Creamy Avocado Hummus Recipe

Everyone has a staple hummus recipe that is a surefire hit whenever they serve it. After all, you can't go wrong with the basics: that perfect combination of chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon, and olive oil. But when you want to mix things up and bring something new to the table, this creamy avocado hummus might just be the twist you're looking for. Buttery avocados blend right into typical hummus ingredients, along with Greek yogurt to deliver a little tang, balance out the flavors, and lighten up the texture. The earthy, smoky, fruity-hot spice combination of cumin, smoked paprika, and Aleppo pepper, combined with fresh jalapeño, cilantro, and zesty lime, makes the flavors pop and keeps you dipping again and again.

I love the simplicity of this recipe. Everything goes into the food processor, and in just a few minutes, you have a bright and beautiful dip that's a cross between hummus and guacamole. Not only is it a great dip, but it's also one of my favorite sandwich spreads and works beautifully as a topper for Mexican food. I especially love it paired with lentil walnut tacos, bean tostadas, or cheese quesadillas.

To make this recipe, start in the produce aisle and grab a lime, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, and avocados. Pick avocados that are at their peak of ripeness, so they blend easily and add a creamy base to the hummus. You'll need a can of chickpeas, or you can make your own in an Instant Pot by soaking them overnight, combining them with water to cover, and cooking on high pressure for 15 minutes. Then pick up some tahini and Greek yogurt. The spices we're using are cumin, Aleppo pepper, salt, and smoked paprika.

Zest the lime.

Juice the lime.

Add the lime juice, lime zest, chickpeas, jalapeño, and tahini to a food processor.

Blend until smooth.

Add the Greek yogurt, cilantro, garlic, avocados, cumin, Aleppo pepper, salt, and smoked paprika to the food processor.

Blend, scraping down the sides as necessary.

With the processor running add 1-2 ice cubes and blend until creamy.

Add cilantro as additional garnish before serving.

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Like most hummus recipes, this one lends itself to many ingredient substitutions or optional add-ins. To start, you can switch the beans to any type of white bean, like cannellini, navy, or great northern. To lean into the green color, add shelled edamame in place of the chickpeas. To make the hummus less spicy, feel free to leave out the jalapeño. Conversely, to ramp up the heat, add a serrano pepper instead. You can also sub in about 3 tablespoons of milder pickled jalapeños for some tang without too much heat. In place of the Greek yogurt, you can use sour cream, or you can use cashew or coconut yogurt to make the hummus dairy-free. Aleppo pepper is less spicy and more flavorful than red pepper flakes, with a fruity, raisiny depth, but regular chile flakes would work here, too, and add a little extra kick.

In terms of additions, roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes would give the hummus a Mediterranean flair, though, of course, the color would change. To add some nuttiness, add ¼ cup of pine nuts or chopped pistachios. For a cheesy element, either feta or cotija cheese would add an extra briny tang.

This avocado hummus recipe is very straightforward, but we have some easy tips to make sure it comes out perfectly. You want your avocados to be at the just-right stage. Resist using overripe avocados. If they are too soft, they develop a bitter taste, and the overly soft texture can result in a looser hummus consistency. Be sure to drain the chickpeas well after rinsing, and let them sit in a colander to continue drying, because extra moisture will water down the hummus texture. 

When blending the hummus in the food processor, pulse a few times first to get the ingredients moving, then blend continuously, stopping at least twice to scrape down the sides. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a blender, but it will be a little harder to remove the hummus and transfer it to a serving bowl. Why do we add ice cubes at the end? Because it helps to emulsify the hummus, which will keep it from being too dense and allow you to produce a hummus that is lighter and creamier. Add the ice cubes one at a time. If you are happy with the creaminess after the first one, that may be all you need.

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