A zesty Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus recipe with fresh lime juice! Simple to prepare right at home. It's great for snacks, dips, sandwich spreads, party platters, and more. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This creamy Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus is easy to make right at home!
We start with a chickpea base, then combine it with fresh herbs, a hint of heat from jalapeno, and tangy lime juice.
It's a healthy appetizer or party snack to serve to a crowd. Or you can try it on your sandwiches, wraps, salads, and grain bowls for some zesty flavor.
Plus it's vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free!
Ingredients for Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus
For this recipe you will blend together in a high-speed food processor or blender:
- Garbanzo beans (chickpeas): You'll need one 15-ounce can of chickpeas for this recipe. (Or if you make your beans from scratch, then you will need about 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas.) Garbanzo beans are the classic, protein-rich base used for hummus.
- Aquafaba: This is the thick liquid found in canned chickpeas. (Be sure to save some before you rinse and drain your beans.) I use aquafaba in place of olive oil and it helps thicken and bind the mixture. Plus it gives the hummus a creamy, fluffy, and smooth texture. If you're using home-cooked beans, then simply use the cooking liquid in place of aquafaba.
- Fresh cilantro: I use both the leaves and stems for this recipe (since the stems provide a lot of flavor.) Cilantro is available year-round, however it's a cooler season herb so it grows best in the spring and fall. It usually doesn't tolerate the heat of summer very well.
- Jalapeno: I find jalapenos vary quite a bit in their spice level. If you're sensitive to spice, start small then add more to taste. (Or if you enjoy the flavor and spice, by all means, add more!)
- Fresh lime juice: You will need a quarter cup lime juice for this recipe, which is about 2 limes. If yours are smaller, you may want to grab 3 just in case.
- Tahini: This is a condiment made from toasted ground sesame seeds. The taste is very distinctive, and it's a major ingredient in traditional hummus. Always be sure to find a good quality tahini that's smooth and not too bitter. (It should have a strong, earthy, nutty flavor.)
- Fresh garlic cloves: Use as much or as little as you prefer.
- Ground cumin
- Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe. You can also add black pepper to taste if desired.
Customizing
Omit jalapeno: For a mild, completely non-spicy version, omit the jalapeno. Add a 4-ounce can of mild diced green chiles (liquid drained) for added flavor instead.
Lemon juice: You can also make this with fresh lemon juice in place of the lime juice.
Other flavors: Add green onion, a pinch of cayenne pepper, chili powder, or even more jalapeno for stronger flavor and spice.
Looking for more hummus? Check out this Chipotle Taco Hummus, Lemon Dill Hummus, or basic Oil-Free Hummus as well!
Serving
Dip: Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, pita chips, pita bread, fresh veggies, etc.
Spread: Try it on sandwiches, wraps, burgers, etc. It's a great healthier alternative to traditional mayonnaise. (Try it on this Avocado Veggie Sandwich!)
Grain bowls: Use it as a condiment on your favorite grain bowl or salad bowl.
Dressing: You can also turn this hummus into a zesty salad dressing! Simply thin it out with more aquafaba/water and whisk until it reaches your desired consistency. Then it becomes a pourable, creamy dressing to drizzle on your favorite salads.
Storing
Store leftover homemade hummus in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator. We find it keeps well for about 4-5 days.
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan dip recipes or chickpea recipes.
Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus (Oil-Free)
Ingredients
- 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
- 1-3 Tbsp. aquafaba* (to desired consistency)
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro (or more to taste)
- 1-2 jalapenos** (stems & seeds removed)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 Tbsp. tahini
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. fine grain salt (more/less to taste)
Instructions
- Open the can of garbanzo beans and reserve 3 Tbsp. aquafaba.* Then rinse and drain garbanzo beans.
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor. (Start with 1 Tbsp. aquafaba and add more as desired.) Blend until creamy, about 20-30 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust flavors if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
If you are enjoying this jalapeno cilantro hummus recipe with lime, also check out:
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Erin
It came out wonderful! We doubled the garlic... yum!
Kaitlin
Great call doubling the garlic, Erin! So glad it worked out for you.
HOLLEY COLLIER
Hi! I switched over to the vegan lifestyle (to include low-fat & oil free) for health reasons about three weeks ago, and I can not express how excited I am to find your blog! There are so many wonderful recipes here, and just when I was thinking I'd be eating bland salads and bean burritos every day for the rest of my life.
I can't wait to share them, and I'll be looking for your new posts. Thank you!!
P.S. What brand(s) of Tahini do you prefer?
Kaitlin
Hello and welcome to the website, Holly! That's so exciting and I'm thrilled to hear you're enjoying the inspiration here. To answer your tahini question, lately I've been using the Whole Foods 365 brand organic tahini (but Trader Joe's also has a good one if you have any of those stores nearby). I hope you love any recipes you try! Wishing you all the very best on your beautiful new journey! -Kaitlin