By using just a few simple tricks, you will get that smooth homemade hummus you love having at the restaurant. Hummus is a very simple but quintessential Middle Eastern dip. Although the ingredients are quite basic, there’s no store bought option that gets as close to the traditional hummus taste as any homemade version.
Hummus ingredients
The basic hummus recipe has only five ingredients (I don’t count salt as an ingredient): chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Of course, you can personalize it by adding more ingredients (see below) or you can make different variations with beetroot, avocado, etc. But only these five ingredients are included in the traditional hummus recipe.
Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) – I tried both canned and dry chickpeas and I’m telling you for sure that no canned chickpeas will offer you that creamy texture you’re looking for. Soak it overnight, boil it and you’ll get the fluffiest hummus ever.
Tahini – this will add to the light and fluffy hummus texture. And it will give it a nutty flavor too, especially if it’s made of roasted sesame seeds.
Fresh lemon juice – for a citrucy flavor.
Garlic – I only used 1 clove, but it depends on how garlicky you want it to be.
Olive oil – it’s important to use good quality oil with intense olive flavor. Once I didn’t know why my hummus tasted bitter. Until I realized the bio extra virgin olive oil I used was to blame (it looks like not everything that has a “bio” label is good).
Tips & tricks for making smooth homemade hummus from scratch
Add 1 tsp of baking soda when soaking the chickpeas. And you’d better soak them overnight. The longer the soaking time, the easier the chickpeas get cooked.
Overcooking the chickpeas is a game changer. When you cook the chickpeas over low heat for about 50 minutes you’ll get such mushy beans, really easy to smash under the high-power blender. That’s why canned chickpeas can’t give good results. The beans are under cooked and they can’t blend into a creamy paste. There’s a solution though for canned chickpeas too: boil them for 30 minutes with baking soda.
Give the high-power blender a few extra minutes and magic will happen. The more you process the chickpeas, the fluffier your hummus will be.
Some people say they peel the chickpeas, but I’ve never tried. I am being patient in the kitchen, but not that patient ?.
Many recipes require water or aquafaba (the liquid remained after boiling the chickpeas) for a creamier texture. In my experience, only when the chickpeas were not cooked enough I had to add aquafaba while processing the hummus ingredients.
How to customize homemade hummus
I love simple plain hummus, but sometimes I want to add a different taste, just for the sake of change. Here are my choices:
- smoked paprika – for a smoky taste (this is my favorite add in);
- red chili powder – for a bit of spiciness;
- roasted garlic – for a caramelized taste; I actually replace the row garlic with roasted garlic;
- cumin – for an authentic Middle Eastern flavor;
- baharat – for a stronger Middle Eastern savor?; this is a blend of spices which, besides cumin, includes black peppercorn, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg (quite similar in flavor to the Indian garam masala).
How to serve hummus
After you’ve finished with the preparation, put the hummus into a serving bowl, garnish it with a generous drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle some smoked paprika or red chili power on it. Add some finely chopped parsley or chopped vegetables and you’re done.
Serve it with Arabic pita, stick bread, vegetables. Or you can add it to sandwiches, wraps or burgers.
If you give my recipe a try, I’d like to hear how this hummus turn out for you. Leave a comment here or share a photo of your results on Instagram with the hashtag #choose_tasty.
Smooth Homemade Hummus
Equipment
- High-speed blender
Ingredients
- ⅔ cups dry chickpeas
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp olive oil add extra for garnishing
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas overnight in a medium bowl; add 1 tsp of baking soda;
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas then boil it for about 50 minutes over low heat;
- Allow the chickpeas to cool a little then process for 2-3 minutes using a high-speed blender;
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix for another 4-5 minutes or until your hummus gets fluffy;
- Put it into a serving bowl, add a a drizzle of olive oil on top, sprinkle some paprika and enjoy!
Notes
- The baking soda is necessary for a creamier texture.
- I used 2/3 cups of dried chickpeas, which is the equivalent of 1 can.
- Using a high-power blender is the best way to get good results, but if you don’t have one, use a food processor. You might need to increase the processing time though.
