The Ultimate Store-Bought Hummus Taste Test (Slideshow)

This brand is aligned with the Engine 2 Diet and is sold exclusively at Whole Foods. Unfortunately, it was almost universally panned. Most found it to be exceedingly bland and flavorless, with an odd, gloopy texture. "This has zero flavor. No salt, lemon, or anything," one taster noted. We think the main culprit might be the fact that it contains no oil whatsoever.

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Fat: 1 gram
Calories: 25
Sodium: 50 milligrams
Price: $1.99/ 8 ounces

The ones that ended up on the bottom tended to be missing crucial ingredients; for some reason the folks at Trader Joe's decided to leave tahini out of their traditional hummus. "This smells funny," one taster noted, and others weren't big fans of its overwhelming earthiness and grassiness. The lemon component was a bit too overpowering, and it basically tasted like chick peas ground up with some salt and lemon juice added, which is essentially what this is. "This isn't hummus," another taster said.

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Fat: 3 grams
Calories: 50
Sodium: 135 milligrams
Price: $3.49/ 16 ounces

This hummus was the only one we tasted that uses 100% olive oil, and while that does hew closely to tradition, it didn't affect the flavor noticeably. It had a texture that could best be described as gritty, and was the least appealing one of the bunch visually. It had a very strong vinegar flavor and a somewhat slimy, oily texture, and we weren't big fans of the additional spices that were added.

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Fat: 3.5 grams
Calories: 60
Sodium: 190 milligrams
Price: $2.89/ 7 ounces

The hummus made by this Massachusetts-based company was smooth, creamy, and full of bright lemon flavor, but just didn't stand out from the pack. It packed a lemony, vinegary punch, so if you like your hummus heavy on those ingredients you'll probably be a fan of this, but we most likely won't be buying it again.

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Fat: 4 grams
Calories: 60
Sodium: 95 milligrams
Price: $2.99/ 8 ounces

This USDA-certified organic offering fell squarely in the middle of the pack. It was thick, creamy, and the most garlicky of the varieties we sampled, but it had a somewhat 'off' flavor, like it had been sitting on the shelf for too long. "Not bad, but nothing special," one taster said, summing up the general consensus. It was also rather expensive, at $3.99.

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Fat: 2 grams
Calories: 50
Sodium: 60 milligrams
Price: $3.99/ 8 ounces

This hummus is labeled "Classic," and that's a rather appropriate description. It was creamy, rich, and nutty from the tahini, and well-balanced in its salt, lemon, and garlic content. It wasn't especially bold or exciting in its flavor, but that's what we're looking for sometimes.

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Fat: 3.5 grams
Calories: 60
Sodium: 120 milligrams
Price: $2.69/ 8 ounces

This brand is distributed only to stores in New York, so if you see it, snag it. It was nearly universally liked, praised for its almost-citrusy, bright flavor, and its sweet-and-sour flavor turned a couple off but won over most of the tasters. It wasn't overwhelmingly creamy but not too chunky either, giving the impression that it was hand-ground. This would make for a great sandwich spread, and is for those who like the hummus vinegary.

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Fat: 2 grams
Calories: 40
Sodium: 50 milligrams
Price: $2.69/ 8 ounces

The most popular brand was also our favorite. While this brand's offering was certainly the one we were the most used to, we also considered it to be the most delicious of the group. The flavors were well-balanced, and it was tangy and creamy in all the right ways. One taster found it to taste "creamy, flavorful, and natural," and we could tell that it contained more tahini than most of the others. It wasn't too oily, had that earthiness you look for in good hummus, and overall it simply tasted the best. Buyer beware, though: it also has the highest fat and calorie content of all the brands.

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Fat: 5 grams
Calories: 70
Sodium: 130 milligrams
Price: $2.79/ 8 ounces