Like hummus? It’s easy to make your own.

Hummus is a puree made with chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), tahini (sesame seed paste), olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. It can be used as a dip or spread for chips, vegetables, and crackers. It can be used in place of mayonnaise for chicken, egg, and tuna salads or in deviled eggs. It can be used as a sauce for pasta.

Making it is as simple as putting the ingredients in a food processor or blender and mixing till smooth. No cooking necessary.

Hummus

Magda Born

For some ingredients, I’ve listed first how much I use for my hummus and then a range. Hummus is not a dish where there’s one right recipe that must be followed exactly. Authentic hummus recipes do vary, and beyond that, there are creative variations.

Although tahini is a must for an authentic Middle Eastern hummus, you can make a delicious hummus without it. Simply leave it out, or substitute peanut butter or another nut butter. (Keep in mind the possibility of allergens if serving to a group.) If you can’t find tahini at your regular grocery store, look for it at a natural foods store or a market that sells Middle Eastern products. Keep in mind that one jar will last you many batches of hummus.

I tend to be generous with the black pepper because I like black pepper, but it's not a necessary ingredient, and whether you use it and how much is a matter of personal taste.

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Ingredients

1 15 oz can Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
2 tbsp Tahini see note below: 2 tbsp
2 tbsp Water up to 4 tbsp as needed
1/4 c Olive oil 1 tbsp to ¼ cup
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1 clove Garlic
2 tsp Cumin ¾ tsp to 2 tsp
1/2 tsp Salt: ½ tsp (to taste) ¼ to ¾ tsp
Black pepper (to taste)

optional toppings:

Olive oil
Paprika
Fresh parsley
Pine nuts

Instructions

Gather ingredients
Put ingredients together in a blender or food processor. A food processor is preferable if you have one, but I use a blender, and that works fine.
Blend until smooth. I start on low and then do a few pulses on high. If needed to make it blend smoothly, add more water. Using a blender requires a little more water than using a food processor.
Use a rubber spatula to put it in a serving bowl or storage container. The storage container in the photo is a 16 oz. container, and as you can see, it has plenty of room.
If desired, add toppings. Drizzle with olive oil and/or add paprika, pine nuts, or fresh parsley.
Serve with pita bread, vegetables, crackers, or chips.

Variations

Hummus is delicious as is, but you can also vary it up.

Add some hot sauce or hot pepper for a spicy hummus. I like it with Sriracha. Note: If adding a hot sauce with a lot of vinegar, you may want to reduce the amount of lemon accordingly.

Add some fresh or dried cilantro.

Add some tomato puree and Italian spices. Leave out or reduce the cumin and black pepper.

You can experiment with your own ideas.

For More ideas on how to vary your hummus, use our EBSCOhost database to read “Healthy up Your Hummus” from the October 2018 issue of Prevention. Or visit our Health Source – Consumer Edition database from EBSCOhost, and search for “hummus” to find more magazine articles with hummus recipe ideas.

Ebook cookbooks:

For more recipes for hummus and other recipes with chickpeas, check out this cookbook available to borrow digitally from Hoopla:

Chickpeas: Sweet and Savory Recipes from Hummus to Dessert

For Spanish-reading cooks, also available from Hoopla:

Recetas De Hummus Veganas: Las 20 Recetas De Hummus Más Deliciosas, Rápidas Y Fáciles De Preparar

Videos:

Hummus

Ellen K.

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Cook Time 5