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Why You’ll Love Cauliflower Hummus
I’ve always been a huge fan of hummus and can honestly finish half a tub in one sitting. After trying and making all kinds of flavors like this pumpkin hummus or my classic roasted red pepper zucchini hummus, I always come back to my favorite – cauliflower hummus. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a whole30 hummus alternative that skips the chickpeas but still delivers the classic creamy dip you love.
Traditional hummus is made with chickpeas, but in this recipe roasted cauliflower takes their place. Roasting gives the cauliflower a deeper, slightly caramelized flavor and removes excess moisture, which helps create a smooth, creamy texture once blended. Paired with roasted garlic, it has that familiar hummus flavor while staying lighter and lower in carbs.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cauliflower: The base of this cauliflower hummus recipe. Roasting the florets enhances their flavor and removes moisture so the hummus stays thick and creamy.
- Garlic: Two whole heads are roasted until soft and caramelized. Roasting mellows the sharp bite of garlic and turns it slightly sweet.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Adds richness and helps create a silky texture when blended.
- Tahini: A classic hummus ingredient made from ground sesame seeds that gives the dip its signature nutty flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice: Brightens the hummus and balances the roasted flavors.
- Cumin: Adds subtle warmth that complements the garlic and cauliflower.
- Sea salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the dip.
- Water: Used to thin the hummus if needed for your preferred consistency.
- Optional garnishes: Olive oil, parsley, sumac, or sesame seeds for serving.
How to Make Cauliflower Hummus
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2: Chop cauliflower into florets and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat evenly. Place on a baking sheet.
Step 3: Remove the outer layer of the garlic heads. Cut off about 1/4 inch from the tops of the cloves to expose them slightly. Coat the garlic heads with olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
Step 4: Roast the garlic for 30 minutes. Add the cauliflower to the oven and roast both for another 30 minutes.
Step 5: Remove from the oven and allow everything to cool.
Step 6: When cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a food processor.
Step 7: Add the cauliflower, remaining olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, sea salt, and 2 tablespoons of water.
Step 8: Blend until smooth and creamy. A food processor works best for the creamiest cauliflower hummus, but a high-powered blender will also work if you pause to scrape down the sides occasionally. For a thinner consistency, add more water and blend again.
Step 9: Garnish with olive oil, chopped parsley, sumac, or sesame seeds before serving.
Recipe Tips
- It might seem like two heads of garlic are a lot, but the spicy garlic flavor diminishes significantly during the roasting process. You’ll definitely want to use both.
- I tested both roasted and steamed cauliflower when developing this recipe, and roasting produced a much deeper flavor and a better hummus texture.
- If you love chunks of garlic in the hummus, you can leave out a few pieces and stir them in at the end or sprinkle them on top for garnish. The little bites of garlic in each scoop are fantastic.
- I highly recommend homemade tahini for the best flavor, but if you’re short on time, a good quality store-bought tahini works well too.
- This keto hummus recipe is thick and creamy as written. If you want a thinner consistency, add water one tablespoon at a time while blending until it reaches your preferred texture.
Try my raw zucchini hummus for another veggie-packed option next!
How to Keep Roasted Cauliflower Hummus Creamy
One of the most common issues with cauliflower hummus is a watery texture.
Roasting the cauliflower instead of steaming it helps remove excess moisture and really intensifies the flavor. If the hummus still seems too thick, just add water a tablespoon at a time while blending until it reaches the consistency you like.
Tahini and olive oil also help create that classic creamy hummus texture!
How to Serve
This Whole30 hummus is perfect as a snack or appetizer.
To keep it compliant, enjoy it with vegetables like carrots, cucumber, bell peppers, and tomatoes. It’s also delicious with crunchy homemade crackers or on a sandwich or in your favorite wrap. You can also spread it on toast, add it to grain bowls, or serve it as part of a mezze-style platter with olives and fresh herbs.
Storage Tips
- Store cauliflower hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- If the hummus thickens after chilling, stir in a little water or olive oil before serving to loosen the texture.
Recipe FAQs
It has a similar flavor but is slightly lighter and milder. Roasted cauliflower adds a subtle sweetness, while tahini, lemon, and garlic provide the familiar hummus flavor.
Cauliflower hummus is often lower in calories and carbohydrates than chickpea hummus, which makes it popular for low-carb, paleo, or keto diets. The overall nutrition still depends on ingredients like tahini and olive oil.
Yes. You can make cauliflower hummus without tahini if needed. Try replacing it with almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or even a little extra olive oil for richness. The flavor will be slightly different, but the dip will still be creamy and delicious.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
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Whole30 Tzatziki Sauce (Paleo, Keto)
If you make this cauliflower hummus recipe, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!
Easy Cauliflower Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 heads of garlic
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, 4-5 cups in florets
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2-3 tbsp water
- OPTIONAL: Olive oil, parsley, sumac, and/or sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Chop cauliflower into florets and toss with 1 tbsp of olive oil to coat evenly. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.1 medium head of cauliflower
- Remove the outer layer of the whole heads of garlic. Cut off about 1/4 inch of the tips off the garlic cloves to expose them slightly. Coat both garlic heads with 1 tbsp of olive and tightly wrap each in aluminum foil.2 heads of garlic
- Roast the garlic for 30 minutes, then place the baking sheet with cauliflower in the oven. Roast both the garlic and cauliflower for additional 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven to cool.
- When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the garlic from the skin and into the food processor. If you'd like, you can save a some of it to mix in at the end for chunks of garlic in the hummus.
- Add cauliflower, 2 tbsp olive oil, tahini paste, lemon juice, cumin, sea salt, and 2 tbsp of water to the food processor, and blend until creamy. For a thinner consistency, add more water before blending again.3 tbsp tahini, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 2-3 tbsp water
- If desired, garnish with more olive oil, chopped parsley, sumac, and/or sesame seeds before serving.OPTIONAL: Olive oil, parsley, sumac, and/or sesame seeds
Notes
- It might seem like two heads of garlic are a lot, but the spicy garlic flavor diminishes significantly during the roasting process. You’ll definitely want to use both.
- I tested both roasted and steamed cauliflower when developing this recipe, and roasting produced a much deeper flavor and a better hummus texture.
- If you love chunks of garlic in the hummus, you can leave out a few pieces and stir them in at the end or sprinkle them on top for garnish. The little bites of garlic in each scoop are fantastic.
- I highly recommend homemade tahini for the best flavor, but if you’re short on time, a good quality store-bought tahini works well too.
- This keto hummus recipe is thick and creamy as written. If you want a thinner consistency, add water one tablespoon at a time while blending until it reaches your preferred texture.
- Store cauliflower hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- If the hummus thickens after chilling, stir in a little water or olive oil before serving to loosen the texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this today and was blown away by how easy and tasty this dish is. Will definitely be making again!
Thank you so much!!