Hummus

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. 

Ingredients 

chickpeas (garbanzo beans): 1 15 oz. can, drained and rinsed 

tahini (see note below): 2 tbsp 

water: 2 tbsp (up to 4 tbsp as needed) 

olive oil: ¼ cup (1 tbsp to ¼ cup) 

lemon juice: 2 tbsp 

garlic: 1 clove 

cumin: 2 tsp (¾ tsp to 2 tsp) 

salt: ½ tsp (to taste, ¼ to ¾ tsp 

black pepper to taste (optional) 

optional toppings: 

olive oil 

paprika 

fresh parsley 

pine nuts 

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. 

Steps 

 
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: 

You may also be interested in: 

Mediterranean-Style Grilling, Episode 5 of The Everyday Gourmet: How to Master Outdoor Cooking 

This cooking instructional video includes the making of baba ghanoush, which is similar to hummus but uses eggplant instead of chickpeas, along with a couple other Mediterranean dips. Available from Kanopy. 

Hummus! The Movie 

Restaurateurs, musicians, politicians-everyone loves hummus. A story of faith, community, and growth is told through the lens of a dietary staple and superfood, hummus! This documentary shows how food can bring people together.  

In English, Hebrew, and Arabic; turn on captioning for subtitles. Available via Hoopla Digital. 

If you have questions you can contact me at ekozisek@kckpl.org.