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This smooth artichoke hummus is super creamy and delicious! Tangy artichoke hearts are combined with garlic, tahini, and olive oil for the most delicious dip.
If you’re looking for unique hummus recipes, don’t pass up this one! This is a great hummus without chickpeas. It’s perfect for parties, Mediterranean mezze platters, or a quick snack paired with pita, vegetables, or pretzels.
This artichoke hummus is a delicious take on regular hummus that’s a little more tangy in flavor without adding citrus.
Table of Contents
Why Artichoke Hummus?
This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite Greek restaurants in Dallas – Ziziki’s. I used to suggest it all the time for dates just to grab this artichoke hummus! It’s one of the most delicious and unique versions of hummus I’ve ever tasted.
The artichoke isn’t overpowering, but a subtle way to provide a different flavor.
If you’re tired of the same old hummus recipe, I highly recommend this one as a great way to mix it up.
Hummus without Chickpeas
When I originally made this recipe, I used chickpeas to blend with the artichokes. However, over time I’ve realized you don’t actually need the chickpeas at all.
Without using chickpeas in the hummus you get a stronger artichoke flavor that’s extra delicious. It’s a lot less work as well. Plus you have a million recipes of hummus that have them out there, might as well try a hummus without chickpeas!
Ingredients
- Canned artichoke hearts – I’ve tested this recipe using Trader Joe’s brand artichokes, frozen artichokes, Native forest artichoke hearts, and Cento artichoke hearts. Overall I find that canned works best for this recipe. I’ve never experienced any stringy texture using these brands, but I’ll touch on this later.
- Tahini – Just a small amount of this sesame seed butter is used, which makes it more like a traditional hummus recipe.
- Garlic – Both dried garlic powder and fresh garlic are used for this recipe as they provide a nice balance of flavor.
- Vinegar or lemon juice – If in the elimination stage of a migraine diet, you’ll want to use distilled white vinegar (or if you don’t have lemons on hand!). Lemon juice also makes a great addition.
- Greek oregano – Make sure to grab a Mediterranean oregano and not Mexican oregano.
- Pita – For dipping I recommend warmed pita bread or naan. I love to pair Trader Joe’s frozen naan with this recipe.
Equipment Needed
I highly recommend investing in a food processor for this recipe. Especially a very high quality food processor.
Very few readers have reported some strings in their hummus, and while this can occur based on the artichoke hearts not being fully trimmed, it’s most likely due to the food processor not being able to blend the artichoke heart until smooth.
For this recipe I’ve had luck with both a Kitchen Aid and a Breville. My family and I have been making this for years and have never had an issue with stringy artichokes, even though we’ve used multiple brands. So I have the feeling this is the main culprit!
How to Make
Step 1 – Chop the artichoke hearts
Place the artichoke hearts in the food processor and blend till thoroughly chopped up.
Step 2 – Add remaining ingredients
Add the tahini, garlic, oregano, vinegar, and sumac to the food processor. With the food processor on, slowly add in the olive oil until the mixture has emulsified. Turn off the food processor, transfer the artichoke hummus to a bowl, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
What is Za’atar?
Za’atar (pronouced zah-tar) is a Mediterranean spice blend that typically consists of oregano, sesame seeds and sumac. It’s typically found in the bulk aisle of your grocery store spices.
It’s a great way to add flavor if you’re missing from lemon juice, which is not allowed on a low tyramine migraine diet. Or if you just want to jazz up any hummus recipe!
How to Store Hummus
This artichoke hummus can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To freeze, place in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze up to 3-4 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
After defrosting, some moisture may appear and this is totally normal. You can either dab it with a paper towel carefully off the top, or just stir it into the hummus till combined.
Variations
There are so many wonderful ways to make a hummus without chickpeas and this is just one of them! You can blend in other vegetables as well, like zucchini.
A few ways I love to use artichoke hummus:
- Sandwich spread – substitute hummus for mayonnaise on sandwiches. It would go great with this turkey pesto sandwich.
- Meatball dip – If you make any kind of Mediterranean meatballs, this is a great dip to pair them with.
- Appetizer – The typical way! Serve with endive, carrots, celery, radish, or pita chips. I also love Trader Joe’s frozen naan for dipping.
There are so many ways to use hummus beyond just a party dip!
Frequently Asked Questions
This artichoke hummus without chickpeas is very low carb – just 2 grams of carbohydrates per serving. Pair with endive, celery, jicama, radish or low carb chips for dipping.
Yes, you can omit the tahini from the recipe, it just won’t have the same flavor you’re used to with traditional hummus, but it still tastes good. I would also recommend substituting with watermelon seed butter if you have that on hand.
The best way to make this is with a quality food processor. Pre-processing the artichoke hearts before adding in the rest of the ingredients will make sure they get completely chopped up. If you notice any “stringy” bits, you can remove them at that point, or check to see if you notice any tough parts while washing and draining the artichoke hearts.
Dip Recipes
For more easy appetizer dip recipes like this artichoke hummus, check out these posts. The caramelized shallot dip is a personal favorite for game days.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Artichoke Hummus
Ingredients
Artichoke Hummus
- 2 14oz cans of artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and rinsed with water
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Mediterranean oregano
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, or juice from 1/2 lemon*
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: za’atar to sprinkle on top
- pita or naan bread, fresh cucumber, carrots, and celery for dipping
Instructions
- Drain the artichoke hearts and rinse them under cool water, pat dry with a towel. Then place into a food processor and pulse till chopped fine.
- Add the tahini, minced garlic, garlic powder, vinegar or lemon, and oregano and blend till combined. With the food processor turned on, slowly add olive oil through the spout until mixture is smooth. If you like a thinner consistency, add 1-2 tablespoons of cold water into the processor. Taste and adjust any seasonings, adding salt and pepper.
- Cover and allow to sit in the fridge at least 30 minutes to let the flavors combine. Sprinkle the top with za'atar and/or extra olive oil.
- If using, brush pita with olive oil on both sides and grill on flat top or in cast iron pan until golden brown. Slice grilled pita into 8 pieces. Arrange pita around dip and serve.
Notes
- For those following a migraine diet – lemon is NOT allowed in the elimination stage. Use the distilled white vinegar as a substitute.
- Za’atar contains sumac, which offers a citrus flavor that is nice when you cannot have citrus on a migraine diet. It’s great for topping. I find it in the bulk spice aisles or online.
- Readers (and myself) have had good results with Reese brand and Trader Joe’s brand of canned artichoke hearts packed in water, as far as smoothness goes.
- Previously this recipe used 1 can of artichoke hearts and 1/2 can chickpeas, if you’d like to make it the original way.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this with homemade chickpeas and Kirkland artichoke hearts (packed in oil). I used an immersion blender and had no issues with strings. Very good! I used burlap and barrel zaatar, which I think has more punch than other brands, and Soom tahini, which has a smoother flavor. I made my own pita, which was easy to do with a dough hook and baking steel
Really appreciate that Melissa! I think maybe you’re onto something with the immersion blender. My food processor is really good quality and I think it blends better than most.
Hey Alicia! Is store bought hummus also safe to eat? I do plan on trying to make my own but I’m wondering if the ones in the store are safe to eat for convenience purposes
You’d have to find one without citrus in it! I believe I’ve seen them every so often but they’re tough to find.
Obsessed! Made this for our road trip, I literally can eat it straight out of the bowl. Always had to have pita for dipping but now that I’ve reset my palate it’s so great w veggies!
I use the artichoke hearts packed in water (Reese’s brand) and blend in the food processor before adding the rest of the ingredients. I made this several times and did not have the “string” problem. Tasty recipe.
Any tips on the thready bits from the artichokes? I made this today with canned artichoke hearts and the threads pretty much ruin the dip imo… you can’t chew them. Should I have removed some part?
Hey Rachel – are you just chopping them or putting them in the food processor? If in the food processor, it should blend them enough till they’re smooth and you don’t have those texture issues.
I put them in the food processor! I’m not sure what to do about the stringy bits. Weird. They weren’t chewable .
That’s definitely not normal and would definitely try a different brand. I bet you got some outer leaves or the choke that were just too tough mixed up with the hearts. So sorry about that! It should definitely be very smooth like in the pictures!
I just made this with a $4 can of Maria brand artichoke hearts and the same problem- threads have ruined it. Bummer. It tastes great. I’m also thinking that many artichoke dip recipes have you bake it. Maybe this breaks down the threads??? Also will try different different brands.
I just asked my recipe chat group because we’ve made this multiple times successfully. It seems like the ones packed in water are softer than the ones in oil, but it looks like the Maria brand is packed in water so I’m completely stumped. Really sorry it didn’t turn out for you guys. I’ve even looked at other recipes that are similar and I can’t figure out what is going wrong.
Hi Alicia! Do you have another hummus recipe that doesn’t include artichokes? Thanks!
Hey Nicole, I don’t but you can use this one with all chickpeas instead of artichokes. Or you can do almost any hummus recipe and just leave out the citrus. Sumac or zaatar is great for adding a little tanginess to it that you miss from citrus.
I will try it. Thank you!
Any suggestions for a tahini substitute? I really dislike the taste and consistency. But artichoke hummus sounds amazing!
It’s such a small amount, I think you could leave it out. Maybe using a little extra olive oil instead. Let me know how it goes!