This homemade hummus is smooth, creamy, and just like my Baba Ganoush is light on the tahini. If you hate it when hummus is overly earthy in flavor, partially due to tahini, partially due to adding earthy spices such as cumin, this recipe is for you. This creamy hummus is bright and light in flavor, and a perfect base for, well, anything.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
Prep the Chickpeas – Possibly the most time-consuming part, which I find rather therapeutic, removing the 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.
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.
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.
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.
For more Mediterranean / Middle Eastern dips, check out the below!
Crazy Feta
Labneh
Whipped Feta & Warm Olives
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
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