Mediterranean-inspired · Easy
Lemon chickpea spread
A smooth, lemony chickpea spread blended from chickpeas, a peeled lemon’s flesh and juice, olive oil, fresh garlic and cold water. It is made without tahini, so it is lighter and brighter than a classic hummus. Spread it on sandwiches or wraps, or serve as a dip.
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Total time
- 38 minutes
- Portions
- 8
Estimated nutrition
| Nutrient | Per portion | Whole batch |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 77 kcal | 618 kcal |
| Protein | 2.3 g | 18.4 g |
| Carbs | 7.1 g | 56.6 g |
| Fiber | 2 g | 16.2 g |
| Sugars | 1.4 g | 11.2 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat | 4.7 g | 37.9 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.6 g | 4.8 g |
| Sodium | 64 mg | 508 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
How these estimates work
Per portion and for your whole batch. These are ingredient-based estimates, not laboratory-tested nutrition facts. Optional ingredients are excluded.
Estimate includes all drained and rinsed chickpeas, lemon flesh with juice, olive oil, garlic and water, divided into eight portions. Sodium comes mostly from the canned chickpeas; brands vary. Missing chickpea sugar and saturated-fat detail use the USDA SR drained chickpea reference. A spread component, not a meal.
USDA FoodData Central references. Brands, food varieties, preparation and portion size change the result. Added sugars assume plain, unsweetened ingredients; for prepared breads and sauces, a range shows zero to the reference food’s total sugar because the added amount is unspecified.
Ingredients, sources & assumptions
All listed edible food and oil are counted as eaten. Cooking losses and final cooked weight are not measured. Some ingredients use a stated reference food or a proxy for a missing nutrient. No personalized dietary advice.
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), canned, sodium added, drained and rinsed · 250 g in the original batch
Missing sugar and cholesterol use the USDA SR drained/rinsed chickpea reference. Missing saturated fat uses that reference’s saturated-to-total-fat ratio applied to the primary total fat.
USDA food reference USDA supplementary referenceLemons, raw, without peel · 45 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceOil, olive, salad or cooking · 30 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceGarlic, raw · 5 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceBeverages, water, tap, drinking · 45 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceCalculation version 2. Source records and method are documented in our nutrition guide.
Nutrition guidancePer portion and for your whole batch. These are ingredient-based estimates, not laboratory-tested nutrition facts. Optional ingredients are excluded.
Estimate includes all drained and rinsed chickpeas, lemon flesh with juice, olive oil, garlic and water, divided into eight portions. Sodium comes mostly from the canned chickpeas; brands vary. Missing chickpea sugar and saturated-fat detail use the USDA SR drained chickpea reference. A spread component, not a meal.
USDA FoodData Central references. Brands, food varieties, preparation and portion size change the result. Added sugars assume plain, unsweetened ingredients; for prepared breads and sauces, a range shows zero to the reference food’s total sugar because the added amount is unspecified.
Let’s make it
Steps at a glance 4 steps
Amounts below match your selected batch. Follow each short step, and use timers as reminders to check the food.
Equipment
Kitchen scale · Colander · Cutting board and knife · Fine grater · Food processor · Spatula · Covered container
- 1
Prepare the ingredients
Wash hands, the lemon and the cutting board. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas and weigh 250 g chickpeas. Cut the peel and white pith from the lemon, remove the seeds and weigh 45 g lemon flesh with its juice. Peel and finely grate 5 g garlic.
- 2
Blend the base
Put the chickpeas, lemon flesh and juice, garlic and 30 g olive oil in a food processor. Blend 1 minute, then scrape down the sides.
- 3
Loosen until silky
With the motor running, pour in 30 ml cold water and blend 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down once or twice, until very smooth. Add the remaining 15 ml cold water and blend 30 seconds more for a soft, spreadable texture.
- 4
Chill, serve and store
Spoon into a covered container and chill 20 minutes so it firms slightly and the garlic mellows. It contains fresh garlic and oil: keep it at 40°F / 4°C or colder, return it to the refrigerator within 2 hours of serving, and use within 3 days.
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Make it work for you
For kids & different preferences
Thick, smooth and lemony, with no whole chickpeas left after blending. Spread thinly on soft bread or offer as a dip with foods the child already manages; thick spreads in large spoonfuls can be hard to swallow. Children can rinse chickpeas with supervision; adults handle the knife and processor. Not age-specific feeding guidance.
Storage & packed lunches
Contains fresh garlic and oil. Refrigerate covered at 40°F / 4°C or colder within 2 hours of making or serving (within 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C) and use within 3 days. Never store at room temperature. This is not a canning recipe.
Freezing & reheating
Freeze in small covered portions for up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator, stir well and use within 1 day.
Serve chilled or at cool room temperature; no heating needed.
If something looks different
Grainy texture means it needs longer blending; scrape down and keep going. If it tastes sharp, the lemon was very tart; let it chill the full time. If it is too thick after chilling, stir well before serving.
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Updated 2026-10-29
Bethany’s Kitchen · /recipes/lemon-chickpea-spread · Original instructions and generated food illustration. Public culinary sources informed the combination; no third-party prose or photograph copied. Not physically kitchen-tested or human-reviewed.