Spice up your next appetizer spread with a homemade buffalo hummus. You'll start with a simple homemade hummus recipe and add the flavors of everyone's favorite hot dip. Serve it with veggies or pita for dipping.
Who would've thought hummus could steal the spotlight on game day? We usually associate hummus with the "healthy" stuff, while Super Bowl snacks are more like “I’m going to need a nap after this.” But guess what? I am shaking things up by adding buffalo sauce (or your favorite hot sauce) to regular hummus, turning it into a snack that scores big. Serve it up with chips, crackers, pita, or even some veggies like celery and carrot sticks (for balance… kind of).
Hummus is all about the toppings
Buffalo hummus could definitely crash the game day party and probably even win the MVP award—but what really puts it over the top is the toppings! Or, should I say, the endless possibilities for topping it. You can dress it up like a champion with whatever you like—because who doesn’t love hummus with a little flair? Here are my recommendations:
- Olives - Kalamata, green olives, or mixed varieties for a Mediterranean touch.
- Cheese - Feta, goat cheese, or even a mild mozzarella. You can garnish with vegan cheese.
- Green onions - chop them up or use chopped chives.
- Fresh herbs like chopped fresh cilantro, parsley, basil, or thyme.
- Olive oil - high-quality extra virgin olive oil is always a perfect hummus topping.
- Pepper - garnish with red pepper flakes or freshly coarsely ground black pepper. This is a great recipe for using red peppercorns or rainbow peppercorn blends (crushed or coarsely ground).
The ingredients and substitutions
- Chickpeas. I used canned chickpeas, and I used chickpea water (also called aquafaba) in making the hummus. The best substitute for chickpeas is white beans, particularly cannellini beans, as they create a smooth and creamy texture. Other good alternatives include white kidney beans, lima beans (butter beans), great northern beans, and navy beans.
- Tahini adds creaminess, but you can swap it with a nut butter like almond or cashew.
- Olive oil can be replaced with any neutral vegetable oil like avocado oil.
- Fresh garlic. You can swap minced garlic with garlic powder or onion powder.
- Ground cumin and smoked paprika can be replaced with chili powder and regular paprika.
- Buffalo sauce can be swapped with any hot sauce.
Tools used
- Can opener
- Colander
- Food processor or blender
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Silicone scraper
How to make Buffalo Hummus
Here's a brief overview with step-by-step photos for guidance. For exact ingredient measurements and detailed instructions, check the recipe card below.
1) Drain the chickpeas, reserving ¼ cup of the liquid (aquafaba). Add the chickpeas and reserved liquid to a food processor or blender.
2) Add tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and paprika, then blend until thick and smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
3) Add Buffalo sauce, salt, and pepper, blending again until fully combined.
4) Top with garnishes and serve with veggies or pita.
Garnish
- I like to garnish my hummus with a drizzle of olive oil, crumbled feta or bleu cheese, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. And, the drizzle of extra virgin olive oil!
- Although the feta garnish in the photos is not vegan, you could definitely use vegan feta to make this recipe vegan!
What to serve with hummus
- Fresh veggies - Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, celery sticks, bell pepper strips, cherry tomatoes.
- Bread - Warm, sliced fresh pita bread, pita crackers, or pita chips.
- Flatbreads - Naan or lavash.
- Crackers - Whole grain, multigrain, or your favorite type.
- Chips - Tortilla chips, plantain chips, or sweet potato chips.
- Olives - Kalamata, green olives, or mixed varieties.
- Grilled meats - Grilled chicken skewers or lamb kebabs.
- Cheese - Feta, goat cheese, or even a mild mozzarella.
Buffalo Hummus
Ingredients
- 15 oz chickpeas (in a can)
- ¼ cup reserved aquafaba (chickpea water from the can) or regular water
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus more, if needed
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup Buffalo sauce plus more, if desired
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Open your can of chickpeas and pour ¼ cup of the water (also called aquafaba) into a cup. Drain the rest of the liquid or reserve it for another use. (See notes)
- Pour the drained chickpeas and reserved chickpea water into the bowl of a food processor or blender.
- Add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, and paprika.
- Blend until a thick paste forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the Buffalo sauce, salt, and pepper (adding more of each to suit your taste) and blend again until smooth.
- Top with your desired garnishes and serve with fresh sliced veggies or pita if desired.
Notes
- You can easily double this recipe to feed a crowd if needed.
- If you feel your hummus is too thick, add a little more lemon juice.
- One tablespoon of juice is equivalent to about half a medium-sized lemon.
- Using hulled tahini and removing chickpea skins will yield a smoother hummus consistency, but it’s not required.
- I prefer to use the aquafaba from the can instead of water (like some hummus recipes suggest) for no-waste purposes, but you can use water if you prefer.
- You do not need to rinse your chickpeas for this recipe, but you can if you strongly desire to.
- Adjust the heat levels by lowering or increasing the amount of Buffalo sauce to make this hummus more or less heat-intense.
- You can substitute standard hot sauce for the Buffalo sauce.
- Store leftovers tightly covered in the fridge for 3-4 days for best-tasting results.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Other dips to try
Whether you're gearing up for the Super Bowl, holiday festivities, or just a summer BBQ, these dips have a flavor for every occasion. Grab your chips, because it's time to dip like you're in the fourth quarter of the big game!
More party food recipes
Want to impress your guests and become the MVP of the party? Check out more crowd-pleasing recipes on my site—perfect for game day, potlucks, and Super Bowl shenanigans!
So good! I highly recommend this recipe! Hummus with some kick to it - it's a hit every time I make it. Thanks, Julia!
I've made this with the Buffalo sauce for a party - this was the first one to go, no leftovers. Everybody asked for the recipe.
You are a star,I can't wait to make this!xxc