Hummus substitutes

The nearest relation on the mezze table and made with the same tahini, lemon and garlic, so the flavour foundation is identical. The difference is that roasted aubergine replaces chickpeas, which makes it smokier, silkier, looser and much less filling, with a faint bitterness that hummus does not have. On a plate with pita it is a fair trade. In a wrap it is wetter than hummus and can make bread soggy, so use a thinner layer.

Best for

dips and mezze, pita and flatbread, grilled vegetable platters, grain bowls

It is looser than hummus by nature. Drain off any water that pools before spreading it on bread.

Blend a drained can of white beans with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, a small clove of garlic and salt, and you have a dip that is smoother and creamier than hummus in about three minutes. It tastes milder, softer and less nutty, since there is no sesame, and it is paler and glossier. Add a spoonful of tahini if you have it and it becomes almost indistinguishable; without tahini, add a pinch of cumin and extra lemon so it does not taste bland.

Best for

dips, sandwich and wrap spreads, crudites, spooning under roasted vegetables

White beans blend far smoother than chickpeas, so you do not need to peel anything. A tablespoon of the bean liquid loosens it if it is too stiff.

The fix when the problem is not the hummus but the tahini. Smooth peanut butter is the most common swap and gives a rounder, sweeter, unmistakably peanut flavour, so it suits a spread better than a formal mezze. Sunflower seed butter is closer to tahini and slightly sweeter with a mild grassy note. Cashew butter is the most neutral. In all three cases push the lemon and salt higher than the recipe says, because tahini has a bitter edge that these lack and that bitterness is part of what makes hummus taste balanced.

Best for

dips, sandwich spreads, sesame-free households

Peanut and other nut butters are common allergens in their own right, so this is a swap for a tahini shortage rather than for a nut allergy. Sunflower seed butter is the usual choice when both nuts and sesame are off the table.

The best answer when hummus was doing the job of a cool creamy sauce in a wrap, a kebab or alongside spiced food. It brings tang, garlic and coolness, and it is far lighter. What it does not bring is body or richness, so it will not hold a sandwich together the way hummus does and it soaks into bread quickly. Use thick Greek-style yoghurt, not runny natural yoghurt, and drain grated cucumber hard if you are making tzatziki.

Best for

wraps and kebabs, dipping vegetables, spooning over roasted vegetables, falafel

Not vegan and not shelf-stable in a packed lunch. Add the lemon and garlic at least ten minutes before serving so the raw garlic mellows into it.

Chickpea-free and sesame-free, and it does the two useful things hummus does in a sandwich: it is thick, and it is fatty enough to stop bread drying out. Flavour goes somewhere completely different, fresher and greener with none of the earthy nuttiness, and it browns within a couple of hours so it is poor for meal-prep. A squeeze of lime and a good pinch of salt are essential; unsalted avocado tastes like nothing.

Best for

sandwiches and wraps, toast, dips, bowls

Press cling film directly onto the surface if you are keeping it. Air is what turns it grey, not time in the fridge.

The pantry answer, and better than you would guess, because a savoury bean paste is structurally exactly what hummus is. Mashed pinto beans or well-cooked mashed brown lentils, loosened with olive oil and sharpened with lemon and cumin, spread just like hummus and hold a wrap together the same way. They taste earthier and more savoury and, without tahini, distinctly less nutty and rich, so be generous with the oil.

Best for

wraps and sandwiches, quick dips, layered dips, spreading on toast

Bean and lentil pastes thicken in the fridge. Stir in a spoonful of warm water and a little more oil before serving cold.