I’ve been craving hummus but the store bought ones are so drab, full of sodium, and MSG is commonly used. I find that many restaurants and brands go a little crazy with salt and lemon. They lack balance and a rich, nutty flavor. Hummus is truly easy to make, and very healthy for your heart and soul. It loses the plot when there are lumps or chickpea shrapnel. The big secret is to boil those chickpeas. I buy the ones in cartons because the canned have a weird aftertaste. My family isn’t in to much acid, so I zest the lemon and eschew using lemon juice. . I prefer a Meyer lemon because it really has lemon notes without too much acidity. They key is to do a fine zest with the lemon. Never use juice out of a bottle or you destroyed your dish!!
Hummus is all about personal preferences. You can become your own mad scientist (within reason) Let me know what you come up with!❤️
Ingredients
- 15 oz carton of cooked chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1 to 1.5 tsp lemon zest
- 2 garlic cloves grated or use a tablespoon of pre-grated garlic in glass container, drain oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp Trader Joe’s Umami mushroom powder, and 1 tsp of turmeric or more to taste (I sneak the turmeric in because it’s an anti-inflammatory)
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp Kosher salt (or less) I’ve cut back on using salt since my family has special medical dietary requirements
- 1 tsp black pepper (white pepper is completely wrong)
- 2 tbsp cold water or more to taste
- paprika to taste for on top garnish
- chopped dill to taste for garnish or scallions (I put a dash of dill on top of mine)
- olive oil to taste for garnish
Instructions
- Open can of chickpeas, drain and rinse. Place chickpeas in a pot of water, boil for 20 minutes. Drain again. (If you see the shells of the chickpeas starting to come off, you do not need to worry about it. Just keep them with the chickpeas)
- Next, place tahini, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, Umami powder, and 3 tbsp of olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend, blend, blend.
- Add water slowly until the mixture starts to resemble a smooth hummus. Be sure not to add too much water so that it looks watery.
- Add chickpeas into the food processor or blender along with the cumin. Blend, blend, blend!
- Add more water to get the hummus looking smooth and creamy. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to help with the creaminess. Blend. Taste and add more salt, pepper, garlic, lemon as you see fit. I’ve used sesame seeds in the past and wild card ingredients like red chili flakes or sriracha. Adjust hummus ingredients to your taste!
- Once you have achieved the hummus taste and consistency you are looking for, transfer hummus to a bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top. I put my paprika (well shaken)on top with a bit of chopped dill but you can add chopped cilantro or anything that suited your taste for garnish. (I loathe parsley) Watercress is a nice option and goes well if you want to make a hummus sandwich with pita.
- I serve my hummus with carrots, celery, raw fennel, radishes, cornichons, olives, and pita chips. To make your own pita chips simply toast pita bread cut into triangles in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and paprika on top. (The store bought ones lack flavor) I have to give a shout out to my local Daily Bread as having a delicious pita.
Notes
I also use a delicious plant based crisp with the hummus that is from Spain. The brand is Ines Rosales, sweet olive oil torta. It's the perfect vegan option, and is made with olive oil with nutty, rich notes. Enjoy! ❤️
