how to make hummus

Hummus is one of the easiest, most delicious snacks in the WORLD. It's awesome as a dip, in sandwiches or in a pita with falafel. (I've got an awesome recipe for baked falafel!) It's also pretty easy to get it wrong. Do you want to know how to make the best hummus?

Do you? DO YOU?

In this instructable I'll give you all the tips and tricks so you'll know how to make hummus like a hummus MASTER. And I'll share a really awesome base recipe for it. :D

Step 1: Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound dried chickpeas
• 1/2 cup bean cooking liquid or water
• 3+ garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon+ ground cumin
• 1/4 cup tahini, stir it well before measuring it out!
• 1/3 cup lemon juice (normally 1 1/2 lemons - use fresh!)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
• paprika to make it pretty!

All of these things can be changed to your own personal taste! Using this recipe as-is gives you a lightly garlicky and lemony creamy hummus, and the flavors intensify a bit after a night in the fridge. If you like your hummus thinner you can add more of the bean cooking liquid, if you like it more lemony or garlicky, add more lemon or garlic!

You can also add roasted garlic for a smoother, sweeter flavor.

This hummus is also excellent with different spices - chili powder, coriander, a bit of cayenne, some mint - all delicious! Try out different things to see what you like.

Also keep in mind that the tahini really adds to the texture and flavor. If you don't like tahini or don't have any on hand, add more olive oil and cooking liquid, and a bit more salt.

Comments

[nanaverm]

Other ingredients to suggest: a little bit of red bell pepper (especially if roasted), and sumac, a lemony/paprika tasting Middle Eastern spice. I go heavier on the cumin, lighter on the lemon juice. Yum!

[webopolis]

For a "gas free" experience, try making your hummus with canned, white hominy. Once seasoned to taste, it's almost indistinguishable from chickpea hummus.

[nanaverm]

I've tried this, per your suggestion. I disagree! The chickpeas are best.

[pjwolos]

Also, its good if you finely chop parsley and blend in. Just another variation.

[jimthree]

Do you still have to cook the chickpeas if they canned? I never cooked them before, and my hummus always tasted a bit rubbish. Perhaps this is why!
Jim

[jessyratfink]

Nope, no cooking required. Just make sure to rinse them well - sometimes they taste a bit funny right out of the can. :)

[pghjim]

Skins or not (I use skins and all in mine - mmm MMM), my biggest discovery was successfully freezing hummus. Once I figured that one out, I started making it in batches using #10 cans of chick peas. If I remember right, one #10 can makes 4+ quarts, give or take.

If you decide to try it, and you use cartons/containers, let the hummus get good and cold, then "seal" the top with a layer of good quality olive oil. If you use heavy freezer bags, just force the air out. If you have one of those fancy vacuum sealers, then you're golden.

After thawing, if the hummus seems a little dry, just stir in some extra olive oil and/or lemon juice.

I've kept hummus frozen as long as 18 months (by mistake) with no impact on flavor or texture. I always go a little heavy on the tahini in my recipe, so that may help with freezing consistency. We have a chest freezer set at 0 degrees F. I wouldn't recommend keeping hummus more than maybe 6 months in your average refrigerator freezer (3 if your fridge is as old as ours). Too much defrosting going on in there.

Good luck - Happy hummus - hummous - whatever...

[HEY YOU]

Nice addition to a great instructable 

I have had success freezing food in zip bags by submerging them in a container of water to force out all the air. This is easier than trying to suck the air out with a straw and cheaper than buying a vacuum sealer.

The hummus looks great!!!

Cheers

[pghjim]

Hmmm - Never thought of that water trick. With my luck and often clumsy mitts, I'd probably end up with hummous soup, but I'll try it anyway!

BTW - I've followed the same hummous recipe for years, tweaking it a little over time. Thought I'd share, if no one objects:
2 15 oz. cans Chick Peas
½ C Tahini (heavy 1/2 cup)
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 T Olive Oil (at least)
1-2 t Lemon Zest
pinch Kosher Salt, depending on saltiness of beans

- Drain the juice from only one can of chick peas
- Combine all ingredients in food processor (chick peas on bottom)
- Blend until smooth, pausing a couple times to scrape down sides of bowl
- Adjust other items (garlic, lemon) to taste.
- I started adding that lemon zest over the last year or so. Everyone loves it.
Always make it a day before, if you can stand to wait.
It gets better as it sets.

Hasta Lasagna!

[jessyratfink]

That is fantastic! I had no idea. :D

[sitearm]

@jessyratfink; Hi! Duly tweeted and sent to my cooking friends and relatives. Cheers! Site

[bottledmystery]

Mmm, sounds lovely. One way to make your hummus ever smoother is to add the olive oil little by little (in a stream while the processor is running, if you can; otherwise a few spoonfuls at a time) as the last ingredient, instead of with the other stuff at the beginning.

And for added deliciousness, roasting the garlic before adding it brings another level of complexity, and it plays off the tahini really well.

[wold630]

I make hummus all the time but I have never taken the skins off. I always wondered how to get it so smooth - now I know. Great job and nice pictures.

[lucidbird]

I use Chana Dal (split Indian chick peas) which saves you the time and hassle of removing the skins from whole chick peas.

[arex]

I've never taken the skins off, either, knowing there was a lot of fiber and nutrition there. I don't think the consistency suffers much with skins on.

[opsimath]

Also - it's nice when served with diced onion and finely chopped parsley as a garnish.

[opsimath]

If you decide to use canned chickpeas, be sure and rinse them off thoroughly before preparing the hummus.

[chrisd27]

Looks absolutely fantastic. Like arix, I've never taken the skins off and now I'll do that every time. As well as add cumin - yummy! Thanks for this.

[zvizvi]

Cool!
It's always nice to see mid-eastern taking place in western kitchens.
For getting a smoother texture, try adding some sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), this is how the pros here do it... And soaking, although takes planning ahead, helps reducing the gases, so it just might be worth the effort :)

[Astrid Posner]

Instead of the tahini you can use a little peanutbutter. Another (grown-up version I make is with a chipotle added, most people love that.

[arex]

I've used almond butter in a pinch. Tahini's best, though.

[SpagoPizza]

Thanks for posting , I will give it a try. The lebbanese restaurants are quite expensive where I live and I really like hummus

[onrust]

once again, I need to quit looking around before breakfast!

[Mongpoovian]

This is great! My one-year-old loves hummus, but the last time I tried to make it, it was thicker than spackle. I think it will turn out much better this time, thanks to you!

[clacicle1]

If it's thicker than spackle, then just ad some water until you get the consistency you want. Or you can also patch up holes with it.

[kuato]

I've always just used canned chickpeas, but I'll have to try this. You can also throw in some sun-dried tomatoes (especially if they're the kind in olive oil). It makes the hummus a little red, but gives it a different flavor. Just food process along with everything else... if they're the kind in olive oil, you might not need to add extra oil, or you can add some of the oil from the tomatoes (ususally has spices in it too).

[sunshiine]

Yum! I am so hungry for this right now. I would make some if I did not have a ton of other things to do. We all know where to find wonderful recipes don't we? Have a Grand day Jessy! Thanks for sharing.
Sunshiine