Kitchn Love Letters

I Was Not Someone Who Ate Hummus Very Often — Until I Tried This Roasted Garlic, Store-Bought Stuff

published Dec 17, 2021
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

It wasn’t until my husband began working at a grocery store (New Seasons Market) in 2015 that I was first introduced to this hummus. It was a hot July day; I decided to visit him during his lunch break to escape the overbearing heat. (We did not have air conditioning at the time.) Turns out, I had walked in on Sample Day. Spreads and dips of all colors and textures were laid out beautifully in trial-sized quantities on top of plain, butter, and wheat crackers. An enthusiastic employee wearing the store’s apron stood behind the sample counter and invited me to try whatever I wanted.

Credit: Hoang Samuelson

Curious, I dipped a cracker first into King Harvest Roasted Garlic Hummus. At the time, I was not someone who ate hummus very often, so when I tried out King Harvest, I was blown away by its lingering effect on me. The roasted garlic flavor sat on the roof of my mouth long after I finished the cracker, leaving a delightfully sweet aftertaste — something I didn’t expect hummus to do. It was pleasant, and not overbearing as some garlic-flavored foods can be.

Credit: Hoang Samuelson

To keep things fair, I also tried the four other hummus brands at the sample table. But none of them could compare to King Harvest. Thick and creamy, it has a very spreadable consistency with just a hint of garlic flavor — exactly the way I like my hummus. It goes well with my favorite crackers and complements other snack board foods, including hot peach chutney and olives. (I never would have imagined that these things go together had I not been introduced to this roasted garlic hummus in the first place.) 

It’s not surprising then that I walked home that day with a container of King Harvest and a newfound appreciation for the brand and for hummus in general. King Harvest, like many small businesses, started as a small, humble shop (in the mid-’70s in Portland, Oregon) selling eclectic grocery items in what was then an industrial part of town. Then, a decade later, they sold juice before finally pivoting to hummus in the mid-’90s. Twenty-five years later, it’s still a small operation business based solely in Portland, but their popularity continues to expand: You can find King Harvest products in a lot of grocery stores around Portland and in select locations around Oregon and Washington. You can even find King Harvest Roasted Garlic Hummus at select Whole Foods. 

Nowadays, whenever I crave a satisfying, easy snack, I look for this hummus. Lucky for me it’s always waiting for me in the organic refrigerated section at one of my local grocery stores.

Do you have a favorite garlic hummus? Tell us about it in the comments below!