High Protein Hummus Recipe

A bowl of high protein hummus topped with whole chickpeas, olive oil, and paprika, surrounded by toasted bread slices and chips.

High protein hummus is creamy, garlicky, and bursting with rich, nutty flavor from the tahini. It’s got that dreamy texture you want in a good dip but with the kind of protein that'll keep you going. Between the chickpeas and cottage cheese, it’s hearty enough to stand in for lunch but still perfect for all-day snacking. I’ve made this so many times it’s basically a reflex now, and I still get excited every time I pull out the food processor.

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Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Course Dip

Servings Servings

Calories 183

Protein 12

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

1 15oz can chickpeas - drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (try my instant pot chickpeas recipe), 250g
1 cup cottage cheese - 220g
1/4 cup tahini - stirred well, 60ml
1 small garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 large lemon, juiced - 2-3 tablespoons, more to taste
salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water or aquafaba
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
dash of ground paprika, sumac, or Za’atar

Instructions

Begin by blending the cottage cheese, tahini, garlic clove, and cumin in a food processor. After a couple of minutes, drizzle in the lemon juice and continue blending for 30 seconds.
1 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup tahini, 1 small garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 large lemon, juiced
Add the chickpeas to the food processor and blend for 5 minutes.
1 15oz can chickpeas
If needed, add water or aquafaba (the juice from a can of chickpeas or leftover liquid from cooking chickpeas), 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. I added 1 tablespoon.
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water or aquafaba
Season to taste, then serve in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of paprika, sumac, or za'atar seasoning, and enjoy!
salt to taste, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, dash of ground paprika, sumac, or Za’atar

Notes

Blend it long enough: Don’t rush the blending time. Letting it run for 5 minutes makes a big difference in texture.
Use cold ingredients: Cottage cheese straight from the fridge helps everything stay cool while blending.
Aquafaba trick: The liquid from the chickpea can is gold for thinning without losing flavor.
Season at the end: Salt can get lost early on, so wait until the end to adjust.
Swoop tip: Use the back of a spoon to create swoops for catching olive oil and garnishes.
Make it ahead: The flavors deepen after a day in the fridge. It just gets better.

Storage instructions:

Fridge life: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Stir before serving: It may firm up a bit in the fridge, so give it a quick stir before digging in.
Freeze: I tend to make a big batch and freeze half for later. It thaws really well in the fridge overnight, or using the defrost setting on a microwave. Thin it out with a little water if needed.
Meal prep tip: Portion into small containers for easy grab-and-go snacks or lunchbox extras.

Nutritional Information