Chunky Herb Hummus

Name: Chunky Herb Hummus
Prep time: 7 min
Total time: 7 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas drained, some cooking liquid reserved; 3 tablespoons sunflower seed butter (instead of tahini); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 3 tablespoons cold water plus more as needed; 2 cloves garlic minced roughly; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika plus extra for garnish; Salt to taste

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 25 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Chickpeas ground gritty but creamy, blended with tahini swapped for sunflower seed butter. Olive oil, lemon juice, water, garlic combined but with a touch of smoked paprika twist. Chill to let flavors marry yet retain fresh kick. Great as dip, spread, or dolloped on salad. Uses common pantry staples, flexible on texture. Reads nuttier, brighter aroma, easier on tahini-allergy or low budget.

Prep: 7 min

Cook: 0 min

Total: 7 min

Servings: 4 servings

#hummus #Mediterranean #snacks #healthy #sunflower seed butter #allergen-friendly #dip

Hummus with a chunkier bite, less paste, more heart. The usual tahini getting swapped for sunflower seed butter to sidestep bitterness and allergen drama. I’ve found skipping that usually heavy tahini helps flavor punch come through brighter, plus easier on the wallet. Garlic stays raw, biting and sharp, not the mellow roasted kind, but you can adjust as you please. Paprika adds a warm smoky flick, a twist from boring straight lemon and garlic. Texture is the point. A hummus too smooth feels pasty, too gritty is uncooked feeling — here we hit just enough coarseness for teeth to find purpose, oil to gloss on top. Chill lets it rest but don’t wait all day or it dulls. Spoon smacks thick, cold, aromatic, piquant. Rarely do I get it right first try but this iteration nails it for my tastes.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas drained, some cooking liquid reserved
3 tablespoons sunflower seed butter (instead of tahini)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons cold water plus more as needed
2 cloves garlic minced roughly
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika plus extra for garnish
Salt to taste

About the ingredients

Chickpeas: use canned for speed, drain but save liquid just in case the blend needs thinning. Drier chickpeas mean adding more water or oil, or cooking liquid used to adjust. Tahini substitute: sunflower seed butter swaps nuttiness minus bitter edge, allergen-friendly. Olive oil: extra virgin preferred but not necessary; strong flavors mask low quality oil. Lemon juice: fresh squeezing retains brightness that bottle juice lacks; lime juice is excellent alternative if desired. Garlic: raw minced is pungent and sharp, roast if you want mellow sweetness, or garlic powder in pinch. Smoked paprika for warmth, optional but recommended for depth beyond standard. Salt to taste, essential to unlock flavors properly. Keep water cold to control texture during blending, adding bit by bit avoids too runny hummus. The balance of moisture vs grit is key.

Method

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Place chickpeas in a food processor bowl. Pulse briefly to start crushing them. You want a rough mash with some grit left — don’t overpuree unless you want paste, not hummus texture.
Add sunflower seed butter, olive oil, lemon juice, cold water, garlic, smoked paprika, and salt. Blend until the mixture homogenizes but still has some body. Scrape down sides occasionally there may be clumps holding back flavor.
Taste. Need more water or olive oil? Add teaspoon by teaspoon. Texture should be thickish but spreadable, creamy pockets blending with whole chickpea bits.
Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Chill minimum 45 minutes; an hour better if you can, to help flavors mingle but keep sauce bright.
Before serving, stir briskly. Smells sharper garlic with earthy paprika blow. Drizzle with extra olive oil, dust smoked paprika on top. Serve with pita wedges, crunchy veg sticks, or smear on crusty bread.

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Note grainy roughness means under-processed or dry chickpeas. Add cooking liquid or cold water in small doses between blending to loosen. Avoid blending too long or hummus becomes gluey.
Sunflower seed butter offers nutty depth but less bitter than tahini; good swap if ot allergic or tahini is pricey.
If fresh garlic too harsh, roast beforehand or use garlic powder sparingly in the mix.
Smoked paprika adds smoky warmth unexpectedly savory. Feel free to vary heat with cayenne or substitute lemon for lime juice for tang shift.
Leftovers store fine for 3 days in airtight container in fridge. Stir again before serving as water separates.

Cooking tips

Start crushing chickpeas in food processor, pulse not puree; goal is rough texture, some intact bits for mouthfeel. Adding sunflower seed butter early blends texture and richness smoothly. Add liquids gradually while blending, scraping sides to keep uniform mixture. Watch for blending signs: hummus should cling to bowl sides but not stick or string. If too thick, add spoonful of reserved chickpea liquid or water; too thin means more chickpeas or a few pulses longer. Flavor balancing is critical: lemon juice brightens but too much overpowers; salt unlocks the nutsiness; garlic punches flavor but can dominate if raw, adjust accordingly. Smoked paprika folded in late to avoid losing aroma. Chill period at least 45 minutes to marry flavors but avoid over chilling or it lives flat and dull. Stir just before serving to bring texture back to life, drizzle olive oil to finish and seal aroma. Store airtight, stir again for leftovers. Avoid over blending or hummus gets gluey, over watery is just sad. Use your ears and nose — blending makes a subtle hum, smell sharpens as garlic and paprika bloom, texture shifting under blade.

Chef's notes

💡 Pulse chickpeas just enough — aim for rough mash, not puree. Texture is key here. Watch processor noise shift, gritty bits still visible, some intact chickpea chunks. Over-blend and it’s paste, too smooth and loses bite. Keep reserved cooking liquid handy. Add tablespoons one at a time when blending too dry. Can swap water with liquid for nuttier depth and easier mixing. Garlic raw means sharp smell hits first; crush it finely but don’t turn into paste or bitterness grows.
💡 Sunflower seed butter stands in for tahini well here. It brings nuttiness but cuts bitter edge tahini can have. Choose unsweetened, unsalted butter to control flavors. If allergic to sunflower, try pumpkin seed butter or almond butter but adjust quantities, richer and thicker usually. Blend it early with chickpeas so they marry evenly. Olive oil quality matters less when combined with lemon juice and smoked paprika. Add oils slowly; texture thick but spreadable, creamy pockets intact. Don’t dump all liquids at once, gradual is clutch.
💡 Smoked paprika is more than garnish. Fold in near end of blending to keep aroma alive — too early and it fades. Tastes smoky with subtle heat, brings warmth that lemon alone won’t. Can experiment adding pinch cayenne for heat, or replace lemon juice with fresh lime for tang shift if craving brightness without extra sour punch. Paprika sprinkled on top helps visual and aroma layers. Salt well but easy to oversalt. Add tiny increments, taste often. Salt unlocks flavors, especially in raw garlic blends.
💡 Chill time crucial — 45 minutes minimum but no longer than 2 hours. Flavors mingle but stay bright. Longer chill dulls brightness, garlic softens but whole paste gets dull aroma. Cover tightly, stirring before serving rereleases aromas, thickens texture a bit from settling. Olive oil drizzle just before serving seals smell and adds gloss. Crunchy veg sticks or warm pita wedges signal a good match. Watch texture as you add water: thickish yet spreadable beats runny or gluey combo.
💡 Leftovers don’t keep long. Store airtight in fridge ideally under 3 days max. Water separates, stir vigorously each time before eating to re-emulsify. Avoid reheating, spoils texture and flavor balance fast. If hummus feels dry next day, drizzle cold water or olive oil and mix vigorously. Grainy roughness means blend was off or chickpeas too dry; add reserved liquid or water next round. Garlic flavor tones down but can dominate; if garlic powder needed for gentle note, add sparingly during blend.

Common questions

Why does hummus turn gluey a times?

Overblending crushes chickpeas too fine. Heat or moisture messes timing. Add water incrementally not all at once. Too long blender beats starch out, sticky paste forms. Stop when hummus clings bowl but not clumps or strings.

Can I substitute other nuts for sunflower butter?

Yes but taste and texture shift. Pumpkin seed or almond butter work but creaminess differs. Use less if thicker. Peanut butter alters flavor hard to mask. Adjust liquids if needed. Allergies common so test small batch first.

How to keep hummus fresh longer?

Store airtight fridge under 3 days tops. Stir before serving to remix separated water. Avoid reheating, kills aroma and texture. Add olive oil drizzle seals surface, slows drying. Use clean spoon avoids contamination. Freeze not great, changes grainy texture badly.

What if garlic is too harsh?

Roast cloves or replace with garlic powder sparingly at blend time. Raw garlic pungent and sharp but awesome for flavor punch. Roasting mellows and sweetens but loses bite. Adjust amount depends on garlic strength and preference. Mix options if unsure.