Help, I have a fever… hummus fever. I am not sure what came over me this year, but I cannot get enough hummus. It is rare that a day goes by without me enjoying the savory chickpea spread. Though I started with the classic, no flavor added hummus, I have since let my taste buds explore the myriad flavors of hummus available.
In case you have not shopped for hummus lately, I will let you know that there are more flavors than I can test (without exceeding my already excessive daily hummus quota). However, I ranked the most common flavors so that you can see what each type is like without investing in more hummus than anyone should consume.
9. Sun Dried Tomato Hummus
Photo by Sterling Martin
This flavor was the only one that I just found to be bad, and I didn’t think I could find a hummus flavor I dislike. Imagine squeezing some ketchup into a container of hummus and then mixing it together… that is how I can best describe this flavor.
8. Spinach and Artichoke Hummus
Photo courtesy of sabra.com
Spinach and artichoke dip is probably my favorite appetizer to order when out at a restaurant. The artichoke’s salty taste combined with the spinach is a culinary hit time after time.
To be honest, I could not taste the spinach and artichoke flavor in the hummus at all. I am not sure if it is because I was expecting something stronger, as with the pesto, or because the flavor was simply not there.
7. Red Pepper Hummus
Photo by Bari Blanga
Many of my friends call this flavor their favorite. I am not too convinced. The red pepper adds a subtle sweetness, but it just doesn’t do it for me. There are plenty of other options I would rather devour.
6. Basil Pesto Hummus
Photo courtesy of flickr.com
Pesto hummus is the point in the rankings where I start to get frustrated. Because pesto has such an amazing taste, I had high expectations for the hummus. When I took a bite of the hummus on a celery stick, I was disappointed- the pesto flavor was not as powerful as I had hoped. The taste is definitely present, but lacks intensity.
5. Chipotle Hummus
Photo courtesy of Flickr
While I am a fan of chipotle flavoring, I am not a fan of spicy (or rather, I can’t handle spicy). Though the burn of the chipotle kept making my eyes watery, I still could not stop myself from finishing the container.
Though the taste was great, the spice was overpowering which made the flavor slightly less enjoyable. If you are a fan of spicy foods, I would definitely suggest chipotle hummus. But if it gets too hot, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
4. Roasted Garlic Hummus
Photo by Annie Eng
My dad has a saying, “There is no such thing as too much garlic.” Man, is he right. Garlic makes everything taste better, and hummus is no exception. Garlic hummus tastes exactly how you would expect, no surprises, just deliciousness.
3. Olive Tapenade
Photo courtesy of sabra.com
Warning: this flavor is not meant for those who are not avid olive lovers. However, for as long as I can remember, olives have been one of my favorite snacks.
The discovery that I could combine my love of olives with my love of hummus made me so excited, and the hummus did not disappoint. The only reason that this flavor is not higher in the rankings is because I felt that the olive taste was the slightest bit too strong.
2. Lemon Hummus
Photo courtesy of Flickr
I felt that a lot of the hummus flavors I tried were either too strong or too weak. However, lemon hummus has the perfect level of sourness. The lemon is not overpowering, yet is definitely noticeable.
1. Caramelized Onion Hummus
Photo by Casey Carr
This flavor wins my vote for favorite flavor by a landslide. It keeps the savory hummus taste, but has the perfect amount of sweetness in each bite. Although Sabra sadly discontinued this flavor, there are recipes so you can make a DIY version.
Tip: if you are like me and you eat way more hummus than the average human being, try dipping sliced pepper, celery, or carrot sticks into the hummus as opposed to pita bread/chips.
Check out more hummus articles here (as if you needed more of a reason to go eat some):