Curry Hummus

Deliciously smooth and creamy curry hummus with bursts of juicy raisins and crunchy almonds. It's loaded with flavour, can be made in minutes and is perfect for serving as a dip with veggies, naan or pita bread, or for spreading in sandwiches and wraps.

Calling all the hummus lovers - This Curry Hummus is my twist on the classic, featuring the hummus ingredients we all know and love (hello chickpeas, garlic and tahini) plus some tasty extras.

 It's creamy, packed with flavour and texture, surprisingly easy to make and can be used as a dip or a spread.

Jump to:

• What ingredients & equipment do I need?
• How to make Curry Hummus
• Success tips
• How to serve
• Storage & freezing
• Possible variations
• Hungry for more?
• 📖 Recipe

What ingredients & equipment do I need?

For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card.

Here's what you need to make this curry hummus recipe:

• Chickpeas - The essential base ingredient for hummus.
• Curry power - Any will do. Use your favourite variety. Curry paste would work too if you prefer.
• Cumin & garlic - For flavour. Hummus isn't hummus without garlic and cumin works so well with the curry.
• Tahini - For flavour, smoothness and richness. Smooth natural peanut butter also works well in this recipe.
• Fresh lemon juice - For flavour, brightness and acidity. Emphasis on "fresh". Make sure it's squeezed from a lemon and not from a bottle. The two just don't compare. Important for balance as well as flavour. Lemon works so well with chickpeas and curry!
• Extra virgin olive oil - For flavour and gloss. It's important to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil when making hummus. There are so few ingredients that each one needs to be at the top of its game. Save some for finishing the hummus too. Oil-free options are included if you prefer not to use oil.
• Maple syrup - With all of those spices and the lemon, just a tiny bit is necessary to balance the flavours.
• Raisins - So amazing with curry. Trust me on this one. They become really soft and melting in the hummus and add bursts of fruity sweetness.
• Slivered or flaked almonds - Optional but recommended because a bit of nutty crunch is incredible.

How to make Curry Hummus

Homemade curry hummus is so easy to make and tastes way better than storebought hummus. Here's how it's done in a couple of easy steps:

Step 1 - Add all of the ingredients (except the raisins and almonds) to a food processor.

Step 2 - Process until smooth, scraping down the sides a couple of times and add more liquid (olive oil, aquafaba or water) as necessary. Then remove the blade and stir through the raisins.

Step 3 - Serve in a bowl sprinkled with the almonds and a drizzle of optional extra virgin oil.

Success tips

For the very best results take note of these tips:

• Save the aquafaba from the can of chickpeas, and if you cook your own chickpeas rather than using canned, be sure to save the cooking water. Store in a container in the fridge. You can use a little of it to loosen up the hummus when you're blending it.
• For the smoothest, most velvety curry hummus removing the skins from the chickpeas is necessary. To be honest with you, I rarely do it, but on the odd occasion when I make the effort it makes the world of difference. The hummus in the pictures was made with the skins left on, hence the reason it's not silky smooth ;O)
• If you've got one, a high-speed blender like a Blendtec or Vitamix makes hummus really light and airy. A way better texture than in a food processor. But, the trade-off is that it heats it slightly while blending, and you need to add a bit more liquid to get things running smoothly. Either more olive oil or some aquafaba or water. And your finished hummus will be slightly looser because of this.
• Use good quality olive oil. It makes the world of difference. If you want a really good quality extra virgin olive oil at a fantastic price I can't recommend Terra Delyssa Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil highly enough. I get mine at Costco. It has great flavour and is sustainably grown and harvested.
• Be sure to taste and adjust seasonings at the end to get your hummus just right for you. More salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon or a drop more maple syrup maybe?
• Blend/process it for plenty of time. Don't rush it.

How to serve

Curry Hummus is so versatile! Use it in any way you would use regular hummus. Here are some ideas:

• curry hummus sandwich with lots of crisp lettuce and cucumber
• wraps
• with veggies like endive leaves, celery, carrot, bell peppers and cucumber.
• as a dip with sliced apple
• chips
• warm pita bread
• naan bread
• 15 minute no yeast flatbreads
• falafel
• yeasted flatbreads
• crackers
• dolloped on bowl meals

Storage & freezing

Transfer leftover curry hummus to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost, simply remove from the freezer and leave in the fridge overnight.

Homemade hummus does thicken up when stored, so be sure to give it a quick mix and add a drop of olive oil, aquafaba or water to loosen it up if necessary before serving.

Possible variations

It's great as it is but feel free to make this curry hummus your own.
You could:

• Add a small handful of unsweetened shredded coconut
• Use curry paste instead of curry powder
• Add a chopped fresh chili or some chili flakes
• Add a big pinch of cayenne pepper
• Use lime juice instead of lemon juice
• Use peanut butter instead of tahini
• Use aquafaba (the liquid from the can of chickpeas) instead of olive oil, or in place of some of it, to reduce the fat content.
• Sprinkle over some cilantro leaves before serving.

Hungry for more?

Love hummus? Look out for my beet hummus which is coming soon! You might also enjoy my dessert hummus recipes. Snickerdoodle hummus and chocolate hummus!

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📖 Recipe

This recipe was originally published on August 11th, 2015. I've tweaked the recipe, updated the post with new information and now I am republishing it for you. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!