Hummus is an absolutely delicious spread that can be enjoyed in many ways and is extremely simple to make!
Total Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Hummus is one of my favorite foods because it is filling and delicious. It’s great as a snack, or sometimes I may eat it as a meal, and it can be enjoyed with bread, crackers, carrot, and so many other possibilities. And since it’s so simple, it doesn’t take much effort to make which can be great where you’re really hungry and need to whip up something quickly.
Check out the Make section of MCG for more fun recipes like desserts and savory dishes.
Ingredients
For seeming like such a simple snack, Hummus takes more ingredients that I anticipated to make a truly flavor dip. One of the most uncommon ingredients in tahini. It’s equivalent to peanut butter but made from sesame seeds instead of peanuts. I wanted to try my hand at making tahini sauce but that’s for another time. For an enhanced flavor of the hummus, I added lemon juice, garlic, onion, cumin, olive oil and salt. Obvious chickpeas are needed as well!
Process
The process for hummus was surprisingly simple. I decided to toast the garlic and onions to add somewhat of a smokey flavor to the hummus. This part is only necessary if you want to add in the onions, the garlic can be added in cooked or raw. I like to crush the garlic before mincing for that extra splash of flavor.
The rest of the process is all done in the food processor. The first step would be to combine the lemon juice and the tahini sauce. This should be blended together until it’s whipped and creamy. This part is trying to introduce air in the mixture to give the final hummus a nice texture. Then it’s time to mix all of the flavor into the base sauce. This is where everything except for the chickpeas is added into the food processor. I will say, it’s oddly satisfying to watch all the ingredients blend and come together.
Then, it’s time to add the chickpeas! Now, there is some debate one whether you should remove the chickpeas from their skin or not. I have done both methods and honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference, so I naturally lean to doing the easier method. The chickpeas should be drained from their juice and lightly washed before being thrown into the food processor. And then it’s blending time! This hummus should be looking a little think, but it will still be smoothly blended. Adding water at this stage with make the hummus go into a thinner spread. The thinner you want your hummus the more water you should add. This is definitely a step done to your personal preference.
I like mine somewhere in the middle of thick and thin, so I add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of water. But the measurement is never exact. Then all that’s left is enjoying it will you dipping instrument of choice!
Lessons
Why Smash Garlic?
Garlic contains sulfur compounds which is part of what makes it aromatic and delicious. The sulfur compounds are released when the inner bulb is exposed to the oxygen in the air. Naturally, more cutting will release more of those compounds. Crushing the clove, on top of mincing, will release even more sulfur and give the final dish that extra boost of flavor.
Homemade Humus
Ingredients
- 1 Can Chickpeas
- ¼ Cup Lemon Juice
- ¼ Cup Tahini
- 1 Small Clove
- ¼ Cup Onion chopped
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ Tsp Ground Cumin
- ½ Tsp Salt
- Water as Needed Approx. 2 to 3 Tbsp
Instructions
- Pour 2 tablespoon of oil into a pan and heat oil over medium to high heat.
- Reduce heat to low and add garlic (minced) and onions (chopped). Cook until lightly toasted.
- Using a food processor with a S-blade, combine tahini and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. You may have to use a spatula to wipe the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, onions, cumin, and salt. Combine until well blended. Again, you may need to use a spatula to wipe the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Open, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add the can to the food processor and mix until the chickpeas have been adequate combine. The mix should be fairly smooth in consistency.
- Slowly add water until you achieve the desire consistency.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Salt & Pepper
- Drizzle of Olive Oil
- Paprika
- Minced Olives
- Avocados