Right before Covid hit, my husband and I went to a wonderful Turkish kebab house with friends. It was very small, with only five or six tables. But the food! Wow! So incredibly fresh! We started with the house made hummus and it was so light and creamy – it just melted in your mouth. You couldn’t stop eating it. Once we got home, I was determined to learn how to make it. It took a long time to find a similar recipe, but now I can recreate My Favorite Hummus at home!
I tried several recipes in the past, but they were always grainy, never ultra smooth with the creamy consistency that I wanted. Other recipes did create that creamy texture but were A LOT of work. You started with dried chickpeas that were soaked, cooked, and then peeled. Then I found a recipe for Best Hummus on Cookie and Kate’s food blog along with helpful tips.
To get the creamy consistency, you take canned chickpeas and simmer them for a few minutes with a pinch of baking soda. The baking soda makes the water alkaline, breaking down the pectin in the chickpea skins. This little secret is the difference between grainy hummus and ultra creamy hummus!
The other tip I learned is that not all tahini pastes are equal. The thickness of the tahini varies greatly from one brand to another. With that in mind, you want to add enough ice water to your hummus to go from a thick paste to a luscious, light dip. That could be as little as one tablespoon or as many as five or six tablespoons. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Now, I can make My Favorite Hummus anytime. I love to serve it with fresh veggies, warm pita bread, or slathered on a wrap sandwich! Sooo delicious!
How to Make My Favorite Hummus
Put drained and rinsed chickpeas and baking soda in a medium saucepan and cover with at least 1” of water. Heat on medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the chickpeas are very soft. Rinse and drain in a fine-mesh strainer and let cool.
While chickpeas are simmering, combine lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Process the mixture until the garlic is finely chopped and then allow the mixture to rest. The lemon juice and salt will mellow the garlic so it is not overpowering.
After a few minutes, add the tahini to the food processor and process 1-2 minutes until the tahini is whipped and creamy. Add in 2 Tbsp. of ice water and blend again for another 2 minutes. The tahini mixture should become very pale, creamy, and smooth. If your tahini was very thick, you may need to add an additional Tbsp. or two of ice water to get the smooth consistency.
Add the cooled chickpeas and the ground cumin powder. Begin blending and pour in the olive oil. Blend for another 2 minutes until smooth and whipped. If it seems thick, add more ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the desired consistency.
Taste and add additional seasonings as needed.
To Serve:
Pour the hummus onto a shallow bowl or platter. Use a large spoon and swirl the top. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and add the garnishes you like the best. I love sprinkling ground sumac on top for an extra zing of lemon flavor!
Serve with fresh veggies, warm pita bread, or pita chips.
Appetizer Idea:
For a beautiful appetizer, serve the hummus with a simple Israeli salad on top. See recipe below.
Israeli Salad:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped small
- 1 cup Persian or English cucumber, chopped small
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 2-3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper
Toss all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Serve on top of hummus with fresh pita.
My Favorite Hummus
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 15 oz. can low-sodium chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 1 large clove fresh garlic peeled
- ½ tsp. Kosher or sea salt
- ½ cup tahini paste
- 3-4 Tbsp. ice water
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp. good quality olive oil
Optional Garnishes:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Ground sumac
- Olive tapenade
- Chopped roasted red peppers
- Harissa
- Toasted pine nuts
- Fresh parsley
- Everything Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
Instructions:
- Put drained and rinsed chickpeas and baking soda in a medium saucepan and cover with at least 1” of water. Heat on medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the chickpeas are very soft. Rinse and drain in a fine-mesh strainer and let cool.
- While chickpeas are simmering, combine lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Process the mixture until the garlic is finely chopped and then allow the mixture to rest. The lemon juice and salt will mellow the garlic so it is not overpowering.
- After a few minutes, add the tahini to the food processor and process 1-2 minutes until the tahini is whipped and creamy. Add in 2 Tbsp. of ice water and blend again for another 2 minutes. The tahini mixture should become very pale, creamy, and smooth. If your tahini was very thick, you may need to add an additional Tbsp. or two of ice water to get the smooth consistency.
- Add the cooled chickpeas and the ground cumin powder. Begin blending and pour in the olive oil. Blend for another 2 minutes until smooth and whipped. If it seems thick, add more ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the desired consistency.
- Taste and add additional seasonings as needed.
To Serve:
- Pour the hummus onto a shallow bowl or platter. Use a large spoon and swirl the top. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and add the garnishes you like the best. I love sprinkling ground sumac on top for an extra zing of lemon flavor!
- Serve with fresh veggies, warm pita bread, or pita chips.
Notes
1 cup Persian or English cucumber, chopped small
¼ cup diced red onion
2-3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper Toss all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Serve on top of hummus with fresh pita.