Homemade Hummus Dip
A few years ago, there was a period of time where I craved for Middle Eastern cuisine after watching a few shows on Middle East culture and lifestyle. Hummus was one of my favourite dips for bread and vegetables. However, the prices of store-bought Hummus are quite expensive and when I could learn to make it on my own at a fraction of the cost.
After spending some time experimenting with Hummus recipies found on the Internet, I eventually landed on a recipe that I felt was easy to make with ingredients that I would usually have in my pantry.
For meal-preppers, I’m happy to share that you can also store Hummus in the freezer for up to 4 months. I have added notes on storage and thawing instructions on this.
That said, I doubt it’d ever stay in my freezer for that long.
Homemade Hummus Dip
Cuisine: Middle EasternDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 can of chickpeas (~400g)
¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons), more to taste
2 cloves of minced garlic
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
½ cup of tahini (half the amount if using Chinese sesame sauce)
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water (or Aquafaba liquid from the canned chickpeas)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Garnishes
A drizzle of olive oil
A sprinkle of paprika (optional)
A few dried olives (my personal preference)
Directions
- Pour out the chickpeas from the can and reserve the Aquafaba (liquid in the can) for later use.
- Remove the skin of the chickpeas by hand to get a smoother hummus.
- In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Process until the garlic is very finely chopped, then let the mixture rest so the garlic flavour can mellow, ideally 10 minutes or longer.
- Add the tahini to the food processor and blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, stopping to scrape down any tahini stuck to the sides and bottom of the processor as necessary.
- While running the food processor, drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice water (or Aquafaba). Scrape down the food processor, and blend until the mixture is ultra smooth, pale and creamy. (If your tahini was extra-thick to begin with, you might need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons more ice water.)
- Add the cumin and the drained chickpeas to the food processor. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until the mixture is super smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary, about 2 minutes. Add more ice water by the tablespoon if necessary to achieve a super creamy texture.
- Taste, and adjust as necessary. Add additional salt for more overall flavour and another tablespoon of lemon juice for extra zing if you prefer.
- Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl or platter, and use a spoon to create nice swooshes on top. Top with garnishes of your choice, and serve.
Notes
- Storage Information
Hummus can last in the fridge for up to 1 week and stores well in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Thawing Instructions
When you’re ready to thaw hummus, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. This process might affect the texture and consistency of the hummus, but the taste should be the same.
Once thawed, help the hummus return to its natural consistency by whipping it up with a spoon and adding olive oil until it reaches a spreadable consistency again. Adding olive oil will help moisten the dip again and add a touch of freshness to its taste.
When fully thawed, you can also zap the hummus in the microwave for a few seconds to help with consistency. Thawed hummus should be enjoyed within five days and should not be refrozen.
