Roasted Cauliflower Hummus

This roasted cauliflower hummus  made without chickpeas is so incredible you may never crave traditional hummus again! This incredible hummus recipe is low carb, vegan, gluten-free, bean-free, keto-friendly, paleo, and so rich and creamy it will blow your mind!

And, this cauliflower hummus is really quick and easy once you’ve roasted your cauliflower. Yeah, I know….

But, prepping the cauliflower to roast for this hummus takes less than 10 minutes of hands-on time. You can be doing other things while your cauliflower is roasting in the oven!

For those of you hummus lovers who are skeptical about whether hummus can actually be made without chickpeas and still taste like real hummus, yes it can! This is the best cauliflower hummus I have tried, and I don’t mind sayin….

You can make incredible hummus without chickpeas.

If you think about it, chickpeas don’t have a really pronounced flavor. Yes, they do have an amazing mild flavor and fabulous texture, but the iconic “hummus flavor” really comes from the tahini and lemon juice.

In traditional hummus recipes, the chickpeas provide a little bit of the flavor, but the biggest reason to use chickpeas in hummus is for the texture.

And, the great news for those of you who can’t or choose not to eat legumes for health or dietary reasons and are looking for low carb  hummus recipes or keto-friendly or paleo hummus recipes, you can get an incredible thick creamy texture for hummus using cooked cauliflower! You don’t need any chickpeas at all.

Why use cauliflower instead of chickpeas in hummus?

For those of you who don’t care about counting carbs, aren’t following a keto or paleo diet, and are rolling your eyes thinking, “WHY would you want to nix the chickpeas that are so fabulous?” here’s my short pitch for making cauliflower hummus.

1. Cauliflower hummus is insanely delicious! (Just make it, and thank me later.)
2. Cauliflower hummus is easier to digest. Chickpeas are a bean, and therefore are both a starch and a protein, so can cause gas, bloating, and fermentation which feeds candida overgrowth. Read more about food combining principles and better digestion in my blog post.
3. It’s different than the typical ubiquitous conventional chickpea hummus, is on trend, and makes a fantastic conversation starter, even with the naysayers, who I swear will be double dipping their way to the bottom of this non-chickpea hummus bowl quicker than they can ask, “where’s the chickpeas?!”

Steamed Cauliflower VS Roasted Cauliflower.

Some cauliflower hummus recipes use steamed cauliflower. But, I think steaming cauliflower makes it watery, and doesn’t bring out the full flavor of the vegetable. Roasted cauliflower gives the hummus an exquisite depth of flavor and slight smokiness that will make you weak in the knees! (Just do it, and thank me later.)

How To Roast Cauliflower To Make Hummus.

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C.
2. Take 1 medium head of cauliflower, and cut it into equal sized florets. For this cauliflower hummus recipe, you should have about 6 cups (690g).
3. Wash your cauliflower, and then pat it dry to remove the excess moisture.
4. Line a baking tray (ideally with a lip) with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
5. Toss the cauliflower florets with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, grape seed oil, or coconut oil and a pinch of the salt until evenly coated, and lay the coated florets out on the prepared baking tray in one layer so that they cook evenly.
6. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so, until the cauliflower is tender, evenly cooked, and starting to brown. You don’t want to burn the cauliflower or the hummus will taste burnt, too! 
7. Once your cauliflower is cooked, allow it to cool slightly before making the recipe.

Ingredients for the best cauliflower hummus.

There are several ways you can make amazing cauliflower hummus.

You can make conventional hummus with chickpeas and add roasted cauliflower for additional flavor. You can also use raw zucchini as the base for bean-free hummus and add cooked cauliflower. But, I don’t think you need the additional base ingredients. You can make an amazing cauliflower hummus just with the cauliflower base. The texture is amazing. As I said above, I prefer to use roasted cauliflower over steamed cauliflower so you get a richer flavor and better consistency (having removed the water from the cauliflower).

So, here are the ingredients I’m using in this recipe:

• 1 medium head cauliflower, roasted
• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup (60g) hulled tahini, plus more to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 clove), plus more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

To make cauliflower hummus, just throw everything into your high-speed blender or food processor fitted with the s-blade.

I love the phrase, “plus more to taste”. Everybody likes their hummus the way they like it. You may want more lemon juice, garlic, salt, paprika, and cayenne. But, this was the balance that was the perfect blend for me.

I developed this cauliflower hummus as part of my role as the global ambassador for KitchenAid® blenders. So, thanks to the team at KitchenAid for this gorgeous photo!

The KitchenAid High Performance blender is amazing.

If I had a dollar for every time I was asked, “what blender do you use?” I’d own my own island!

I joke, but it is a valid question. There are a ton of different blenders on the market, and it can be difficult to decide which one is the best. And, it makes sense that people ask me all day every day because I own almost every blender on offer!

Yes, it sounds crazy, but I really do own that many blenders. I should take a photo of my blender closet!

Choosing a blender is like choosing a car. You need to purchase a blender that suits your needs and budget. If you’re making the odd smoothie or margarita, and your blender is going to collect dust in the cupboard, you probably just need an entry-level conventional blender.

But, if you’re going to use your blender a lot to make smoothies, cocktails, soups, salad dressings, desserts, and baked goods, and are going to be using nuts, seeds, dates, sun-dried tomatoes, and fibrous produce like carrots, beets, and apples, consider investing in a high-speed blender for the easiest blending and smoothest textures.

For my money, I use the KitchenAid High Performance blender three to four times a day, and I absolutely love it.

This is the best blender I’ve used. It has a die-cast metal base for stability, 3HP motor to pulverize tough ingredients into silky smooth consistencies, two simple and intuitive control buttons, and a variable speed dial. The machine comes with a tamper so you can completely control your blend, and move ingredients through the blades and burst air pockets with thick blends while the machine is running.

The tamper is particularly helpful when making this cauliflower hummus. If you try to make this hummus in a conventional blender you will need to stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the container to get an even blend.

The KitchenAid High Performance blender also has a stunning design with three matte colors to match your stand mixer. Check it out, and let me know what you think of this roasted cauliflower hummus!

*Note: I am the spokesperson for KitchenAid blenders. But, my opinions are my own.

Other Low Carb Dips

Spicy Cashew Dip
Creamy Spinach Avocado Dip
Raw Red Hummus without Chickpeas
Kale Guacamole
Cashew Cream Cheese Dip

Let me know what you think of this roasted cauliflower hummus in the comments!

Your feedback is important, and it helps me decide which recipes to post next for you.