Tulo

Hummus

A bowl of pale, creamy hummus swirled with a spoon, pooled with olive oil, dusted with paprika and cumin, and surrounded by wedges of warm pita bread.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

Whipping the tahini with lemon juice before anything else goes into the food processor breaks it down into a light, aerated paste, so the finished dip turns out fluffy instead of pasty. Simmering canned chickpeas briefly with baking soda loosens their skins, which is what actually gets hummus silky smooth rather than gritty.

Prep
10 min
Cook
12 min
Total
22 min
Servings
6

Ingredients

Servings6
  • 3 cups chickpeas, canned, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh
  • 2 cloves garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup ice water

Nutrition per serving

Calories
335
Protein
9g
Carbs
23g
Fat
24g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1Combine the drained, rinsed chickpeas and baking soda in a small saucepan with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the chickpeas are very soft and some skins have loosened and floated to the top. Drain well.
  2. 2In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice. Process for about 1 minute, scraping down the sides once, until the mixture is pale, thick, and creamy.
  3. 3Add the garlic, cumin, and salt. Process for 30 seconds more.
  4. 4Add the warm drained chickpeas to the processor. Process for 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides, until the mixture is mostly smooth.
  5. 5With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil, then add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, processing until the hummus is light, fluffy, and pale in color, about 1-2 minutes total.
  6. 6Taste and adjust with more salt or lemon juice as needed. Spread onto a shallow plate, swirl a well into the center with the back of a spoon, and drizzle with more olive oil before serving.

Tips & variations

  • For an even smoother result, slip the loosened chickpea skins off by hand after draining; tedious, but it removes the last bit of grit.
  • Swap in roasted garlic for a milder, sweeter flavor if raw garlic tastes too sharp.
  • Stir a few tablespoons of jarred roasted red peppers or a spoonful of harissa into the finished hummus for a variation.
  • Use a good, fruity extra-virgin olive oil since it's tasted directly in both the dip and the drizzle on top.
  • Dried chickpeas work too: soak 1 cup overnight, then simmer with baking soda for about 45-60 minutes until very tender, which yields roughly the 3 cups needed here.

Storage & reheating

Store hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It thickens as it chills, so stir in a teaspoon of water or olive oil and bring it closer to room temperature before serving. It also freezes well for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container; thaw overnight in the fridge and stir well, as the texture can separate slightly.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Warm chickpeas straight out of the simmering water blend noticeably smoother than chilled ones straight from the can.
  • A high-speed blender works if a food processor isn't available; add the ice water a little earlier to help everything move around the blades.

FAQ

Why is my hummus grainy instead of smooth?

Grainy hummus is almost always caused by leaving the chickpea skins on; simmering the chickpeas with a little baking soda loosens the skins so they blend away instead of leaving gritty flecks.

Can I make hummus without a food processor?

A high-speed blender works well, though the mixture will need more scraping down and a bit more liquid to keep it moving around the blades.

What can I substitute for tahini?

Unsweetened almond butter or a mix of extra olive oil with a pinch of sesame oil will approximate the flavor, though tahini's slight bitterness is part of hummus's classic taste.

Why add ice water instead of regular water?

Cold water helps the olive oil emulsify into the chickpea puree rather than pooling on the surface, which is what gives whipped hummus its light, fluffy texture.

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

Yes. Soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas overnight, then simmer with baking soda for 45-60 minutes until very soft; this yields about the 3 cups of cooked chickpeas this recipe calls for.

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