I didn’t think it could ever happen, but it did. I got sick of hummus.
I am still in full agreement with fellow blogger and cookbook author, Dreena Burton, that “hummus is a food group”. It just turns out that you can have too much of a good thing .
When this whole candida saga began I was a little clueless about how to replace my typically fruit-heavy breakfasts with savoury and preferably grain-free options. I found my saviour in hummus and ate it in abundance with veggie sticks and raw crackers every morning without fail. I’d then go on and eat the same for lunch.
It did briefly cross my mind that I might turn into a chickpea, or at least turn orange from all the carrots I was eating for dipping (!) but I burnt out on it before I noticed any change in my skin colour…
I found alternative meal options and hummus got the boot.
However, after several weeks apart, I eventually began to miss my old friend. This chunky chickpea dip is my way of easing back into hummus world.
Warm chickpeas are gently crushed with olive oil and tossed with baby tomatoes and whole lemon slices, roasted to mellow their sharpness and bring out their sweet flavour. A sprinkle of fresh parsley and toasted cumin seeds seal the Middle-Eastern deal.
Hummus-esque but not hummus.
I loved this piled onto raw crackers- these from Pura Vida are especially tasty. But this would be delicious on toasted bread as well or scooped up with crunchy lettuce leaves. Recipe Card

- 1 1/2C Well-cooked chickpeas, freshly cooked (see note for canned chickpeas)
- 1C Baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1t Olive oil
- 1/4t Fine salt
- 1/2 Lemon, sliced into half moons
- 1T Lemon juice
- 2T Olive oil
- Handful of fresh parley, roughly chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3/4t Cumin seeds
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
- Mix the tomatoes with the teaspoon of olive oil and the salt. Place on a lined baking tray, cut-side up. Roast for 10 minutes, add the lemon slices and cook for a further 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Toast the cumin seeds in a small pan for 1 minute, until fragrant, then lightly crush in a pestle and mortar or the flat of a knife.
- While the chickpeas are still warm, add to a bowl along with the olive oil and lemon juice and gently mash with a potato masher. You want to keep plenty of texture.
- Stir through the roasted lemon slices and tomatoes, fresh parsley and cumin seeds. Season to taste.
- Serve at room temperature or cold with crackers or crusty bread.
- - If using canned chickpeas or chickpeas that have already been cooled, simmer in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes or so until soft. Drain and then proceed to gently mash.
Have you got sick of any of your favourite foods from over-doing them?
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This looks yummy. I think I might make this tomorrow. Thanks for adapting and sharing.
Do! And maybe double the recipe…Mine disappeared in no time at all!
How funny I get into hummus ruts also where I put it on everything! This recipe looks perfect! Yum!
It’s just so addictive isn’t it? This dip is a nice change of pace.
Love this easy recipe Emma, perfect for my lunch! We went through a phase of eating lots of hummus too but I never tire of it, it’s yummy!
It was great for my lunches. Love keeping this kind of thing on hand for a quick meal or snack
Emma, looks absolutely delish. Lovely pics & I love your site’s new look-very fresh & clean!
Thanks Janae. Glad you like the new look too!
I bet those tomatoes are fabulous with the chickpeas x
They are. So so sweet and flavourful when they’re roasted up like this. Yum.
This looks beautiful and so simple. Somehow, it has never occurred to me to roast grape tomatoes, even though I always roast Romas in the winter. I have a pint of baby tomatoes in the fridge that are going to be roasted tonight, off to get some chickpeas cooking!
Thanks Michelle
We couldn’t eat up with our garden tomatoes in the summer so I would roast all the baby red and yellow ones until they were shrivelled and sweet. They were especially delicious on salads, pasta and pizza.
I could eat chickpeas every day - so so so yummy - and this looks fantastic - not sure about roasted lemon - they look pretty but I am not that into lemon - did you eat the slices whole?
The lemon really mellows so it’s not sharp at all. I ate all but the rind 😉
This looks great and healthy. What tyoes of snacks do you eat it with? It looks like there are some blue corn tortilla chips in the pic. Thx!
Thanks Nicole. I mentioned the my dippers in the post- “I loved this piled onto raw crackers- these from Pura Vida are especially tasty. But this would be delicious on toasted bread as well or scooped up with crunchy lettuce leaves.”
Hope you try it!
Delicious idea and twist on a personal favorite of mine too! I need to plan a movie night with my husband soon and this might be a delicious snack to add. Thanks!
A movie night with snacks like this sounds so fun! I want to plan one now too
I have a terrible, terrible tendency to overdose on favourite foods. I have been doing it since a child and still can’t eat kiwi fruit after eating it daily for many months as a 10-year-old! Fortunately most other ‘too much’ experiences have been short lived and I have returned to the favourite food with a dose of moderation 😉 This twist on hummus sounds lovely and looks beautiful too!
Thankfully it seems my aversion to hummus hasn’t lasted too long but I was worried I’d ruined it for me for life!
I think most of the other foods I od’d when younger on I wouldn’t want to eat now anyway!
Hi, Emma!
I can’t believe it has taken me this long to stumble upon your blog. Honestly, I don’t know how you do it, but every recipe you share makes me want to put on my apron and start cooking right away. Talking about getting sick of favourite foods, veggie salads tend to get boring after a while. I went vegan only recently, and I have been struggling with trying out new flavours and textures. I live in TO and I love dining out, but it sure gets pricey after a while. However, these vegan spots are worth giving a shot, but only as long as it’s not a three-times-a-week thing. I am becoming all the more confident when cooking at home, and I must say, my family don’t seem to be raising any objections:)
I use hummus almost every other day now, I’d better make sure I don’t overdo it! Also, have you ever tried substituting tahini with something else? I find it very oily. Even though they’re healthy fats, my husband and I are trying to cut down on our daily fat consumption. Thank you for any suggestions.
I am looking forward to making the chickpea dip for brunch this Sunday.
So pleased your vegan journey is going well and that you’re enjoying the blog Sandra! I rarely eat out though I do enjoy it, but mainly because it’s expensive and I’m a student! That’s forced me to become a better cook though and led me to discover so many new flavours and foods. I’m sure it will get easier for you with time too.
I really like the flavour of tahini in hummus and don’t worry too much about whole foods sources of fat. If you did want to lighten it up though then vegetable broth works well, along with more lemon juice for extra flavour. Thanks for reading
Thank you so much. Veggie broth might do the trick!
I go between boom and bust on hummus - I eat so much, I can’t stand it any more then have weeks where I can’t even look at it. Then after a while I come back to it, gradually, and then the whole cycle starts again. Maybe I just need to make some chunky dip instead!
Sounds like I’m not alone then! I figured I’d keep my hummus cravings satisfied but not burn out on it by keeping things fresh with some different but similar dips
This looks absolutely delicious. I am obsessed with chickpeas, and don’t think I could ever tire of them!
Hopefully I’ll never get sick of hummus again but now I’m not eating it in large quantities more than once a day I think I’ll be fine 😉
this is a great idea! i always preferred chunky dips and sauces to smooth. and i’m loving that you eat hummus for breakfast. maybe i should try?
I eat anything for breakfast! Hummus is a pretty healthy and sustaining option too when eaten with veggie sticks and raw/GF/wholegrain crackers
Ha! I’ve overdosed on hummus a few times - usually when on the road and unable to get good vegan eats. Hummus is a great option because it’s portable and available in almost any grocery store. But…too much of a good thing…
Anyway, this looks delicious and really, like a whole different dish anyway :-).
This one’s not really hummus but just similar enough 😉
I always seem to travel with hummus & carrot sticks!
I would mourn the loss of hummus interest on your part, but it seems to have been a very good shift- Your reinterpretation of the classic spread looks like it may even be an improvement on the original! I do love chunkier dips, since it makes every bite different and interesting. This looks beyond delicious; a definite “must make” on my list.
Thank you Hannah! I don’t think hummus is gone for good so no need to worry 😉
This was definitely a tasty change though. Hope you like it.
This looks like it would make a great salad, too!
Definitely. My favourite kind of lunches are those made up lots of little salads and nibbly things
This was the perfect addition.
I love the look of this, after eating hummus for lunch virtually everyday for a year I have become a bit fed up with it and this really does look like the perfect compromise. thanks for the share x
Glad you’re on the same page
Just discovered your blog, it’s wonderful. I love your creative dishes and this one is so light and perfect and few ingredients, which is totally my thing! I used to be a hummus daily girl too and I got burned out on it. I still love it, but I just kind of forgot about it. This makes me want some now though
Thank you for introducing me to yours! All your recipes look phenomenal, and your pictures are gorgeous
Hi! In the spirit of adapting, I added roasted garlic to the dip and we had it as a topping on baked potatoes- delish!
That sounds wonderful Jude. Now I want it again with the roasted garlic asap! Thanks for letting me know you liked it