is smooth in your food processor.
- Here you can taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- If the hummus is looking dry, you can add some of the chickpea water and mix it through.
- Serve immediately with any garnish or sides of your choice (pine nuts work well!)
The above recipe will make your standard hummus; there are plenty of great options such as red pepper or harissa hummus; just check all the ingredients are vegan before adding them to your chickpea mix! If you want more fancy hummus, try this green goddess hummus recipe.
Storing hummus
Your hummus can be stored in your fridge, whether it is shop-bought or homemade. Be sure to check the date of any prepared hummus and not use it after its use-by date.
Your homemade hummus should last a few days in the fridge. You should be able to tell if it has gone off with any smell or colour changes to your hummus.
Any homemade hummus can be used immediately or stored in the fridge in an airtight container until you are ready to use it. Thankfully, it is so quick and easy to make you never have to wait to have your hummus fix!
Your hummus will also be fine out of the fridge for a few hours, so why not chop some carrots, fill a pot and take your hummus on a nice picnic? If it has been out of the fridge for a while, though, be sure to consume it or throw it away as it can go off.
Can I freeze hummus?
You can indeed freeze your hummus! Those batch cookers in the room can rejoice! Simply pour your hummus into an airtight container, label it and pop it in the freezer. It’s best not to fill the container to the top, as it can expand when frozen.
When ready, you can remove your hummus and allow it to defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before using it. But be aware, the texture of your hummus can change when frozen.
Defrosted hummus will have a grainer texture than your fresh hummus, which many people don’t like. You can rectify this by blending your hummus again with a little water, although many people argue it is not the same.
The choice is yours, but I would rather enjoy my hummus fresh and ready to go!
Final word
So there you have it. Hummus is indeed vegan! The fantastic and versatile dip can be enjoyed once more!
Not only is it affordable to buy, but it is also straightforward to make meaning that your next hummus fix can be achieved quickly, easily, and of course, vegan!