This creamy pesto hummus whips up in minutes and is loaded with flavor! Perfect for dipping veggies or pita bread, piling on a salad, or slathering on a sandwich!
Do you make your own hummus? You should! Not only because it’s a zillion times better than store-bought, but also because there’s so much you can do with it in terms of flavor variations.
I know there are some hummus purists who hate the idea of adding anything other than the traditional chickpeas, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and tahini to their hummus. And that’s fine! Enjoy your hummus how you like.
I put pesto in a batch of hummus and it was fantastic. If pesto is a new thing to you, it’s basically a sauce made from fresh basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic, though it may contain a few other ingredients. It’s suuuuuper flavorful, and pretty much anything you add it to will be as well. So it made total sense to me to add some to hummus.
The result was an absolute flavor bomb that was also really, really easy to make. Easier to make, in fact, than traditional hummus, because basil pesto hummus requires fewer ingredients to measure out and less prep work to do.
Jump to:
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chickpeas. The recipe calls for canned chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), but feel free to soak and cook them yourself if you prefer. You’ll need about 2 cups.
- Basil pesto. Make sure the pesto you’re using is vegan, as most store-bought pesto contains Parmesan cheese. I used my homemade vegan pesto. If you prefer premade pesto, try Amore brand, which is vegan.
- Tahini. Tahini is a paste made from blended sesame seeds. Look for it in the international aisle of your supermarket.
- Lemon juice. Use freshly squeezed juice to give your hummus the best flavor.
- Salt & pepper.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
- Place all of your ingredients into a food processor bowl, starting with just a half teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper.
- Blend everything until the mixture is smooth.
- Give the hummus a taste-test and make any adjustments you’d like. This might mean adding more salt and/or pepper, more pesto, or even more lemon juice.
Tip: If you prefer your hummus on the thinner side, thin it with a bit of water or extra virgin olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency.
- I like to garnish my pesto hummus with a dollop of pesto, some pine nuts, and fresh basil leaves, but those things are all totally optional.
- Serve your hummus and enjoy!
Leftovers & Storage
Pesto hummus will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
I like to freeze my hummus in individual portion sized containers and thaw them out as I’m ready for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is, as long as the pesto you use is gluten-free (most brands are, as far as I’m aware).
Most pesto contains Parmesan cheese, so it’s not vegan. Make your own pesto or specifically look for vegan brands that don’t contain Parmesan.
Yes! You can really use about any type of canned bean, but cannellini beans are your best bet for replacing the chickpeas.
It depends! I use a Vitamix and it works great for hummus, but I’ve worked with lower powered blenders that don’t do such a good job. You may need to research yours to find the answer, or just give it a shot and eat your hummus chunky if it doesn’t work!
Hummus is traditionally served as a dip with pita bread. It’s also excellent for dipping veggies, chips and crackers, as a sandwich spread, or even as a pasta sauce.
More Hummus Recipes
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Creamy Pesto Hummus
This creamy pesto hummus whips up in minutes and is loaded with flavor! Perfect for dipping veggies or pita bread, piling on a salad, or slathering on a sandwich!
Ingredients
-
1
(14 ounce or 400 gram) can
chickpeas,
drained and rinsed -
⅓
cup
vegan basil pesto -
3
tablespoons
tahini -
2
tablespoons
lemon juice -
½
teaspoon
salt,
plus more to taste -
Black pepper,
to taste
Instructions
-
Place the chickpeas, pesto, tahini, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade.
-
Blend the mixture until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
-
Taste-test the hummus and adjust any seasonings to suit your taste.
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups of hummus.
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Pesto Hummus
Amount Per Serving (0.25 cups)
Calories 212
Calories from Fat 110
% Daily Value*
Fat 12.2g19%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Sodium 725mg30%
Potassium 161mg5%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 4.6g18%
Sugar 0.8g1%
Protein 5.6g11%
Calcium 69mg7%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.