The best hummus is creamy, chickpea-forward, and perfectly seasoned. It is good eaten by the spoonful as well as on a chip or in a pita or on a pita chip. True hummus purists will tell you that the best hummus is made at home. But we think you can find some seriously good hummus at the grocery store.
Depending on who you ask, hummus has either never been better or never been worse. The flavored hummus trend is getting out of control. There’s apple pie hummus, thai coconut curry hummus, Buffalo style hummus, and a brownie batter dessert hummus. Hummus is sliding into dip territory—and hummus is so much more than that. Sporked contributor Danny Palumbo is particularly bothered by the phenomenon. “Can I add green beans, fried onions, and a can of mushroom soup to a chickpea puree and call it green bean casserole hummus?” he poses. “Moreover, if I did that, should I still be allowed to vote?”
Anyway, let’s get back to the task at hand: finding the best hummus brand.
Here’s what we look for in the best hummus (flavored or not): We want a smooth, creamy texture. We want to be able to taste four key ingredients (chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and lemon) even if it’s a flavored hummus. If the lemon tastes too much like citric acid, the hummus gets docked points. If the tahini doesn’t shine enough, docked points. If you put a picture of garlic on the package and it tastes nothing like garlic, docked points. Hummus is a delicate balance; it’s a marriage of great ingredients in one gorgeously simple spread. Mouth watering yet? Check out our list of the best store bought hummus.
- Tribe Classic Hummus
Sure, Tribe Hummus did some really weird crap back in 2009 when they decided to make pizza flavored hummus, but their classic hummus is pretty good. It’s tangy, creamy, and will do the job just fine. It’s thick and flavorful, so it’s the best hummus to spread onto a sandwich or some flatbread. There’s also a subtle cumin flavor here that’s different from the rest. Sandwiches need spice, don’t ya know. If you like tangy hummus and spiced undertones, Tribe is the best brand of hummus. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart
- Kirkland Organic Hummus
This is the best hummus for the busy human or alien-inhabiting-a-human’s-body on the go. The flavor here is admittedly tame, but maybe that’s your thing. Plus, you get a lot of little individual cups of hummus for the price. A cup of Kirkland hummus would be a great lunch addition for any child or adult. Speaking of which, it blows my mind that kids now eat hummus for lunch. I grew up in Pennsylvania in the ‘90s. We ate frozen chicken patties slathered in mayonnaise, sheet tray pizza loaded with sugary tomato sauce, and strawberry milk. School lunch used to be lawless. But, hummus is healthy. We should all be eating hummus. Now excuse me while I Google “where to buy strawberry milk.” — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Good & Gather Classic Hummus
The flavor of this Target-brand hummus is mostly lemon (see the ingredients: concentrated lemon juice and citric acid), but there’s still a lovely creaminess that makes it shine. Pairing the sharp acidity with some sweet carrots or crunchy cauliflower is a no-brainer. Good & Gather doesn’t score high marks in the tahini, garlic, or chickpea categories, but the tanginess is wonderful and it’s the best brand of hummus for raw vegetables. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Ryan Martin / Target
- Ithaca Lemon Beet
If you love the earthy sweetness of beets, then this is the best hummus to satisfy your flavored hummus fantasies. With that sweetness comes lemony zestiness, and that is really what takes this hummus from good to great. Plus, it’s a gorgeous hue of pink—straight out of a Lisa Frank paint palette. It feels like something you would get as an option at Cava or another Chipotle-esque Mediterranean spot. And I’d recommend using it as such—scoop some into a bowl with grains and roasted veggies and other toppings. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Ithaca Buffalo Ranch
Yes, the Buffalo sauce flavor in this flavored hummus is good. It’s tangy and spicy. And that’s great. But what I think is really cool is that it also tastes like celery sticks. I’m pretty sure that’s the ranch flavor attempting to come through, but it ends up tasting like celery—like the stuff you have with Buffalo wings. And that tastes great when combined with creamy chickpeas and tahini. I think you could totally go wild and dip a chicken wing into this hummus. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Roots Original
We want our hummus to taste like chickpeas and Roots hummus definitely tastes like chickpeas. It’s a bit more rustic than some of the other store bought hummus brands on this list, and I love that. It has an earthy flavor and an earthy texture—more grainy, like it was freshly made in a food processor at home. It’s vibrant and vegetal—almost carrot-y? But the true charm is the texture. It’s not at all gummy like some hummus can become when it’s over processed. This is the best hummus for the texture freaks out there like me. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Kroger
- Cedar’s Hot Honey Hommus
Before you ask, yes, hummus and hommus are the same thing. It’s just a matter of spelling. And this hommus is shockingly good. You don’t even need to like hot honey to think that it’s some of the best spicy hummus on the market. It’s topped with a pile of chile flakes and laced with just enough honey to add depth and intrigue. You really can’t take just one bite; you need to have another just to figure out what the heck you just tasted. If you can’t handle heat, you can’t handle this. But if you can manage some red pepper flakes on your pizza, you can take this level of spice. It’s the best hummus brand for heat seekers. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Fresh n’ Nova Authentic Hummos
It’s creamy, it’s nutty, and it’s brightly acidic. This is exactly the type of hummus we expect when we sit down at a Lebanese restaurant. It’s got that beautiful hummus swirl, and there’s almost a hint of onion that you’ll find attractive (although no onions are listed in the ingredients). Simply put, Fresh n’ Nova made our mouths water. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Ryan Martin / Whole Foods
- Ithaca Lemon Garlic Hummus
Ithaca hummus is thick. This isn’t a droopy and watery spread like some other hummus brands. Like, careful you don’t lose your pita chips in this garbanzo bean quicksand. Still, Ithaca has an exceptionally lemony tang, garlicky bite, and nutty taste. Confidently spread this onto a sandwich and bring it to the beach or on a hike. Dip vegetables in it. Eat it with flatbread. Ithaca hummus goes with everything because it has serious flavor. Also, there’s no citric acid. The container tells you to “enjoy within 7 days of opening.” This is as fresh as store bought hummus gets and that makes it one of the best store bought hummus brands. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Holy Hummus Nazareth Real Hummus
I won’t say anything about the name or how I guess it’s the same hummus Jesus ate when he was a boy. Instead, I’ll talk about the unique texture of this hummus. It is rustic. It’s downright chunky. And it’s topped with a lot of paprika, pureed red pepper, and whole pine nuts. It’s an appetizer in a tub. The only thing it’s lacking is a spritz of lemon, but that makes this some of the best hummus for people who are sensitive to acidity. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Fresh Direct
- Cava Traditional Hummus
Cava hummus is creamy. You know a good whipped mashed potato with a ton of butter and milk? That gives you an idea what Cava hummus is like. The flavor is perfectly balanced. You taste the nutty earthiness of the tahini, the tanginess from the lemon, and a subtle hint of garlic near the end. Also, this is one of the only brands of hummus where you can actually taste the chickpeas. This is way up there on our list of the best hummus brands. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Whole Foods 365 Roasted Garlic Hummus
This was the number one best hummus after our initial taste test. And it’s still tied for first. The flavoris superb. The roasted garlic in the mix has a deep garlicky flavor with none of the pungency of the raw stuff. The hummus itself is thick, not watery, and it’s got a nice balance of sesame flavor and lemon to boot. Really great stuff here. Roasted garlic should be in way more things. — Danny Palumbo
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Holy Hummus Traditional Classic Hummus
This extremely creamy hummus is the newly crowned best store bought hummus in our ranking. It has an unbelievably good tahini-forward flavor that is unlike any other store bought brand of hummus we’ve ever tasted. And the texture is irresistible—super smooth without being gummy. You know when you see concrete being poured and you think, wow, that looks so good? Like that, but then it actually does taste good and not at all like pureed rocks. If you’ve been eating those big hummus brands your whole life and have never experienced real hummus, give this brand a try. — Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
Best Sandwich Hummus
Best Lunchbox Hummus
Best with Crudités
Best for a Bowl
Best for Game Day
Best Almost Homemade
Best Spicy
Best Restaurant Quality
Best Fresh Hummus
Best Chunky
Best Traditional
Best of the Best
Best of the Best
Other hummus brands we tried: Trader Joe’s Three Layer Hummus, Haig’s Original, Haig’s Garlic, Park Street Deli Significantly Spicy Hummus, Marketside Pine Nut Hummus, Simple Truth Organic Hummus, Boar’s Head Hummus, Sadaf Traditional Hummus, Organics Hummus, Signature Cafe Hummus Original, Trader Joe’s Organic Hummus, Mediterranean Style Hummus, Sabra, Holy Hummus Homestyle Hummus with Olive OIl, Sadaf Traditional Hummus, Hafla Hummus Classic
If you’re ever in NC, try to find Roots hummus! Created in Asheville, NC it’s hands down the best hummus out there!! https://rootshummus.com/
That is listed as #5.
suggesting pita chip article next pls!
here you go! https://sporked.com/article/best-pita-chips/
hell yes daniel shoutout for the crucial omission for apartheid state hummus that must not be named. but also: where is the love for the one true garbanzo king, trader joe’s middle eastern style hummus?
thanks partner!
I’ll add it to the list. We plan on updating these with new products at some point. Good input thank you.
No Cedars? Or Tribe? Maybe they are only on the east coast.
Tribe is #l8.
#8 I meant.
Where does Sabra hummus come in on this tier list? It’s the only hummus I buy, but I’m willing to change if there’s something better!
was Trader Joe’s roasted garlic in contention? if not, worth a revisit with that addition alone.
That Sabra didn’t make the cut is yet another feather in your collective cap. Tastes like the oil and not the other stuff you want hummus to taste like. Would love a break down of more flavors, like spicy ones, roasted red pepper, pine nut, etc.
Also dessert because imagine the hate clicks.
Where would Hope rank on this list?
What about Oasis brand? I’ve found that to be pretty close to homemade.