If you love hummus, this Gluten-Free Vegan Creamy Musabaha will become a new favorite! It's an easy and healthy plant-based recipe made with only 7 clean, real food ingredients and can be ready to enjoy in about 10 minutes!
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Creamy Musabaha Recipe!
My top 3 favorite reasons:
- Can Be Prepared in Under 10 Minutes: after warming the chickpeas for a few minutes, just mix the savory sauce in and it's ready to serve!
- 100% Gluten-Free + Vegan: this is a naturally gluten-free and vegan meal that's perfect for breakfast or post-workout recovery!
- Made with Clean, Real Food Ingredients: made with only 7 clean, real food nutrient-dense ingredients and high in plant-based protein and fiber!
Karielyn
Jump to RecipeWhat Is Musabaha?
"Musabaha" is a warm, creamy, protein-packed Middle Eastern dish made with tender chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic - basically the same ingredients in hummus!
Musabaha vs Hummus
The differences between traditional hummus and Musabaha are:
Traditional Hummus = Smooth + Cold: The chickpeas are completely blended into a smooth, creamy texture and typically served cold or room temperature.
Musabaha = Warm + Chunky: The chickpeas are simmered on the stovetop for a few minutes then some are "smashed" with a fork, and the others are left in their original state but once they are mixed together with the sauce, it becomes a warm, comforting dish.
To me, it's just a different version of hummus, and I definitely love hummus! Some of my favorite hummus recipes are my Jalapeno and Lime Hummus, Spicy Beet Hummus, or my Sweet Potato Hummus.
You can feel good about making this Middle Eastern Musabaha chickpea recipe because it's plant-based, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, tofu-free, nut-free and Medical Medium® Compliant.
"Feel good about what you eat..."
- Karielyn Tillman
Ingredients
Here are the clean, real food ingredients I used to make this warm chickpea tahini dish. Try to buy organic if possible.
Key Ingredients
- Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
- Aquafaba (from the chickpeas can)
- Tahini (here's the recipe for Homemade Tahini)
- Lemon Juice
- Avocado Oil
- Garlic
- Ground Cumin
- Himalayan Pink Salt
That's it! This Creamy Vegan Musabaha recipe is super easy to make and is a repeat breakfast in my kitchen when I'm craving something savory!
How To Make Gluten-Free Vegan Creamy Musabaha
Here's how to make vegan Musabaha and I'll show you how easy it is with these step-by-step instructions below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add the chickpeas to a small saucepan.
Step 2: Add ¼ cup of aquafaba (liquid from the chickpea can) to the saucepan with the chickpeas. Simmer over low-medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until warm and soft but taking care to not overcook or they will by mushy.
Step 3: While the chickpeas are simmering, add all the ingredients for the tahini sauce to a small mixing bowl.
Step 4: Stir the ingredients for the tahini sauce until creamy and smooth, then set aside.
Step 5: Using the back of a fork, press between ½ to ¾ of the chickpeas (depending on how chunky you want it) against the side of the saucepan, leaving the rest of the chickpeas intact.
Step 5: Add in the tahini sauce mixture to the chickpeas.
Step 6: Stir the tahini sauce mixture until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Pro tip
Don't Forget to Reserve Aquafaba
Before adding the chickpeas to the saucepan, drain them but reserve ¼ cup of aquafaba (the liquid from the chickpea can) to add in the saucepan with the chickpeas. This will make the chickpea mixture extra creamy. Don't worry...if you forget you can just add water instead.
Why This Recipe is Healthy
Here are "5 Fast Facts" of the primary ingredients in this recipe so:
- You know what is in the food you are eating
- You know that the ingredients are nutrient-dense and are nourishing your body
- You will feel good about what you eat
Chickpeas
- excellent source of fiber
- excellent source of plant-based protein
- can help lower cholesterol
- provides better regulation of blood sugar
- can help decrease cardiovascular risks
Sesame Seeds
- high in calcium at 35% RDA
- excellent antioxidant
- lowers cholesterol
- reduces inflammation
- high in phytosterol
Lemons
- extremely alkaline to the body
- blood purifier
- excellent for detoxification
- balances blood sugar levels
- contains powerful anti-bacterial properties
Avocado Oil
- healthier cooking with smoke point of 500 degrees
- may help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome
- helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels
- provides protection from cardiovascular disease
- good source of Vitamin E
Garlic
- regulates blood sugar levels
- lowers high blood pressure
- contains anti-bacterial and analgesic properties
- anti-viral
- helps to lower cholesterol levels
Cumin
- high in antioxidants
- aids in digestion
- 1 tablespoon contains 20% dv of iron
- 1 tablespoon contains 6% rdv of magnesium
- can help lower cholesterol and triglycerides
Himalayan Pink Salt
- contains 84 minerals
- unrefined, unprocessed, raw
- promotes stable pH balance in cells
- controls water levels in the body
- aids digestion and facilitates better nutrient absorption
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! In fact, when I make this recipe I use organic chickpeas in a BPA-free can.
Also, another reason canned chickpeas work best is you will need to reserve about a ¼ cup of aquafaba (the liquid inside the can of chickpeas) when you simmer the chickpeas on the stove which makes the lemony tahini sauce extra creamy.
Yes, you could omit the avocado oil in the sauce mixture.
Yes, you can but it is traditionally served warm for the best flavor and texture.
I've eaten it both ways, and in my opinion, although it's good both ways, serving it warm is a hands down winner!
I actually like to eat it plain, as soon as it's mixed together!
But some other options are:
1. Homemade Oat Tortilla (instead of pita or Naan bread)
2. Cucumber or carrot strips
3. Radish Slices
4. As a breakfast bowl with tangy Kalamata olives
5. As a dip with gluten-free crackers
6. As a spread for wraps with sprouts
You can store it in an airtight BPA-free container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
You can reheat it in a small saucepan on low heat.
If it is a little thick, just add a splash of lemon juice or avocado oil and stir to thin it out.
That's actually an excellent question!
The texture of Musabaha is indeed "chunky" and is what sets it apart from traditional hummus which has a "creamy" and "smooth" texture.
However, in this recipe, "creamy" describes the rich, lemony tahini sauce that is mixed in with the partially smashed and intact chickpeas.
try this reader favorite !
Smoky Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus
My Gluten-Free Vegan Smoky Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus is another healthy + delicious recipe made with clean, real food ingredients!
Karielyn's Expert Tips
Here are my best tips to help you make this Vegan Musabaha perfectly every time. These small adjustments can make a big difference in the flavor and texture.
Cooking Tips
- Use freshly warmed chickpeas for the creamiest texture
- Warm the chickpeas before mixing since Musabaha is traditionally served warm
- Thin the warmed chickpeas with aquafaba instead of water for extra creaminess
- Mash only ½ to ¾ of the chickpeas to keep the signature chunky texture
- Garnish with a drizzle of avocado or olive oil for authentic Middle Eastern flavor
- Use high quality or homemade tahini and it will make a huge difference
Ingredient Substitutions
Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo Beans): Canned chickpeas will work best for this recipe since you will need to use about ¼ cup of the liquid from the can (aquafaba) to mix with the chickpeas when warming them. You could also use water instead, but the aquafaba will give them a creamy texture. Try to buy them in a BPA-free can or container.
Tahini: You can use store-bought or make homemade tahini. There really isn't a good substitute for this since it is one of the key ingredients.
Lemon Juice: Fresh squeezed lemon juice will give you the best flavor, but you could also use store-bought lemon juice if you don't have lemons.
Avocado Oil: This could be substituted for organic extra-virgin olive oil.
Garlic: Freshly crushed garlic will give you the best flavor but if you don't have any, you could substitute with organic garlic powder.
Ground Cumin: This is a staple ingredient in this recipe to give it it's distinct flavor so it's best to not omit it if possible.
Himalayan Pink Salt: This is my salt of preference, however, feel free to use your favorite sea salt and adjust the amount to your liking.
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Gluten-Free Vegan Musabaha
Ingredients
For the chickpeas:
- 1 can organic chickpeas (15-ounce can; drained; reserve ¼ cup liquid)
For the tahini sauce:
- 3 tablespoons organic tahini
- 2 tablespoons organic lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons organic avocado oil
- 3 cloves organic garlic (crushed)
- ¼ teaspoon organic ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
For the optional garnish:
- fresh parsley, smoked paprika, drizzle of avocado oil, diced tomatoes
Instructions
Prepare the chickpeas:
- Add the chickpeas with ¼ cup of the liquid from the can (aquafaba) to a small saucepan.
- Simmer over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the chickpeas are warm and slightly soft. Take care to not overcook them or they will be too mushy.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and using a fork, mash about ½ to ¾ of the chickpeas (depending on how chucky you want the musabaha) leaving the remaining chickpeas intact. Set aside.
Prepare the tahini sauce:
- While the chickpeas are simmering, add all the ingredients for the tahini sauce to a small mixing bowl and whisk together until everything is well combined and smooth.
Assembly
- Add the tahini sauce to the saucepan with the chickpeas and gently stir everything together until well combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference. Best when served warm.
- OPTIONAL: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, diced tomatoes, drizzle of avocado or olive oil or smoked paprika.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.
More Healthy Vegan Chickpea Recipes
- Spicy Chickpea and Tomato Soup
- Chickpea Apple Pecan Salad
- Chickpea Tikka Masala
- or my Real Food Vegan™ 14-Day Meal Plan Program with 42 plant-based vegan + gluten-free recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
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