[1] Exceptional-quality almond milk is available in original unsweetened plus 10 flavors (both photos courtesy Califia Farms).

[2] In additions to coffee creamers, there are three flavors of “half and half.”

[3] Enjoy creamy foods guilt-free (here’s the recipe for this Thai butternut squash soup).

There are many quality brands of dairy-free creamers made from nuts and plants. One that we have a weakness for is Califia Farms.

The California-based brand has bent over backwards to create a dairy-free line of products that offers just about everything in plant-based versions. There are:

 
In addition, there are:

 
The line is extensive. For example, in three products alone:

 
There are also seasonal flavors (mint cocoa, pumpkin, etc.).

In fact, there are so many products that you have to head to CalifiaFarms.com and see them for yourself.
 
 
A GREAT PRODUCT LINE

The reason the products are so good are the nuts. The better the almonds, for example, the better the almond milk.

And the curvy bottles always make us smile.

The products are all non-GMO. Everything is made with natural ingredients, with a focus on reduced sugar in products that typically contain them, and with unsweetened products. The line is carrageeenan-free* and certified kosher by OU.

Many Americans seek to add more plant-based products to their diets.

 
 
WHERE TO FIND CALIIFA

*Some people avoid the thickener and emulsifier carrageenan. While it is a natural ingredient made from red seaweed, some evidence suggests that carrageenan triggers inflammation and gastrointestinal ulcerations. Here’s more information about it. Califia replaced the carrageenan a different natural thickener, locust bean gum, which is extracted from the seeds of the carob tree.

Over the last two decades, hummus has evolved from a mezze at Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants to the hottest, most nutritious dip and spread at supermarkets nationwide. It’s the darling of nutritionists, nutritious and versatile, and a better-for-you snack.

It also is welcome to vegans, kosher consumers, and the lactose intolerant.

Hummus is a thick paste that originated in the Middle East (see the history below). The classic recipe has two main ingredients, ground chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and tahini, a paste of toasted sesame seeds; along with olive oil, lemon, and garlic.

The word hummus is Arabic, meaning chickpeas. The full name of the spread is hummus bi tahina, chickpeas with tahini.

May 13th is International Hummus Day, a.k.a. World Hummus Day.

Below:

> The history of hummus.

> Hummus comes to America and begets flavored hummus, hummus without chickpeas, and more.

> Beyond a dip and spread, dozens of uses for hummus.

> 25+ hummus recipes, including non-traditional uses such as dessert hummus and hummus sushi.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> 20 ways to make a hummus sandwich.

> Hummus garnishes.

> The year’s 20 appetizer and hors d’oeuvre holidays.
 

[7] Hummus ingredients: tahini (sesame paste), chickpeas (garbanzo beans or ceci), olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt (photo: The Nibble).
 
 
THE HISTORY OF HUMMUS

Hummus (short for ḥummuṣ bi-taḥīnah, “chickpeas with tahini”) is a purée of chickpeas with tahini, typically with lemon and garlic.

Food historians generally agree that no exact inventor or birthplace can be proven, because chickpeas and sesame have been eaten around the Eastern Mediterranean/West Asia for millennia, and dishes evolve gradually.

Chickpeas, sesame, lemon, and garlic have been eaten in the Levant† for thousands of years. Chickpeas were first cooked in stews and other hot dishes. Puréed chickpeas eaten cold with tahini do not appear before the Abbasid period (750 to 1517 C.E.) in Egypt and the Levant†.
 
 
The Earliest Known Recipes

The earliest known recipes for a dish similar to hummus appear in medieval Arabic sources, notably 13th-century cookbooks from Cairo.

This “hummus kasa” may not be the hummus we know today. Some historians suggest the modern, “classic” style we enjoy today (hummus bi tahini) may have been refined later.

Some food historians believe the paste appeared a century earlier, prepared by Saladin, the first sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty (1174–1193). If so, it was more likely created by a cook in his kitchen, the idea of the warlord Saladin-as-cook being tough to swallow.

Recipes for cold purée of chickpeas without tahini, but with vinegar, oil, pickled lemons, herbs, and spices—but no garlic—appear in medieval cookbooks; as do recipes with nuts vinegar (though not lemon), with many spices and herbs.

From there, hummus becomes a daily staple across the Levant and Egypt, served with bread as part of home cooking and mezze culture, and becoming an iconic food of the region.

Whomever and however, we’re grateful that it came to be part of our [almost] daily diet.
 

[8] Hummus was born somewhere in the Levant, an old term for the portion of the Eastern Mediterranean that included modern Türkiye’s southern coast, Syria, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine, Jordan, and parts of northwestern Iraq and the Sinai Peninsula. There’s more about it in the †footnote below (map © Madain Project).
 
 
Hummus Arrives In The U.S.

Although ubiquitous in the Middle East, the word “hummus” may have first appeared in an American newspaper, Pittsburgh’s The Jewish Criterion, in 1949.

The reference source isn’t surprising, since hummus was served and sold within Middle Eastern and Sephardic Jewish communities and in specialty groceries long before it was a national grocery item. Sahadi’s, a Middle Eastern grocery in Brooklyn, has been selling hummus since 1948.

Packaged, refrigerated hummus had its national “launch” in the 1980s, into a culture that loved dips and healthier options. While served with classic pita and later, different chips, hummus and raw vegetables (crudités) became go-to snacks and party fare in many circles.

The “big players” in the category—Sabra, Tribe, and Athenos—could be found nationwide. By 2016, Sabra accounted for 62% of U.S. grocery-store hummus sales.

By 2016, TODAY reported that “Twenty years ago…most Americans could not pronounce the word ‘hummus’,” and U.S. grocery sales had exploded to hundreds of millions annually, with some estimates of 25% of American homes stocking it.

But that was just the beginning. The U.S. hummus market value estimate in 2025 was $1.08B, forecast to reach $1.86B by 2032 [source: Research and Markets summary via GlobeNewswire].

Americans, most of whom first discovered hummus served with pita, a Middle Eastern flatbread, turned it into a general dip for crudités and tortilla chips, and a sandwich spread.

[2] A craveable Mediterranean lunch: hummus and Greek salad. Here’s the recipe from Garden In The Kitchen.

[3] This burger is made from hummus! Here’s the recipe (photo © Veganosity).

[4] Hummus canapés a.k.a. “bites”: different flavors of hummus with different toppings (photo © Lantana Products).

[5] Hummus sushi with arugula, carrots, cucumber, and red bell pepper. Here’s how to make your own. (photo © Sweet Potato Soul).

[6] Hummus tacos. Here’s the recipe, along with hummus nachos, from Mountain Mama Cooks.

In addition to the Big Three, regional players expanded nationally: Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods, Hope Foods, Lakeview Farms, Lantana Foods. Regional players in the Northeast alone include Boar’s Head, Esti, Fresh Cravings, and Joseph’s. Store brands became a big part of national sales.

And there’s still room for artisan producers, which using dried chickpeas instead of canned, extra virgin olive oil instead of canola/vegetable oil, high tahini-to-chickpea ratios, and a focus on texture (e.g. ultra-smooth or uniquely thick).

In our grocer, we can pick from Abraham’s, CAVA, Ithaca, Roots, and Little Abraham, which grew out of a popular hummus shop in Washington, D.C.

A true artisan product, they focus on regenerative agriculture (sourcing chickpeas from specific organic farms in Montana) and a small-batch production, for consumers who view hummus as a specialty craft food rather than a mass-market staple.
 

[9] Commercial brands tend to be very smooth, but if you prefer a chunky style, it’s so easy to toss chickpeas and tahini into a food processor or blender (photo © Bush’s Beans).
 
 
Can You Think Of A Flavor That Doesn’t Exist Yet?

And the flavors! By July 2011, mainstream lifestyle media was already describing hummus as coming in “dozens of surprising flavors, from artichoke to chocolate.”

Flavor proliferation became a core growth driver in the category—a seemingly endless variety of flavors and styles that tempt consumers.

First there were Middle-Eastern-related flavors: Artichoke, Garlic, Red Pepper, Spinach, Za’atar.

Beyond classic plain, “basic lines” can now be said to include Caramelized Onion, Chipotle, Cilantro, Harissa, Jalapeño, Kalamata Olive, Pesto, Roasted Garlic, Roasted Pine Nut, Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato Basil, and Sundried Tomato.

Chocolate hummus (photo below) is used as a dessert but is also a sweet dip and a frosting substitute.
 

[10] Chocolate hummus can be a dessert, snack, filling, or frosting. Here they’re served with cinnamon pita chips. Stacey’s makes them, and you can make your own in a toaster oven (photo © SAJJ Mediterranean).
 
Limited-time flavors pop up, from trending flavors like Everything Bagel to seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Americans have their choice.

More fusion flavors include Chimichurri, Edamame, Guacamole, Lemongrass Chili, Ranch, and Sriracha/Thai Chili.
 
 
Beyond the “Basics”

As American cooks have riffed on the original recipe, hummus first became flavored. New ones seem to appear monthly to keep customers interested, often as limited editions that may then become permanent parts of the line.

At home, we top plain hummus with whatever we’re in the mood for: Beet, Carrot, Cucumber Yogurt, Horseradish, Minced Lamb (from a store-bought lamburger).

 

[11] Whether store-bought or homemade, blend carrot puree into hummus and garnish with roasted carrots or carrot chips (photo © Seed + Mill | Facebook).
 
Hummus Evolves Without Chickpeas

The Eat Well hummus brand pioneered the use of other legumes and pulses* in a supermarket brand, with spreads made from:

 
The sophisticated flavors of these “other bean hummus” varieties, all part of the Mediterranean Diet, provide wonderful alternatives to classic hummus.

Like chickpeas, beans and legumes contribute protein, fiber, and healthy (monounsaturated) fat, low in sodium, and cholesterol free.

Another innovation was to add Greek yogurt to classic chickpea hummus. It lowers the fat by 50% and the calories by 33%.

Other brands followed suit, and now these variations can be found in markets nationwide.

You can also use flavored olive oil instead of plain; add another layer of flavor with nut oil (almond, hazelnut, walnut, etc.).
 

[12] Yellow lentil hummus, no chickpeas, served with crudités and baked eggplant chips (photo © Salt & Honey Catering).
 
 
BEYOND A DIP AND SPREAD: OTHER USES FOR HUMMMUS

Hummus is way more versatile than people might imagine. It behaves like a sauce, fat, binder, and purée all in one.

Beyond snacking with flatbreads, vegetables, or chips, you can use hummus in every meal of the day. Use it in its paste form, or dilute it into a sauce with olive oil.

 

[13] Fusion food: Middle Eastern pizza with hummus, kalamata olives, and feta. Here’s the recipe (photo © Taste Of Home).
 
 
25+ MORE HUMMUS RECIPES

 
________________

*The term pulse is used for crops harvested solely for the dry seed, such as lentils; as opposed to green peas, which are eaten fresh like vegetable crops, and can be eaten in younger forms, e.g. pea shoots.

†The Levant is an English term that first appeared in 1497. It originally referred to the “Mediterranean lands east of Italy.” The historical area comprises modern-day Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. Among other popular foods, Levantine cuisine gave birth to baklava, falafel, kebabs, mezze (including tabbouleh, hummus, and baba ghanoush), pita and za’atar, among other dishes that are enjoyed in the U.S. and around the world.

The name derives from the French levant, meaning “rising” or “the east”, referencing the rising sun. By the late Middle Ages, European merchants and travelers used it to describe the eastern Mediterranean, particularly areas under Ottoman rule that were important for commerce. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the term became institutionalized through the French Compagnie du Levant and English Levant Company, both chartered to regulate trade with the Ottoman Empire. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Orientalist scholarship further entrenched the term as a geographical and cultural designation, though its exact scope remained ambiguous. Today, while less common in political geography, the term persists in archaeological discourse and in historiography dealing with ancient and medieval eastern Mediterranean societies [source].
 

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[1] Grapefruit and goat cheese crostini. Enjoy them with a glass of sparkling rosé (photo © Fit Mitten Kitchen).

[2] Sliced red grapefruit (photo © Fit Mitten Kitchen).

[3] Fill an avocado half with red grapefruit, plain or lightly tossed with flavored olive oil or a sweet vinaigrette (photo © Rio Star).

[4] A grapefruit fizz (photo © Belvedere Vodka).

It’s red grapefruit season: the sweetest and most colorful of the grapefruit varieties.

After tasting it, you won’t even want pink grapefruit anymore.

Red grapefruit started as a mutation of pink grapefruit. It was originally discovered growing on a pink grapefruit tree in Texas. (Pink grapefruit itself was a mutation of white grapefruit.)

Since then, it has been embraced even by people who don’t like tart white grapefruit. There are a number of different brands, such as Ruby Red and Rio Star. Bonus: The darker the flesh, the more antioxidants.

You can read more about red grapefruit by following the links below. First, we tempt you with this delicious appetizer, an easy recipe from Fit Mitten Kitchen.

Serve them with a rosé sparkling wine (Martini and Yellowtail are two of our favorite, affordable brands).
 
 
RECIPE: GOAT CHEESE, AVOCADO & GRAPEFRUIT CROSTINI

Prep time is 20 minutes. Here’s the difference between crostini and bruschetta.

Ingredients For 18-24 Pieces

 
Preparation

1. LINE a cooling rack with paper towels. Cut the grapefruits into segments: Here’s how to segment a grapefruit in 60 seconds. Carefully place the segments on the paper towels and set aside.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 325°F, or toast in a toaster oven. Slice the baguette on the bias, about 1″ thick. Place the slices directly on the rack and toast until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. When finished, remove from the oven and place on a serving tray.

While the baguette is toasting, slice the avocados into thin slices.

3. SPREAD about ½ tablespoon of goat cheese on each crostini slice, then layer on avocado slice, then the grapefruit segment. Rub the fresh basil leaves between your fingertips to release the fragrant aroma, then garnish the crostini. Add the optional honey and serve immediately.
 
 
MORE ABOUT RED GRAPEFRUIT

 
MORE GRAPEFRUIT RECIPES

Fresh herbs add punches of flavor to any savory dish—and some sweet ones*.

They also help to cut back on salt, which is a cheaper way to counter blandness in recipes.

Fresh herbs are worth what they cost; but to get your money out of them, take an easy step to preserve their life in the fridge. Here’s our favorite tip:

When you buy fresh herbs, they’ll last longer if you keep them hydrated.

You can buy an “herb keeper” like the one in the photo #1, but you don’t need one. It’s simple to create a makeshift herb hydrator.

Most herbs stored this way are good for up to two weeks.
 
 
HOW TO PRESERVE FRESH HERBS

1. PAT the leaves dry. The leaves will last longer if completely dry.

2. DON’T cut the roots: They absorb the water. You can rinse off the dirt if you like. If there are no roots, snip off the ends of the stems so they’ll better absorb water.

3. PLACE the herbs, roots down, in a glass (tumbler) of water (photo #2). The fill should be about one-third up the stems. The roots/ends must be wet at all times, so check every couple of days and add more water as needed.

4. COVER the glass and herbs with a plastic bag before refrigerating. You can affix the bag to the glass with an elastic band if you like. Instead of a glass, you can use a quart-size plastic take-out container with a lid.

5. DRAIN and change the water when it gets murky.

If you don’t have room in the fridge for the glass or the quart container, wrap the fresh herbs in damp paper towels and place in the plastic bag. Tuck them your produce drawer. It’s not as effective as Plan A, but it will help extend the life of the herbs.

Most importantly: USE those herbs!

Parsley, for example, can be mixed into scrambled eggs, garnish soup at lunch, snipped onto potatoes or into salads, mixed into vegetables and grains at dinner.

[1] This Cuisipro Herb Keeper is available at Williams-Sonoma (online only).

[2] Fresh mint in a glass of water (photo courtesy Suvir Saran | Indian Home Cooking).

Check out this article on using herbs, including herb-and-food pairings and the difference between herbs and spices.
 
 
THE EXCEPTION WITH BASIL

Big, leafy basil prefers to be kept at room temperature. Follow the drill above; just keep the basil on the counter.

________________

*Think of basil with peaches and other stone fruits; rosemary with apples, chocolate and strawberries; tarragon and mint ice cream or sorbet. Check out these desserts with herbs.

[1] Zucchini and onion hash browns (Abacus Photo).

[2] Grated zucchini using a box grater (photo courtesy DVO).

[3] Grated carrots using a food processor (photo courtesy Once Upon A Chef).

[4] Classic potato hash browns are often dice-cut hash and mixed with onions and bell peppers (photo © Scukrov | Panther Media).

[5] Potatoes can also be thin-sliced for hash brown potatoes like these (photo © Lynne Ann Mitchell | Panther Media).

[6] Potato latkes served with apple sauce, sour cream, and slaw (photo © Good Eggs).

[7] Kartoffelpuffer, German potato pancakes (the word translates as potato fritter), shown here with cabbage slaw (photo © Brebca | Panther Media).

[8] Rosti potatoes, a Swiss specialty, are usually cooked as a whole pancake before slicing into individual portions (photo © Crown Shy | New York).

If your palate says Hash Browns! but your mind says Cut Carbs!, here’s a solution: Substitute grated carrots, zucchini and/or chopped spinach—or a combination—for the potatoes.

You save the potato carbs and, because these hash browns are baked, not sautéed/pan fried*, you save the fat, too.

This recipe below, adapted from Tasty, uses an egg and grated cheese to bind the grated vegetables. You can serve them with eggs and/or breakfast meats, enjoy them as a vegetarian lunch with condiments of choice and a salad, or serve them as a side with dinner.

> National Hash Brown Potato Day is March 8th.

> The year’s 30 potato holidays.

Below:

> The recipe for vegetable hash browns.

> The history of hash brown potatoes.

> The difference between hash brown potatoes and potato pancakes, latkes, and rosti.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The different types of potatoes: a photo glossary.

> The history of potatoes.

> The year’s 116 breakfast holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: ZUCCHINI, CARROT OR OTHER VEGETABLE HASH BROWNS

You can serve this recipe broken up like conventional hash browns, or in the shape of potato pancakes, as seen in photo #1.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F/200°C. Place a baking sheet in the oven as it heats. This added heat will make the hash browns crisper.

2. USING a food processor with the coarse grating blade, or the coarse side of a box grater, grate the zucchini or carrots, as well as the onion, on the coarse side. If using spinach, see the *footnote below.

3. PLACE the grated zucchini in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Blend and set aside for 20 minutes; the salt will draw moisture from the zucchini. Then transfer the zucchini to paper towels and press lightly to remove the remaining moisture.

4. RETURN the zucchini to the bowl and toss in the remaining ingredients. Mix until well combined. Form the mixture into 6 patties.

5. REMOVE the baking sheet from the oven and line with parchment. Place the patties on the baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown.

5. REMOVE from the oven. If the patties are too soft, let them cool for 10 minutes, to set.

[ ] Double veggie hash browns: sweet potatoes and zucchini. Here’s the recipe (photo © Cre8 At Home).
 
 
THE HISTORY OF HASH BROWN POTATOES

Hash brown potatoes originated in the U.S. in the late 19th century. The dish consists of grated or diced potatoes that are fried until crispy and golden brown.

The term “hashed brown potatoes” first appeared in print in the 1890s, likely derived from the French word hacher, meaning “to chop.” Early recipes describe them as “hashed browned potatoes,” emphasizing the process of chopping and browning them in a pan.

While hash browns are a classic American breakfast dish, they have roots in middle-European cuisine, such as Jewish latkes and German Kartoffelpuffer. (Unlike hash browns, however, these are often eaten with applesauce or sour cream.)

By the early 20th century, hash browns became a popular breakfast dish in American diners and hotel restaurants. As the breakfast culture grew, including diner breakfasts, hash brown grew with it.

In the 1950s and 1960s, mass production of frozen hash browns made them even more widespread, both for consumers and restaurants.

Today, hash browns are a staple breakfast item across the U.S. and many other countries, served in various styles, from shredded and crispy to cubed or formed into patties.
 
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HASH BROWNS & POTATO PANCAKES

Hash browns (photos #5 and #6) and potato pancakes (photo #7)can be similar in flavor, but they differ in texture, ingredients, and cooking methods. In some preparations, it’s hard to tell the difference.

Ingredients

 
Texture & Preparation

 
Cooking Method

 
 
The Difference Between Hash Browns & Rosti Potatoes

While very similar, Swiss-origin rosti potatoes (photo #8) and has browns are not exactly the same as hash browns.

 
 
The Difference Between Latkes & Potato Pancakes

Both are potato fritters, but latkes tend to have a crispier exterior and a slightly coarser texture due to the grated potatoes used. Latkes add baking powder, matzo meal, and often, grated onions.

Potato pancakes are often simply raw grated potatoes, all-purpose flour, and egg as a binder. might be smoother and can have a more mashed potato-like consistency, depending on the recipe.

Latkes are strongly identified with Jewish cuisine, while potato pancakes of various descriptions are found in various cuisines. Irish Irish potato cakes, for example, are made from leftover potatoes.

*Sautés and pan-frys are almost identical. The only meaningful difference is that in a sauté, the food is cut into small pieces, like sautéed mushrooms. A pan fry denotes larger pieces, like a chicken breast.

†When sliced, 1 medium zucchini yields about 1 to 1.25 cups. If grated, it yields about 2/3 cup of tamped down zucchini. Thus, 2 medium zucchini equals 1-1/2 cups of grated zucchini. It takes about 2.75 medium carrots to obtain 1 cup of grated carrots. Thus, plan on 3-1/2 carrots. One package (10 ounces) of frozen chopped spinach yields about 1-1/2 cups after cooking, but to eliminate all the water and tamp down, plan on two packages. Information from How Much Is In.
 

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