Avocado Hummus and Cucumber Pico de Gallo Tostadas

Wait, what?  It's true, it'll be tough to get these Avocado Hummus and Cucumber Pico de Gallo Tostadas delivered to your cabana on the Mayan Riviera.

Combining avocado with chickpeas might be a misdemeanor offense in certain parts of Mexico, but this combo is becoming more common when North of the Border and you can consider me a convert.

How To Make Vegan Avocado Hummus Tostadas

Avocado Hummus is so addictive it's hard to believe it's good for you, but it is.  Because, well, avocados!

You may have to take a leap of faith because the ingredient list will probably look wonky to you at first, but trust me it's worth trying.

Keep in mind that a traditional hummus is made with chickpeas and tahini.  Tahini is a ground sesame paste and I experimented with it in this recipe but was underwhelmed.  The tahini seemed to dull the flavor so I usually omit it in favor of a lighter, more vibrant hummus.  Also note that chickpeas are frequently referred to as garbanzo beans. 

So here's the ingredient list:

2 avocados
1 can chickpeas
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons lime juice (approx. 1 lime)
15-20 sprigs cilantro
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Add a splash of water to get it started and then blend until creamy.

You'll end up with a bowl full of creamy avo goodness.  Agree?

Be sure to give a final taste for seasoning.  I added another squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt to this batch.

The Avocado Hummus is incredibly versatile, so feel free to get creative with it.

I'm topping it with a zippy Cucumber Pico de Gallo that you can chop up in a couple minutes.  Here's a quick look at the ingredients:

So in the above pic you've got:

1/2 cucumber
1 plum tomato
1/4 onion
1/2 jalapeno
8-10 sprigs cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

This is a riff on our authentic Pico de Gallo and it's super easy to make.

I'll put full instructions for it in the recipe box below, but you're just giving all the ingredients a chop and seasoning with salt.

I also added another squeeze of lime to this batch (notice a trend?) so I always slice up more lime than I need and keep it at arm's length.  And if you want more heat simply add in a bit more diced jalapeno.

Then it's just a matter of warming up the tostadas and layering them with the Avocado Hummus, Cucumber Pico, and a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce.  (I'm using Valentina but this Chipotle Hot Sauce would be a good option too.)

The crunch of the tostada is the ideal vehicle for the creamy avocado hummus.  So good!

Of course, additional cilantro and Cotija cheese are worthy toppings but these are optional.

I'm using store-bought tostada shells for this version, but you can always create some on-the-fly tostadas if you have corn tortillas laying around.  What's a Tostada?

Simply add a splash of oil to a skillet on medium heat.  Add a corn tortilla and cook for a few minutes until it turns golden brown on the underside.  For tacos I will usually add the toppings while the tortilla is in the skillet as the extra weight will help it crisp up, but if you want to keep the Avo Hummus cool then add the toppings just before serving.

You'll end up with a "half tostada/half tortilla" -- a warm, semi-crispy tostada that is a great alternative to store-bought tostada shells.   Yes, you could always give the tortillas a full fry in  1/4 inch of oil but lately I just make "half tostadas".

You could even use some toasted Pita bread and get equally stellar results.

If, like me, you lean towards MEAT for dinner, then please give these Avocado Hummus and Cucumber Pico de Gallo Tostadas a try -- you might be surprised how full they keep you!

And if you're still putting up resistance to combining avocado with chickpeas, well, you're in for a tasty surprise.  Add in the light, crunchy Cucumber Pico and you’ve got a vegetarian delight that will make even the crankiest of the carnivorous old schoolers take a second bite.

Buen Provecho.

Avocado Hummus and Cucumber Pico Tostadas

These Vegan Avocado Hummus and Cucumber Pico de Gallo Tostadas will make even the crankiest of carnivores take a second bite. Final zip from some hot sauce highly recommended. So good!

4.59 from 12 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 802kcal

Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

Avocado Hummus:

• 2 avocados
• 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (approx. 1 lime)
• 15-20 sprigs cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• splash of water

Cucumber Pico de Gallo:

• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 tomato
• 1/4 onion
• 1/2 jalapeno
• 8-10 sprigs cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (juice of 1/2 lime)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Additional ingredients:

• 8-10 tostadas
• hot sauce
• cilantro (for garnish)
• Cotija cheese (optional)

Instructions

• Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas.  Add chickpeas to a blender or food processor along with the flesh of 2 avocados, 2 peeled garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 15-20 sprigs cilantro (rinsed and bottoms twisted off), 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Add a splash of water to the blender and combine well. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and lime juice if necessary. 
• For the Cucumber Pico be sure to give all the ingredients a good rinse.  Then chop 1/2 cucumber, 1 tomato, 1/4 onion, 1/2 jalapeno, 8-10 sprigs cilantro and combine with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the juice of half a lime. Taste for seasoning.
• If using storebought tostadas, warm them up in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
• Add a layer of Avocado Hummus and Cucumber Pico de Gallo to each tostada.  Garnish with your choice of hot sauce, cilantro, or Cotija cheese. 
• Store leftover Avocado Hummus and Cucumber Pico separately in airtight containers in the fridge. 

Notes

If you want to create some on-the-fly tostadas simply add a splash of oil to a skillet on medium heat.  Add a corn tortilla and cook for a few minutes until it turns golden brown on the underside.   You'll end up with a "half tostada/half tortilla" -- a warm, semi-crispy tostada that is a great alternative to store-bought tostada shells. 

I usually twist off and discard the bottom, thicker portion of the cilantro stems, but use the upper stems that hold the leaves together. 

 

Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

Like this dish?  Then check out the Vegetarian recipes category in the pulldown menu at the top of this page.

Keep an eye out for our Quinoa Avocado Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing.

You could also make some Jalapeno Hummus using a similar set of ingredients:

And here is a link to our Chipotle Hot Sauce that's mentioned in this post.