Homemade hummus for babies

This recipe for homemade hummus for babies contains all the ingredients you’d expect to see in the traditional chickpea and tahini dip – minus the salt. Perfect for baby led weaning, toddler snacks and baby lunches.

There aren’t many things that all five of us in the Sneaky Veg household will eat and true to form hummus isn’t one of them.

When R started nursery at the age of two and a half he did like it, but it went the way of so many other things and he will no longer eat it.

The rest of us however are dedicated hummus lovers. Not many a day goes by when Miss R asks whether she can have hummus and pitta bread for lunch. I’m glad to say that Baby S is following in our footsteps and is shaping up to be a hummus lover too. 

Can babies eat hummus?

Shop bought hummus isn’t suitable for babies due to its high salt content.

If you want to give hummus to your baby your best bet is to make your own. This recipe is surprisingly easy to make and tastes delicious, even without the salt.

You can always keep a grown-ups portion separate and add salt to that if you prefer.

Hummus is perfect for baby led weaning

Hummus is one of my favourite chickpea recipes for babies. It works really well if you’re following baby led weaning. It can be spread on bread or rice cakes for younger babies or used as a dip for older babies.

At the moment Baby S picks up and tries to eat any kind of bowl or plate I give him so we’re still in the spreading on rice cakes zone!

Some very young babies might struggle to digest the chickpeas so start with a small portion. If you wish you can remove the skins from the chickpeas – by rubbing them between your hands – to make the hummus even smoother.

This recipe is suitable from six months. You should be aware that tahini, one of the main ingredients in hummus, contains sesame seeds, which are one of the top 14 allergens. If you’re concerned about allergies see the NHS site for more information.

Other homemade dips recipes

Roasted beetroot hummus

Carrot hummus

Butternut squash dip

Healthy garlic tahini sauce

What do you need to make homemade hummus?

The ingredients that you need to make homemade hummus for your baby are very simple. You need:

• chickpeas
• lemon juice
• garlic
• tahini (sesame paste)
• olive oil
• water.

If you wish you can add salt, paprika or dried oregano or za’atar for serving.

Do you need any special equipment to make hummus?

You will need a good blender or food processor to make this recipe.

If you don’t have one you could either use a handheld stick blender or a masher – but the results won’t be as smooth.

How to make homemade hummus for babies

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Homemade hummus for babies

This recipe for homemade hummus for babies contains all the ingredients you'd expect to see in the traditional chickpea and tahini dip - minus the salt. Perfect for baby led weaning, toddler snacks and baby lunches.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword hummus for babies

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 6 minutes

Servings 4

Author Mandy Mazliah

Ingredients

• 400 g tinned chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp water
• salt to serve (optional)
• extra olive oil, za'atar, oregano or paprika to serve (optional)

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

1. If you wish you can lightly sauté the garlic in olive oil before adding to the hummus to make it a gentler taste for babies. You can also remove the skins from the chickpeas if you wish, but this isn't essential.

2. Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, tahini and olive oil to a blender. Blend until smooth. Add one tablespoon of water and blend again. Add the other tablespoon gradually until you have the desired consistency. I find that the smoother the better when serving this to babies.

3. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and some oregano, za'atar or paprika to serve if desired.

4. Keeps for a couple of days in the fridge in an airtight container.

I have linked this recipe up to Cook Blog Share hosted this week by Recipes Made Easy.