Avocado Hummus: The Creamiest Dip You'll Make in 10 Minutes

Avocado hummus is exactly what it sounds like: your favorite chickpea dip blended with ripe avocado for something creamier, richer, and a little more interesting than the original. It takes about 10 minutes, holds up well in the fridge, and works as a dip, a spread, or a sauce you spoon over grain bowls. Once you make it, plain hummus starts to feel like a step backward.

What You Need

• The ingredient list is short.
• You want one can of chickpeas (15 oz), one large ripe avocado, two tablespoons of tahini, the juice of one lemon, one small garlic clove, two tablespoons of olive oil, half a teaspoon of salt, and about two to four tablespoons of cold water to loosen the texture as needed.

A few notes on these. The avocado needs to be properly ripe, not just slightly soft. Press near the stem end, and it should give without feeling mushy. An underripe avocado will taste grassy and blend up slightly grainy. The tahini matters too. A good tahini (Soom and Seed + Mill are both widely available) is pourable and mild. Bitter or seized-up tahini will fight everything else in the bowl.

For the chickpeas, drain and rinse them, then take a minute to rub them between a clean kitchen towel to slip off the skins. It sounds fussy, but removing those papery skins is what separates silky hummus from grainy hummus. Takes two minutes. Worth it.

How to Make It

Add the garlic to your food processor first and pulse it a few times so it gets broken down before the other ingredients go in. This prevents you from biting into a sharp chunk of raw garlic later.

Add the tahini and lemon juice and process for about a minute. The mixture will look thick and pale. That's fine. Now add the chickpeas and avocado, both the olive oil and the salt, and process again for two full minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides once partway through.

With the processor running, drizzle in cold water one tablespoon at a time until the hummus is smooth and scoopable but not runny. Two tablespoons usually does it. Taste and adjust, more lemon if it needs brightness, more salt if it tastes flat, a tiny bit more tahini if you want that nutty depth.

Transfer to a shallow bowl, drag a spoon across the top to make a shallow well, and drizzle with olive oil. A pinch of smoked paprika, a handful of fresh herbs, or a few red pepper flakes on top make it look like you tried harder than you did.

Flavor Variations Worth Trying

The base recipe is mild and crowd-friendly, but it takes well to additions. Stir in half a teaspoon of cumin for something warmer and more complex. Add a small roasted jalapeño before blending for gentle heat that doesn't overwhelm. A handful of fresh cilantro blended in turns it bright and herbaceous, closer to a green goddess situation.

For a Mediterranean spin, top the finished hummus with a spoonful of harissa and a few Kalamata olives. If you're serving it with pita at a party, a drizzle of chili oil and some toasted pine nuts on top looks beautiful and takes about 30 seconds.

What to Serve It With

Pita chips and sliced vegetables are the obvious answer, and they're obvious because they work. Warm pita bread is even better. But avocado hummus also functions as a sandwich spread, where it replaces both mayo and avocado slices and holds together better than either. Try it on a turkey wrap with cucumber and sprouts.

Spread a thick layer on toast and top with a soft-boiled egg and everything bagel seasoning for a breakfast that feels put-together without much effort. It also works as a sauce under roasted vegetables or grilled chicken, thinned with a splash of water or lemon juice so it pools nicely on the plate.

For a snack board, pair it with hummus, olives, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and a handful of crackers. The green color stands out and makes the whole spread look more interesting.

Storing It Without It Turning Brown

Avocado oxidizes, so the hummus will start to darken after a few hours if you're not careful. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the hummus before putting the lid on your container, eliminating as much air contact as possible. A thin layer of olive oil on top also helps.

Stored this way in the fridge, it keeps well for two days. By day three the color has shifted enough that it's less appealing, though the flavor is usually still fine. It doesn't freeze well because the avocado breaks down and turns watery on thawing.

If you're making it for a party, make it the morning of rather than the night before. It will look its best within the first several hours.

Frequently Asked Questions