If you’re looking for a delicious homemade hummus recipe, I’ve got one that will blow your mind! By following a few easy tips, you can create a creamy, light, and smooth texture that perfectly complements the flavor. Trust me, you won’t regret giving this incredible chickpea hummus recipe a try!
Hummus is an incredibly nutritious snack that requires only a few ingredients and is an excellent dip or appetizers for parties. Additionally, it can be used as a condiment in sandwiches, salads, and burgers.
Table of Contents
WHAT IS HUMMUS
Hummus is a delectable dip or spread that consists of chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and spices. It tastes best when accompanied with pita bread and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This dish is a well-liked snack in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions and is incredibly nutritious. You can relish it as a starter or use it as a topping for salads and sandwiches. You can find a variety of hummus flavors, such as roasted red pepper, black or white bean, cauliflower, spinach, and carrot.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE HEALTHY HUMMUS RECIPE
To make this chickpea hummus recipe stand out from store-bought options, it’s crucial to use high-quality ingredients. With only seven simple ingredients, each one must be carefully chosen for optimum taste and texture. Don’t settle for anything less than the best if you want to achieve exceptional results.
- Chickpea – Hummus has chickpeas as its base. Personally, I buy dried chickpeas and cook them myself at home. Although canned chickpeas are available, cooking them at home ensures the best quality and flavor for your hummus.
- Tahini – When it comes to tahini, not all brands are equal. To ensure the best quality, look for brands that only contain one ingredient: sesame seeds. Before adding tahini to your food processor, make sure it has not separated in the jar. If it has, stir it well before using it. Tahini is a great addition to hummus, and you can use store-bought tahini of the highest quality or make your own using my 100% homemade tahini recipe.
- Hummus without tahini – If you have a reason for not using tahini, you can either leave it out or refer to the tips below on what to substitute it with.
- Olive oil – I would recommend using extra virgin olive oil.
- Ground cumin and salt – These seasonings are ideal for enhancing the flavor of hummus, with cumin providing an extra kick of spice and depth.
- Lemon – Always freshly squeezed.
- Garlic – For optimum taste, it is recommended to use freshly crushed garlic when preparing hummus. The garlic adds a tangy and spicy flavor to the dish, and only a small clove is required for the ideal taste.
- Water – Please refer to the section below for some helpful tips.
HOW TO COOK CHICKPEAS (GARBANZO BEANS)
To prepare the grains, start by washing them thoroughly to remove any dirt or stones. Then, soak the grains in cold water with a small amount of vinegar for at least 12 hours. This step will eliminate antinutrients and hydrate the chickpeas, making cooking easier and ensuring consistent texture throughout all the beans.
METHOD FOR USING A STOVETOP
In a large pot, combine the rinsed and drained chickpeas, a teaspoon of baking soda, and enough water to cover the chickpeas by 5 cm/2 inches.
Bring the pot to a boil. When the water starts to boil, it will form a foam on the surface, remove the foam, and then cover it with a lid. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 ½ hours for al dente, or 2 hours for a softer texture.
Test one of the chickpeas for the proper texture, you will be able to easily crush the beans with your fingers. When ready remove from the heat.
METHOD FOR USING INSTANT POT
To a 6-quart Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, add the rinsed and drained chickpeas, a teaspoon of baking soda, and enough water to cover the chickpeas by 5cm/2 inches.
Set the Instant Pot to the manual function on high pressure, and cook for 30-35 minutes for al dente or 35-40 minutes for soft.
When finished, allow for a 10-minute natural pressure release before opening the steam release valve. This allows a little bit of extra time for residual heat to finish cooking the chickpeas.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE HUMMUS
Making hummus is a simple process. The key is to follow the correct order when adding ingredients to your food processor. Begin by adding tahini and lemon juice and processing for approximately a minute before adding any additional ingredients. If a food processor is not available, a high-powered blender can be used as a substitute.
TIPS FOR MAKING CHICKPEA HUMMUS
- To achieve a smooth, creamy texture for your hummus, you can peel the chickpeas. Although it may be a bit tedious, it can make a significant difference in the texture. It’s important to note that the shell of the chickpea contains nutrients, so it’s not necessary to remove it. Ultimately, the decision to peel the chickpeas is up to personal preference. If you want to make peeling chickpeas easier:
- Use baking soda. Adding a teaspoon to the soaking water and another to the cooking water will soften the skin of the chickpeas, which it makes easier to peel. Baking soda can also help reduce gas and bloating in your stomach – an added benefit!
- Soak the chickpeas in a bowl of very hot water for approximately 10 minutes. Once the time has passed, rub the grains between your palms to remove the shell.
- For the best results when making hummus, it’s recommended to prepare it right after cooking the chickpeas. If you’ve cooked the chickpeas beforehand and stored them in the fridge, it’s best to warm them up in the microwave for 30 seconds before continuing with the recipe. Warm chickpeas blend better, resulting in smoother and lighter hummus than if you were to use cold chickpeas. So don’t wait for them to cool down, get started right away!
- My favorite trick for making smooth, creamy, and frothy hummus is to add cold water. After adding all the ingredients and processing them into a smooth paste, I like to drizzle cold water into the processor while it’s still running. This extra process time and water help transform the already smooth paste into an even smoother, lighter, and more luxurious hummus!
- To achieve creamy hummus, it’s best to add the ingredients gradually. Avoid adding all the ingredients to the processor at once. Begin by processing the tahini with lemon juice, then add the spices. Next, add the chickpeas, and finally, add the water to finish.
HUMMUS WITHOUT TAHINI
If you find yourself without tahini for your hummus recipe, don’t worry. You can substitute with extra olive oil or nut butter of your choice. Personally, I often opt for peanut or almond butter and the hummus turns out equally delicious without tahini.
HOW TO STORE HOMMUS
If you have leftovers or are making a large batch of hummus, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. Hummus tastes even better the next day.
CAN I FREEZE HUMMUS
Absolutely, it is possible to freeze hummus. Simply store it in an airtight container, making sure to leave some space as it will expand during the freezing process, and freeze it for a maximum of 3 months.
HOW TO SERVE CHICKPEA HUMMUS
I enjoy hummus as an appetizer or side dish alongside raw or roasted veggies, but there are numerous other ways to savor this dish. You can add it to sandwiches, wraps, burgers, salads, pasta, or even spread it on toast. Additionally, it can be used as a side sauce with pita bread and falafels.
Homemade Hummus
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (250g/8.8oz) cooked chickpeas
- ¼ cup fresh lemon or lime juice
- ¼ cups tahini, well-mixed or nut paste
- 1 garlic clove, small, minced
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp Salt or to taste
- 2 – 3 tbsps of water
- hot paprika powder, for serving
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and process for an additional 30 seconds. This extra time helps to “whip” or “foam” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.
- Then add the olive oil, chopped garlic, cumin, and salt. Process for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and process for an additional 30 seconds or until smooth.
- Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the remaining chickpeas, and process until thickened and very smooth (1 to 2 minutes).
- At this point, he hummus is probably too thick or will have small chunks of chickpeas in it. To fix this, with the food processor running, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you get the perfect consistency.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve the hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of paprika.
