I spent nearly seven years as a vegetarian; those years were spent subsisting mainly on hummus, cheese and big green salads. I long ago enthusiastically re-entered the omnivore world* but still spend a great deal of time conveying hummus to my mouth on various crudites and pita chips.
Hummus is the first rite of spring that I observe every year and it’s on nearly every family-get-together-buffet. When the weather warms up my brain starts nagging me, “Hummus. You want hummus. You need some hummus. Make some hummus.” And like all good voices in the head, it only goes away when it’s obeyed. But I jest. I don’t have voices in my head nagging me about hummus; they nag me to eat chocolate. But that’s another cuppa tea…
The point is this. When I posted about the dreadfully addictive Mediterranean Hummus Pizza I mentioned that I was willing to share my hummus recipe if anyone wanted it. I assumed everyone had their own hummus recipe and that everyone had spent years as a vegetarian living mainly on hummus. That’s the way my thought process works, you see… “If I have done it, everyone has done it, too.” Let’s just say this; apparently not everyone went through a seven-year vegetarian phase the way I did. And equally apparently, not everyone has made a cubic ton of hummus over their lifetime. I see this now. I understand. And I’m going to show you the way.
Extraordinary hummus is so easy to make at home that you’ll never pay for deli-case hummus again. Unless, of course, you’re away from your home and food processor and are struck with a sudden, unabating craving for hummus and there is a tub of Tribe of Umpteen Sheiks staring you in the face. In that case, I fully stand behind spending way too much money on a snack. It could be worse, after all; you could be spending it on Ho-Ho’s. *
*Note to self: Put Ho-Ho’s on grocery list in code so the kids don’t see it. Hide the Ho-Ho’s in apron pocket, hide in closet and apply directly to mouth when needed (i.e. when kids are fighting, arguing, breathing, etc…)
There are a couple of camps in the hummus loving crowd; the smooth hummus lovers and the rustic hummus aficianados. The rustic-hummus crowd is a good one to which to belong if you don’t own a food processor. It is full of coarse pieces of garbanzo beans and bits of minced garlic. It is easily accomplished by mooshing all the hummus ingredients together with a potato masher or -in a gadgetless kitchen- with the clean bottom of a heavy can.
I am an unapologetic, card-carrying member of the smooth hummus contingent. I like a super-smooth, chunk-free hummus that can be spread as easily inside a pita pocket as it is dipped onto a carrot stick or tortilla chip. And since I’m making it, I’m in control here. (This, quite honestly, is probably one of the main reasons I love cooking so much. Control. For more musings on control as a common trait among obsessive cooks -and a killer coffee cake recipe-, see this hilarious post from my ‘Evil’ friend.)
When you make your hummus, you’ll be the one in control. If you want it more coarse, just stop processing it earlier or use something less efficient than a food processor to do your squishing work for you.
Having a container of hummus in the refrigerator is like having one of those Jetson’s food synthesizing devices in your kitchen. Stuff a pita pocket with a layer of hummus, some thinly sliced vegetables and a handful of sprouts and you have a filling, light, healthy lunch in less than five minutes. Feeling peckish? Scoop some hummus into a bowl and serve with a fistful of carrot and celery sticks or tortilla chips.
*Well, like a Jetson’s Food-A-Rac-A-Cycle minus Rosie the Robot Maid and the button that makes food materialize. But you catch my drift, right?
For a photo-free, Chatty-Cathy-free, printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here!
Homemade Hummus
Basic Ingredients:
- 1-4 peeled garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 [15.5 ounce] cans, drained with liquid reserved) + 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid
- 6 Tablespoons tahini
- 6 Tablespoons lemon juice
- up to 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, curly or flat, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 to 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, to taste
- 1/8 to 3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or other ground hot chile pepper), to taste
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Optional, but delicious possible additions:
- Minced green onions, cumin, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, curry powder, fresh cilantro leaves, and garlic scapes. But probably not all at once, eh?
Add garlic cloves, chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. After putting the lid tightly in place, process until a thick, coarse paste is formed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Check the consistency of the hummus. If you’re happy with the texture of the hummus, add the salt, parsley, black pepper and cayenne pepper, and any optional add-ins, and pulse until evenly combined.
If you would like it to be thinner and/or smoother, add the olive oil and process for an additional minute. If you would like it thinner yet, add some of the cooking liquid from the chickpeas along with the parsley, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper, and any optional add-ins and process for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve plain as pictured below, or with a sprinkling of minced parsley as pictured above. Either way it’s magnificent!
Don’t forget the goodies for dipping!
Reader's Thoughts...
laura says
I’ve been making hummus for years (married into a middle eastern family). Your recipe is pretty close to mine except I put the olive oil on top of the hummus in a swirled ditch made with a spoon. If you want smoother hummus, heat the chick peas a little. They cream easier when they’re warm. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Do you cook your chickpeas the same way as you posted about for cooking other beans? With onion and bay leaves, etc, in the slow cooker? Or do you cook them unseasoned?
C4bl3Fl4m3 says
Finally made this recipe and it was so good it was obscene. I had no words. I was simply blown away. Plus… It makes SO much and it’s SO cheap! I’ll definitely have to figure out how to reverse engineer my favorite hummuses (hummi?) now.
I can’t thank you enough!
Lissette says
I just made this recipe and it is absolutely delicious! I excluded the parsley, as I found it tasted perfect without it. Thank you so much for such a lovely recipe. This one is certainly a keeper!
Lisa says
I made homemade hummus for the first time last night using your recipe. It was great! I also made some homemade pita bread to go with it. I have been vegetarian for almost 20 years and this is my first try at making hummus myself. Thanks for the recipe.
Rebecca says
Pimmie- Thank you! Oooh, orange lentils? I will definitely be trying that one out!
Pamela- I purchase it, but I get the good stuff -Once Again Nut Butter Tahini. And I’m going to have to try that sesame oil (toasted, I assume?) and yogurt addition. Hmmmmmm… maybe today?
pamela ~ the dayton time says
do you make your tahini or do you purchase it?
i use most of the stuff you use, but i also use sesame oil (you’re welcome) and plain yogurt (nom nom). homemade yogurt is best, naturally, but the greek is good, too.
and i’m in the supersmoothie camp as well.
Pimmie says
Thank you for giving us a good and dependable recepe for hummus. Up until now I’ve never enjoyed the stuff but this one is goood! I always make a spread with orange lentils instead of chickpeas. With plenty of garlic and perhaps some garam masala instead of tahin. Also very good!
Valerie says
Okay, Beccy, I’m going to have to get some more chickpeas today–they are on the list!
krysta says
it’s all about the control isn’t it?
Rebecca says
Melissa- You’re most certainly welcome. I know that when I first made hummus it was a revelation. Everyone has to make it for the first time once, eh? Happy hummus-ing!
Krysta- Yes, yes it is! Control-freaks-R-us!
Melissa says
I love that you posted this. As sick as I was Friday when I had this for dinner, I still wish I had made my own. But I had no tahini, so the point is moot. Anyway, thanks, from someone who hasn’t ever made their own and needed a base. 🙂
Traci says
My must-do list grows…thanks for sharing! 🙂
Rebecca says
Pamela- I hafta know, now… What do you do with your hummus? I have to admit, I prepare my hummus differently nearly every time I make it. It depends on what I have in the chill chest and what I’m craving, but this is my base hummus recipe. I’m eagerly awaiting garlic scapes. THAT is my all-time favorite hummus add-in.
Traci- You’re berry, berry welcome!
pamela ~ the dayton time says
See now, mine is totally different. I think this might call for The Great Hummus-Off of 2010.