One my favorite recipes for a quick appetizer or lunch is this delicious Easy Hummus with Tomato and Cucumber Salad. It all comes together pretty fast and the best part is that it’s healthy and cheap.

I used to always buy packaged hummus because making it from scratch seemed intimidating and, frankly, I was lazy. But, once I made it and tasted how delicious it was, I got over it pretty quickly. Now, it’s one of my top things to make.

The case for homemade hummus

Why make your own hummus when you can just as easily buy it at the store? Yes, there’s no denying that store-bought hummus is quite handy. But, the benefits of homemade hummus outweigh the convenience. For starters, it’s tastier because it’s fresh. Plus, when you make it at home, you can control what ingredients you put in it. It won’t have the added preservatives or heavy salt content that most packaged hummus contains. And, best of all, the main ingredients are pantry staples so it’s quick to throw together. What’s not to love?

Dried vs. canned chickpeas

You can definitely make hummus from dried chickpeas if you want to save more money. The biggest difference is time. You need the additional time to soak the beans overnight and then cook them for an hour or so. This is usually a weekend recipe for me. There is a slight difference in flavor favoring dried beans but, as always, use what is convenient for you and within your budget. During the week when I want something fast and easy, I opt for canned beans and I’m quite happy with the results.

The recipe

This hummus recipe comes courtesy of Mark Bittman. I like that his recipe was simple in terms of the ingredient list and consistently tasty. The beauty of hummus is that it’s so versatile with endless possibilities and variations. I like it with cumin but you can also use paprika or a variety of herbs. I also like to top it with harissa, pine nuts or olives. Pairing it with a tomato and cucumber salad balances the crunch and freshness with the smoothness of the hummus. Eating it with pita makes it more filling but you can use any type of bread or cracker you have on hand. Or, go gluten- and grain- free and eat it as a dip with the vegetables.

This Easy Hummus with Tomato and Cucumber Salad is one of the easiest and most versatile dishes to make. Because the hummus ingredients can be pulled from your pantry, you can whip this up in a pinch for an impromptu apéritif or an I-don’t-have-anything-to-eat lunch. While this will taste best in the late summer when the tomatoes and cucumbers are in season, you can really eat this whenever you want. And, feel free to mix it up using a variety of seasonal vegetables.  

For other vegetarian recipes, try our Herb Salad, Broccoli and Potato Soup, Fattoush Salad, or Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry.

Easy Hummus with Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Prep Time 15 min Cook Time

Servings 4-6 people Total Cost ($4.92) Cost per Serving ($1.23)

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Ingredients

Hummus

• 2 cups drained chickpeas, canned or cooked, ($1.98)
• 1/2 cup tahini ($1.12)
• 1 lemon juiced, ($0.00) from our garden
• 2 cloves garlic peeled, roughly chopped, ($0.06)
• 1/4 cup olive oil, more for drizzling, ($0.48)
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin ($0.25)
• couple Tbsp cold water ($0.00)
• salt and pepper ($0.02)

Salad

• 2-3 medium tomatoes, diced ($0.00) from our garden
• 1-2 small cucumbers (Japanese or Persian), diced ($0.00) from our garden
• 1/4 small red onion, chopped ($0.15)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, ($0.00) from our garden
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped, ($0.25)
• 2-3 pieces pita bread, quartered ($0.63)

Instructions

1. Prepare all your ingredients.
2. Place chickpeas, tahini, oil, garlic, cumin, and lemon juice in a food processor. Add generous pinch of salt and pepper. Begin to process and slowly add water until you reach desired smooth consistency.
3. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste.
4. Cut pita into slices or strips. Toast the pita bread in toaster oven until golden brown. Let cool slightly. Set aside.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve about a ¼ cup of the herbs for garnish. Set bowl and herb garnish aside. (This can be made a few hours ahead of time).
6. When ready to serve, spread hummus on a serving plate. Spoon tomato mixture on top and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with herbs. Eat with toasted pita. Enjoy!

Instructions with photos

1. Prepare all your ingredients.

   
2. Place chickpeas, tahini, oil, garlic, cumin, and lemon juice in a food processor. Add generous pinch of salt and pepper. Begin to process and slowly add water until you reach desired smooth consistency.

   
3. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste.

   
4. Cut pita into slices or strips. Toast the pita bread in toaster oven until golden brown. Let cool slightly. Set aside.

   
5. In a medium-sized bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve about a ¼ cup of the herbs for garnish. Set bowl and herb garnish aside. (This can be made a few hours ahead of time).

   
6. When ready to serve, spread hummus on a serving plate. Spoon tomato mixture on top and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with herbs. Eat with toasted pita. Enjoy!

   

Recipe Notes

* Note regarding pricing:  The lemon and tomatoes used in this recipe are from our garden which is why there is no price listed. The price for the pantry items such as salt and pepper takes into account the cost of the amount used for the recipe and not the cost if you had to purchase the entire jar or bottle. ** All prices in US dollars.