Beans and soy

Hummus nutrition, every number, sourced.

1 tbsp of hummus comes to 36 calories. Protein accounts for 1.2 g of what is there. That is USDA’s figure for “Hummus, commercial”. Pick a portion in the panel and it recalculates on the spot; the nutrient table further down moves with it.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Drawn from USDA FoodData Central, FDC 174289. No account, no upload, percentages against FDA Daily Values.

Hummus calories by portion

USDA puts 1 tbsp of hummus at 36 calories and 100 g at 237. Other household measures follow, each with its weighed gram figure.

What hummus offers in protein

1 tbsp of hummus provides 1.2 g of protein. Set beside the 50 g reference intake, that is 2 percent. Only 13 percent of its calories come from protein, so treat hummus as something you eat for other reasons and count the protein as a bonus.

The calorie breakdown runs 12 percent protein to 64 percent fat to 24 percent carbohydrate. Functionally, that is mostly a fat.

What to know before you cook hummus

Hummus is a thick purée of chickpeas, sesame tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Shop-bought versions live in the chiller cabinet, though some pasteurised pots sit on ambient shelves. Look for tub labels that list olive oil rather than rapeseed oil. Avoid brands with added starches or thickeners, which mask a chalky texture.

Hummus thickens when cold and loosens when warmed. Chilled hummus tastes flat because cold suppresses the garlic and lemon. The common error is serving it straight from the fridge. Gentle whisking with a splash of warm water restores the glossy emulsion. Overheating splits the tahini fat, leaving a greasy puddle.

Spoon hummus onto plates as a base for grilled lamb, warm falafel, or roasted vegetables. Levantine tables present it shallowly pooled with olive oil and dusted with sumac. It also works as a thick spread in Greek flatbread wraps, contrasting well with sharp pickled turnips, salty feta, and fresh cucumbers.

The complete hummus breakdown

The table follows the selector above, so change the serving or the method and every row updates. Values are per serving, not per 100 g, unless you pick 100 g.

Fibre runs to 5.5 g per 100 g, or 20 percent of the Daily Value.

Watch the sodium: 426 mg in 100 g, or 19 percent of the recommended maximum for a day.

Where hummus fits in a day

1 tbsp of hummus uses 2 percent of a 2,000 calorie day and returns 2 percent of the protein reference. Your own budget is probably not 2,000; the TDEE calculator works it out, and the macro calculator splits it into protein, carbs and fat.

Cooking with hummus: three recipes

Each of these comes from the Calorie Counter Team, and each carries nutrition worked out from its ingredients’ USDA entries rather than estimated from the finished dish.

Dinner · Middle Eastern

Hummus and Spiced Lamb Flatbreads

Spiced minced lamb served over a thick layer of warm hummus on flatbreads.

20 min · serves 2

689kcal

26gprotein

43gfat

51gcarbs

Ingredients

• pita flatbreads 120 g
• hummus 200 g
• minced lamb 150 g
• olive oil 14 g
• raw onion 50 g
• ground cumin 2 g
• table salt 2 g

Method

1. Peel and finely chop the onion.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the onion for five minutes.
3. Add the minced lamb, ground cumin, and salt, then cook for eight minutes until the meat browns.
4. Warm the flatbreads in a dry pan for one minute on each side.
5. Spread 100 grams of hummus onto each flatbread and spoon the warm lamb mixture on top.

7 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Breakfast · British

Hummus and Fried Egg Toast

Toasted wholemeal bread spread with hummus and topped with fried eggs and black pepper.

10 min · serves 2

400kcal

16gprotein

25gfat

31gcarbs

Ingredients

• wholemeal bread slices 90 g
• hummus 120 g
• eggs 100 g
• olive oil 14 g
• table salt 1 g
• ground black pepper 1 g

Method

1. Toast the wholemeal bread in a toaster until brown.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
3. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry for three minutes until the whites set.
4. Spread 60 grams of hummus onto each slice of warm toast.
5. Place one fried egg on each slice and season with the salt and black pepper.

6 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Dinner · Mediterranean

Hummus-Crusted Chicken Breast

Chicken breast coated in a thick layer of hummus and baked in the oven.

30 min · serves 2

406kcal

40gprotein

22gfat

12gcarbs

Ingredients

• Chicken breast 300 g
• Hummus 150 g
• Olive oil 10 g
• Lemon juice 15 g
• Paprika 2 g
• Salt 2 g

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Rub the chicken breasts with the olive oil, salt, and paprika.
3. Place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish.
4. Spread the hummus evenly over the top surface of each chicken breast.
5. Spoon the lemon juice over the hummus layer.
6. Bake for 22 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius.

Figures are per serving and come from 6 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

Hummus as part of a meal

Here is hummus as part of a plate, with each component taken from its own USDA record and the total added up.

Hummus beside its neighbours

Compared gram for gram, with the form of each food stated. Follow any link for that food’s full page.

Hummus, asked and answered

How many calories are in 1 tbsp of hummus?

USDA measures 1 tbsp of hummus at 36 calories, or 237 calories for each 100 g. The record used is “Hummus, commercial” (FDC 174289).

Is there much protein in hummus?

You get 1.2 g from 1 tbsp of hummus, equal to 2 percent of the daily reference amount; 100 g holds 7.8 g.

Does hummus fit a calorie deficit?

That depends on the rest of the day, not on hummus. For planning: 1 tbsp of hummus is 36 calories and 1.2 g of protein, 13 percent protein by energy, which means it needs a protein-rich partner on the plate.

Is hummus high in carbs?

Expect 2.3 g of carbs from 1 tbsp of hummus, including 0.8 g of fibre and 0.1 g of sugar.

Why is my homemade hummus grainy?

The skins of the chickpeas cause this graininess. For a smoother texture, pinch the skins off the chickpeas before blending, or boil canned chickpeas with bicarbonate of soda until they are completely mushy.

Can you freeze leftover hummus?

Yes, but freezing alters the emulsion. Thawed hummus often separates and looks watery. You can fix this easily by stirring the defrosted purée vigorously with a spoon, or running it through a blender with a tiny splash of hot water.

Sources

• Hummus, commercial — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174289
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9