This easy vegan pesto hummus is a creamy delicious dip or spread that you can whip up in minutes! It’s made without tahini and flavored with pesto. If you like the taste of basil, you will love this hummus!
Why you will LOVE this pesto hummus…
- It’s vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and sesame-free so everyone can enjoy it!
- Use it on sandwiches, wraps, or even as a pasta sauce to make a filling meal.
- Kids devour it and love to dip veggies into it.
- It’s as delicious as it is healthy.
- There’s no tahini needed, so if you don’t like it or are allergic to it, you will still be able to enjoy this hummus!
We are big fans of basil in my house, so we use a lot of pesto! One day, I made a fresh batch of pesto. I was about to wash out the food processor to make a batch of hummus, when I thought, “Pesto in my hummus sounds pretty good!” So, I put in a can of chickpeas, more pesto, and some nutritional yeast to give it a cheesy flavor, and my Easy, Cheesy, Vegan Pesto Hummus was born!
What you will need to make basil hummus:
- Chickpeas aka Garbanzo Beans – caned is easiest, but you can also use fresh cooked if you would like. You can also swap the chickpeas out with white beans for a white bean dip.
- Pesto or basil – for flavor. You can use store-bought pesto, make your own with my vegan pesto recipe, or simply use a handful of fresh basil. You can also use cilantro or another herb of choice if you don’t like basil.
- Nutritional Yeasts – for a slightly cheesy flavor. (Optional).
- Salt – for flavor.
- Water – to achieve the desired consistency and make your hummus smooth and creamy.
How to make the pesto hummus…
- Pour chickpeas, pesto, nutritional yeast, and salt into a food processor.
- Blend all of the ingredients for about 30 seconds.
- Add water a tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency. (Usually about 2-4 tbsp. works well)
What can I use this pesto hummus for?
- My kids love this hummus and they will eat a whole plate of fresh veggies dipped in it!
- Use as a spread to give sandwiches and veggie wraps a satisfying creaminess and added protein!
- Top it with a dollop of extra pesto and serve it as a fancy dip at your next party or just eat it with a bowl of chips while you watch TV.
- Add an additional tbsp of water to make it thinner, heat it up and toss it with pasta for a protein-packed creamy pesto pasta sauce. You can also check out my recipe for Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta.
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?
Sure you can, just cook the chickpeas in until they are very soft, an instant pot or a pressure cooker works great for this, then allow them to cool a little in the pot of cooking water before using.
What can I do with the liquid in the can of chickpeas?
Save this liquid! It is called aquafaba and you can use it to thin our your hummus or save it for later to make vegan aquafaba whipped cream, aquafaba chocolate mousse, or even vegan lemon meringue pie!
Need some other easy vegan dips or spreads?
Be sure to follow me on Instagram for daily vegan inspiration and recipe ideas! Tag me at #thehiddenveggies! I love to see what you made too!
A flavorful basil hummus made with pesto instead of tahini.
- 1 can chickpeas or white beans drained and rinsed (about 1 ½ cups)
- ¼ cup pesto Or a large handful of basil leaves, a small clove of garlic, and 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional to make it cheesy tasting)
- ¼ tsp salt optional
- 3-4 tbsp water or aquafaba
Put chickpeas, 1/4 cup pesto, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor.
Blend for about 30 seconds, then add water 1 tbsp at a time blending until desired consistency.
Serve with chips or cut veggies or use as a sandwich spread. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Serve as a dip for chips, bread, or veggies.
- Works great as a sandwich spread too.
- Add 1 extra tbsp of water, heat, and use as a pasta sauce.
Originally published July 18, 2017. Updated with new pictures and more detailed instructions 1/9/2020
So good for dipping veggies in! It’s so much better than the store-bought versions and I love knowing exactly what’s in it, with no sugar, oil, or preservatives.
I’m so happy that you like it, Esther! 🙂
I used this hummus as a sandwich spread and it was amazing! I love basil anyway, but this is my new favorite vegan sandwich spread! Thanks for the recipe!
It’s one of my favorites too, Nicole! I can never get enough pesto! 🙂
This pesto hummus is delicious! I can’t have sesame seeds, so this is the perfect solution to still have flavorful humus without tahini! Thanks for the recipe! Such a great idea!