One day I stood in my local grocery store and looked at every hummus container's label. I was on the hunt for one that did not have oil. Tahini, while adding fat, is okay by me. Tahini is a whole food and gives creaminess and flavor to hummus. But just try to find one without added oil! It's very nearly impossible but three brands you may be able to get depending on where you live are Engine 2, Cava (original only, the roasted red pepper has oil), and Asmar. Asmar is my personal favorite.
Try as you might, if you fail to find an oil free hummus, I have created one that you can make at home and save money at the same time!
Oil-Free Hummus
1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, reserving 1/4 cup of the water from the can, and rinsed
2 tablespoons tahini (also called sesame seed paste)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon, cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
Add reserved chickpea liquid and tahini to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth and emulsified. Add remaining ingredients and blend on high until creamy. Depending upon the power of your blender you may need to stop several times to scrape down the sides of the blender jar.
It is best to make this in a blender as it will come out creamier but if no blender you can simply mash the chick peas with a fork or potato masher, add all the other ingredients and combine well. The tahini may mix in more easily if heated slightly first in the microwave - 10 seconds should do it.
