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If you’ve seen our videos, you probably know that we LOVE hummus! We usually make a batch of our “Super Smoky Hummus” at least once a week and use it as a salad dressing or dip for raw veggies.
Unfortunately, most store-bought hummus has added oil, which is something we try to avoid on our whole food, plant-based diet. Back at the start of our journey – before we figured out how to make our own at home – we did a pretty extensive search for store-bought versions without added oil. Although we don’t buy them regularly anymore, it is nice to know that you can find mostly “compliant” hummus in a store! This can be a lifesaver when traveling. I often buy some to keep in my hotel refrigerator with raw veggies to help me stay on track.
Are They Really “Oil-Free”?
There seems to be a debate going on as to whether you can really call hummus oil-free if it has tahini in it. We aren’t really sure, so we decided to label this as “no added oil,” meaning no extra oil has been added to any of these.
Yes, there is some natural oil in the tahini. When we make our super smoky hummus, we always use tahini with just one ingredient (ground sesame seeds). The kind of oil we try to avoid in our whole food, plant-based diet is oil that has been extracted/processed. We do limit our nut/seed intake to around 1oz per day, but as long as we are using the WHOLE nut or seed and not just the oil, we are okay with that!
The Contestants
We went to Whole Foods and found three different varieties of hummus without added oil: Engine 2, Oasis and CAVA. Be sure to watch the video so you can see us try them out!
Make sure you check labels closely because MOST hummus has added oil of some kind. We have spent a lot of time looking at labels in this hummus case!
Up first was a familiar favorite for me – Engine 2’s Traditional Hummus. If you haven’t heard of it, the Engine 2 line is exclusive to Whole Foods and all of their products are vegan, low sodium and have NO added oils. Rip Esselstyn founded Engine 2 and has several books as well – so check them out! They also make a Roasted Red Pepper Hummus which is quite tasty.
The Engine 2 hummus definitely wins in the nutrition category, with the lowest calories and sodium per serving. This one definitely has a strong lemon flavor and a bit drier / thicker texture than the others. TON of hummus flavors and I believe most (if not all) of them have no added oil. We stuck with the original variety to provide an even playing field, but I definitely want to try some of the other varieties!
The Oasis hummus had a nice punch to it! It has a “wetter” consistency than the Engine 2 hummus. It tasted the most salty, even though it did not have the most sodium. Get more info about Oasis Mediterranean Cuisine’s Original Hummus
Finally, we picked up CAVA’s Traditional Hummus. We had never tasted this one before, so we were excited to find a third contestant for our taste test!
The CAVA hummus seemed the most “indulgent” and rich to me. It has a great flavor! The consistency is more similar to the Engine 2 hummus, but this one definitely uses more tahini. Get more info about CAVA’s Traditional Hummus
The Winner?
As usual, it was pretty difficult to pick just ONE winner, so let’s break it down into categories before we pick just one!
PRICE WINNER: OASIS
Oasis was not only the cheapest, but it has an extra two ounces per container!
NUTRITION WINNER: ENGINE 2
All three have VERY similar ingredient lists, but Engine 2 wins the nutrition category with the lowest calories and sodium per serving.
TASTE WINNER: CAVA or OASIS
Brian picked Oasis as his “taste” winner. I think the CAVA tasted the best!
OVERALL WINNER: OASIS
If we had to pick an overall winner, I think it would be Oasis. They are all super tasty and I’d honestly buy all three again, but the Oasis had a best flavor/nutrition/price combo.
Check out the video to see us try them out and let us know in the comments below if there are any others we should try out!
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Engine 2, Traditional Hummus, 8 ozOasis Original Hommus, 10 oz
Cava Mezze, Hummus Traditional, 8 oz
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Thanks for this video!
Jessica, when time permits, will you please post your pita chip instruction? Have you tried making tortilla chips the same way?
Yes I can! And yes, I have done it with corn tortillas as well!
I’m so disappointed that the Oasis hummus is not available. I bought it on a road trip across the country (don’t remember which state, but I think Colorado) and I cant find it in any of my stores in Princeton, including Whole Foods! Should I call the company?
Maybe try to contact them! Have you tried their website to see if there is a product locator on there?
Thanks for your opinions on these.
There’s one thing you omitted that I think is key when it comes to garbanzo beans/chick peas.
CAVA is the ONLY one according to your ingredient list that is made with organic garbanzo beans, but you neglected to mention that fact when you displayed your ingredient comparison.
Good catch!