Green Goddess Hummus (with free printable labels for gifting)

A bright fresh, healthy spread that's fabulous with crackers, chips, veggies, as a sandwich spread, on pita and so much more! This Green Goddess Hummus is about to become your next obsession!

Last fall my daughter, Cait made a delicious Green Goddess Hummus for a family get-together. She served it with crudites and pita chips and everyone gobbled it up. It was full of bright, vibrant flavor and I've had it in the back of my mind ever since, wanting to try the recipe but a zillion other ideas got in the way. Now that summer's here and my herb garden is overflowing, it seemed to be the perfect time!

I looked over the recipe my daughter used as well as several others, as I love learning new ways to do things as well as different takes on the same basic recipe. I took a few ideas from each of them and added some of my own.

The results? A Green Goddess Hummus that's super fresh and bursting with the bright flavors of basil, cilantro, parsley and lemon. Oh, and garlic - what's hummus without garlic?

My ideal

I had a set of goals when developing this Green Goddess Hummus recipe. Here's the list:

• Color - When you google Green Goddess Hummus, you note that some of the (1,730,000 -yes!)results are a pasty pea color. I wanted a vibrant, beautiful shade of green so made sure to use plenty of fresh herbs.
• Texture - I love hummus that has a creamy, velvety texture and discovered a simple but super successful little trick on the Minimalist Baker website. this is how it works: instead of adding drained chickpeas to the other hummus ingredients in a blender or food processor, pour them undrained into a microwave-safe container. Add the garlic and cook on high power for 6-7 minutes. Then drain off the liquid and proceed with blending the ingredients. This accomplishes two things; first, the chickpeas soften and begin to fall apart, which creates a super smooth texture after blending. Secondly, the garlic is softened and mellowed during its stint in the microwave eliminating the sharp flavor or raw garlic.
• Flavor - Of course, with a name like Green Goddess Hummus, the flavor needs to be quite "heavenly". An abundance of fresh herbs, the now mellow garlic, a scoop of nutty tahini and a splash of bright lemon juice definitely create a taste of nirvana when combined with the softened chickpeas
• Ease - If you've followed The Café for any amount of time you might believe me if I told you "Easy" was my middle name. I absolutely love coming up with super simple recipes that are restaurant quality. Recipes that make you (and me) look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort expended. We actually have a separate category for these easy recipes that we call our Ridiculously Easy collection. You can read more about them here and see the whole compilation here. This GG Hummus definitely fits the bill!

So there you have it... check, check, check, check! All goals accomplished!

What to do with this Green Goddess Hummus

• Serve as an appetizer with pita chips, raw veggies and/or our shatteringly crisp Buttermilk Crackers pictured in this post - recipe (from a historic, fancy North Carolina Inn) coming next week!
• Use this hummus as a delicious sandwich spread. It's amazing with deli-smoked turkey, sliced Provolone cheese, thinly sliced cucumbers and sprouts.
• Make a veggie wrap: spread a flatbread or lavash with this GG hummus and top with fresh spinach, finely chopped sundried tomatoes, thinly sliced cucumber, shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots and slivers of roasted red peppers... so good!
• Add a scoop to your favorite salad and pair it with warm pita bread.
• One of our favorite (EASY) summer meals: warm a storebought naan in a sauté pan over medium-hot heat with a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Spread the warm naan with this GG hummus and top it with grilled (or rotisserie or leftover) chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, Feta cheese, thinly sliced red onion and a drizzle of our Zoe's Copycat Greek Dressing - delish! It's a great meal with any hummus but with this Green Goddess hummus, it's WAY over-the-top-delicious!
• Make a Mediterranean bowl with couscous, grilled chicken or shrimp, chopped or sliced cucumbers, chopped tomato, kalamata olives, sliced red onion and a big scoop of this Green Goddess Hummus. A perfect meal for a warm summer day!
• Spread it on thickly sliced, toasted sourdough bread and top with sliced avocado and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice for a fabulous avocado toast.
• Make a Mediterranean mezze platter -  pair it with roasted red peppers, ripe tomatoes, salty kalamata olives, a big chunk of Feta cheese and a stack of warm pita bread. You'll feel quite fancy but it's really pretty simple.
• Give it as a gift! Yes, there's nothing like a gift from the kitchen but so many kitchen gifts are sweet. This is a nice alternative and would be lovely paired with some homemade crackers like the Buttermilk Crackers pictured in this post (recipe next week - promise!) or our Pine Nut Seeded Crackers.

Give it as a gift!

Because we love giving homemade gifts (I call them gifts from the heart) and brightening someone's day, we've created a gift label to make giving this Green Goddess Hummus extra special. To receive a PDF for the free printable labels, just let us know in the comment section at the bottom of this post. My daughter-in-law, Lindsay, will email the labels, along with instructions on how to use them and a link for the deli containers pictured below.

We'll also send you the rectangular label that you can use on the side of containers or as a fun display on an appetizer tray, as pictured below.

NOTE - we have lots of different labels for jam, jellies, crackers, sauces... we're happy to share any of them. We only ask that you request them in the comment sections of the individual posts. We send out a myriad of labels every day and that's how we stay organized.

So gather your fresh herbs and make this delicious Green Goddess Hummus. It's a easy, fun way to create some healthy deliciousness!

Café Tips for making this Green Goddess Hummus

• This hummus recipe calls for tahini. Tahini is the sesame seed version of peanut butter, simply ground up sesame seeds. It has a nutty, roasted sesame flavor and is a classic ingredient in making hummus. You can find tahini at most larger grocery stores. It can also be ordered online.
• Tahini usually comes in a jar, similar to peanut butter. Make sure to stir it well as it can be kind of clumpy. Recently, I have discovered tahini in a squeeze bottle that's much easier to use and doesn't get clumpy.
• If you don't have an herb garden or you're making this in the midst of cold weather, an average size grocery store basil plant yields about 1 packed cup of leaves.
• Sometimes I throw a few mint leaves in this Green Goddess hummus in addition to the basil, cilantro and parsley. It adds an additional layer of fresh flavor
• It's fine to add some of the stems from the cilantro plant as they have the same flavor as the leaves. Parsley, on the other hand, has bitter tasting stems so go for just the leaves. A few tender stems from near the leaves are fine.
• This recipe calls for 1 medium jalapeno but it is not spicy. If you prefer a bit of heat, add some of the seeds and ribs as that's where the heat is.
• This recipe calls for a "neutral-flavored oil. This includes sunflower, safflower, avocado, grape seed and canola oils. Although olive oil would taste good in this hummus, it can get bitter when processed in a food processor or blender. (You can read about why that happens in this article by Cook's Illustrated.I prefer to drizzle the hummus with a bit of olive oil when serving.
• You might be wondering why this recipe calls for ice water. When making hummus, ice water makes helps create a smooth, fluffy texture as it incorporates more air into the mixture.

Thought for the  day:

And I heard every creature in heaven
and on earth and under the earth
and in the sea, and all that is in them,
saying, “To him who sits on the throne
and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor
and glory and might
forever and ever!”
Revelation 5:13

What we're listening to for inspiration:

Is He Worthy?

If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations, and ideas for variations.

5 from 4 votes

Print

Green Goddess Hummus

A bright fresh, healthy spread that's fabulous with crackers, chips, veggies, as a sandwich spread, on pita and so much more! This Green Goddess Hummus is about to become your next obsession!

Author: Chris Scheuer

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, Middle Eastern

Keyword: Fresh Herb Hummus, Green Goddess Hummus

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 8 mins

Total Time: 43 mins

Servings: 40 servings

Calories: 23 kcal

Ingredients

For the hummus:

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas also called garbanzo beans, undrained
• 3 medium cloves garlic peeled
• 1 medium jalapeño seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves tightly packed
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems tightly packed
• ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves tightly packed
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 juicy lemon will yield 3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil not olive oil
• ¼ cup ice water more when blending
• ½ teaspoons kosher salt I use Morton
• 3 tablespoons tahini

For serving:

• extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• fresh ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the prep:

1. Combine undrained chickpeas and peeled, whole garlic cloves in a medium microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave on high power for 6-7 minutes until garlic and chickpeas are soft. Drain then set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

For the hummus:

1. After the chickpeas have cooled, combine the jalapeño, basil, cilantro, parsley, chives, mint, (if using), lemon juice, oil and water in the bowl of a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend on high power for 1-2 minutes until very smooth. If you have to add a bit more ice water to get things going, it’s fine.

2. Add the tahini, cooled chickpeas and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Blend again for 2-3 minutes, adding extra ice water, as needed, in 1 tablespoon increments until a thick, smooth, creamy texture is achieved.

3. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice.

For serving and storage:

1. Serve drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and fresh ground black pepper.

2. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keeps well for 3-4 days.

Recipe Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.

If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.

Nutrition facts per serving (1tablespoon)

Calories 23kcal

Fat 2g

Saturated fat 0.2g

Trans fat 0.003g

Polyunsaturated fat 1g

Monounsaturated fat 1g

Sodium 59mg

Potassium 28mg

Carbohydrates 2g

Fiber 1g

Sugar 0.1g

Protein 1g

Vitamin A 76%

Vitamin C 2%

Calcium 8%

Iron 0.2%