Creamy Hummus

Truth be told, I never feel great after I eat store bought hummus, and no wonder a lot of commercial hummus has extra oils and preservatives added. No extras added here. Clean hummus made from scratch. This bright and creamy hummus comes together with just 5 ingredients, and has nothing extra. The only extra’s here are what you are going to top this dish with. Spoiler, this is the start of a hummus series.

Hooked on this recipe and want more? Garlic Hummus, Olive Tapenade Hummus, and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus are three other great varieties to try!

Light Tahini Not No Tahini

Even I have to admit it, hummus needs tahini. Unless you’re allergic to sesame, I don’t recommend making hummus recipes that call for no-tahini. That iconic hummus flavor comes from tahini; without it, it just doesn’t taste like much. I’ve seen alternatives that use almond, cashew, or peanut butter, and while these can work in a pinch, the flavor simply won’t hit the same. I’ve even come across recipes that omit it entirely and replace it with equal parts olive oil—but that’s something to avoid, as it will make the hummus heavy and dense, especially after refrigeration.

If you MUST remove it due to dietary restrictions then start small and add only 1 tbsp of olive oil (not extra virgin), you can always add more. If you are trying to remove it because you want to make hummus now, and don’t want to buy it…just go buy it.

What You’ll Need To Make Creamy Hummus

• Chickpeas – A.K.A garbanzo beans. Any hummus “expert” will tell you, that the smoothest hummus is made with dried chickpeas. I don’t know about you, but unless it is a food related holiday I am not in the business of a multi-day prep for a dish, especially for something as simple as hummus. Store-bought canned it is! See below for my comments on chickpeas.
• Cardamom – Cardamom pods not ground cardamom. If you haven’t cooked with cardamom before—or if you dislike it because it smells like perfume—trust me on this one. Cardamom has a warm, fruity, and aromatic flavor. It might seem unusual to add this spice to the chickpea cooking liquid, but it gives the hummus a bright, fragrant note that pairs beautifully with the lemon juice and garlic added later. Just two pods go a long way here.
• Tahini – Ugh, tahini. You are looking for pure sesame seeds paste, no extra garbage added. Most major supermarkets carry it, however I have used both Beirut and Tavor, and they are great options. Depending on what brand you buy you will either be faced with 1 of 2 things.
  • 1. The tahini will be smooth, and ready to use.
  • 2. The tahini will have separated leaving a lot of oil on top. This happens naturally, and can usually come together with an aggressive mix. In the event you can’t combine it back, pop it in a food processor and give it a blitz. Then add it back to the original jar.
• Lemon – Fresh only!
• Garlic – Fresh only!
• Salt
• Olive Oil – Optional to top the finished product. Most of the time when it comes to finishing with olive oil I recommend extra virgin olive oil, however this creamy hummus is so light in flavor just make sure the extra virgin olive oil you use isn’t overpowering

How to Pick Out Good Chickpeas

I used to be obsessed with chickpeas. When I was little my mom would buy me a small deli container of them and I would sit there and remove all the skins and eat the legumes one by one. It wasn’t until I was in college that I realized you can buy chickpeas in a can. Game changer.

I have now made this recipe 10-15 times and I can tell you not all canned chickpeas are the same. Some are harder than others. Some are kind of mealy. Others are hard as pebbles. This will change the end result of the hummus. My personal preference is Hanover, or surprisingly supermarket generic brands (ShopRite has great chickpeas). Goya is a good option but they are soft so peeling back the skins can result in broken chickpeas.

How To Make Creamy Hummus

This method is inspired by Ottolenghi’s hummus method that can be found in Test Kitchen – Shelf Love. While the method of making the hummus is similar, yet still different, the taste is even further apart. If you came here looking for a tahini forward hummus I recommend his recipe.

1. Prep the Chickpeas – Possibly the most time-consuming part, which I find rather therapeutic, removing the chickpea skins. Now I’m not saying you need to remove 100% of them, but aim for the majority. The less skins that get tossed in the food processor the smoother the hummus. Now Ottolenghi’s method is to put them in between 2 towels and gently roll off the skins. I found that if the chickpeas were on the softer side it this method broke them, which we want to avoid. Instead I found placing them in a colander in the sink and pinching them ever so slightly was a quick and efficient way to remove them. Every handful or so I would rinse my hands off, and goodbye skins.

2. Cook the Chickpeas – In a small sauce pan add 4 cups of water, 2 cardamom pods and a heavy, heavy pinch of salt. The chickpea cooking liquid will be used later on, treat this as pasta water. Once at a rolling boil add the chickpeas and cook for 15 minutes. You are going to need to reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid at the end. Just to be safe save a few extra tbsp in case you want it thinner.

HOW TO CONT…

3. Process to Combine – In a food processor, yes you need one of those, add 1/2 cup of the chickpea water, drained chickpeas, 1 medium clove of garlic, 1/4 cup of tahini, and 1/2 lemon juiced (approx. 2 tsp). DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT add the cardamom pods. Discard those. For a more rustic texture, yet still smooth blend on low for 10 minutes. This is what is pictured. For a light, super smooth, and airy consistency blend on high for 13-15 minutes.

To serve add desired hummus to a bowl and garnish with a heavy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and enjoy with pita bread, pita chips, your favorite crackers, or for a lighter option serve with crisp veggies or cucumbers. This hummus also makes for a great addition on a mezze platter, or a side for a falafel or shawarma wrap / sandwich.

How To Serve Creamy Homemade Hummus

This hummus can be served on its own or with fresh, warm pita, pita chips, or crackers. Simply drizzle some olive oil on top, or add toasted pine nuts, a sprinkle of sumac or za’atar, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve and enjoy fresh.

To take it to the next level, pair it with other Middle Eastern or Mediterranean dishes and dips such as my Creamy Baba Ganoush, Zaalouk, or Crazy Feta. Round out the spread with herby Tabbouleh and fresh vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, and peppers. This hummus also makes a great pairing for my homemade Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma.

Recipe Video

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing/Reheating

Because this hummus is light on the tahini that means it’s light on the oil. Coming out of the fridge this dip keeps its smooth texture and doesn’t get overly thick vs a hummus with an exorbitant amount added. Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

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