One thing I really miss since going low carb is traditional chickpea based hummus.
I’ve created some delicious low carb alternatives like this broccoli hummus and this delicious roast cauliflower hummus.
But they take a little longer to cook than opening a can of chickpeas.
So one day when I was craving hummus and didn’t have much time, I had the brain flash to try making something with almond meal.
So glad I did!
You can use this creamy sauce anywhere you’d normally use hummus. As a dip, as a sauce, or as a low carb alternative to mashed potato.
Super versatile!
Almond ‘Hummus’
Ingredients
- 100 g almond meal (almond flour)
- 100 g water
- 1 clove garlic peeled and smashed (optional)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place almond meal, water, garlic (if using) and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a tall jar or jug.
- Using your stick blender puree until creamy and well combined.
- Stir in extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Taste and season with more salt or lemon juice as needed.
Variations & Substitutions
no almond meal – use whole almonds (blanched or with skins on) and grind them in the food processor instead.
nut-free – make regular hummus instead.
Low FODMAP – skip the garlic and use macadamias instead of the almond meal. Puree in a food processor.
different nuts – you can use any nut you like, if using whole nuts you’ll need to puree in a food processor instead of using your stick blender.
more hummus vibe – add 2 tablespoon tahini, a crushed clove of garlic and a splash more water. I made this recently and it took it to a whole new level of deliciousness. A teaspoon of ground cumin is lovely too.
no lemon – you can use lime juice or vinegar. The flavour will be different but not necessarily bad.
Problem Solving Guide
bland – season with salt and more lemon juice. See the more hummus options of adding tahini or cumin.
not pureeing / too thick – it takes a while to get going with the stick blender so keep at it. Using a taller jug rather than a bowl helps bring more of the mixture in contact with the blades so can help. Add more water as needed to get your desired consistency. It does thicken over time, so if you make it ahead you may want to stir in some more water just before serving.
too runny – add more almond meal / almond flour or some tahini.
grainy – even with my super new stick blender the texture is still a tiny bit grainy. Using a finer almond meal / flour will give a smoother result.
no stick blender – a food processor works really well. Or a regular blender (you might need to scrape down the sides to get it to blend).
too tart – too much lemon juice. Try adding a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil or tahini to balance it.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
almond meal / extra virgin olive oil – keep them in the pantry.
garlic – will keep in the pantry for months. Best if in a dark corner in a brown paper bag.
lemon – whole lemon will keep wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge for months.
Prepare Ahead
Yes! Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or can be frozen.
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
I learned to make hummus from a Lebanese boyfriend back when I was in my early 20s. It always had garlic and always had tahini. The cumin is an Israeli addition, which I would choose to skip. These days I would soak the garlic in the lemon juice to make it more digestible. I’ve decided that I will try this for the next time I need hummus, because lower carb is better.
I like the idea of soaking the garlic Susan.
Got this hummus made this morning, and I cheated and used granulated garlic instead of fresh. Maybe next time I’ll try soaking the garlic, because I have ‘feta and meat balls’ on the menu this week. You’ll get me to learn how to use that stick blender eventually, if I follow your instructions for recipes. It actually worked well for me this time, though I was not happy with how much of the hummus ended up being unretrievable from around the blender blade. The only thing missing from this hummus (apart from the parsley which didn’t buy) was the flat aftertaste of garbanzo beans. Anyway, I think this is definitely a keeper recipe, since some of my favorite dishes use hummus and I am trying to seriously reduce my carb intake more than before.
That is the downside to stick blenders Susan – but I figure it’s worth it because they’re so much easier than getting out the food processor.
I’ve been playing around with another hummus inspired sauce using avocado instead of the chickpeas – recipe coming soon!
Used tahini instead of olive oil and apple cider vinegar because I couldn’t be bothered squeezing lemons% and no garlic because my Irishman was having a flare up of his IBS. Loved this version – glad I made a double batch
I added a little bit of tahini as well. What a discovery. I have really missed hummus on my low carb journey. This will be a treat
Oh wonderful Martina! I was so excited when I came up with this idea.
You have to try my Broccoli Hummus and Quick Cauliflower ‘Hummus’ as well 🙂
How much water do you recommend?
Hi Paul!
The recipe is 100g (3.5oz) water.
I had it written in the method so wasn’t super clear – thanks for letting me know.
And I had some more pesto-alternative ideas for you Beet ‘Pesto’ using cooked beets instead of fresh basil.
Or this sweet potato hummus.