Hummus is a fantastic dip/spread that is packed full of goodness. Made from good clean ingredients that contain lots of fiber and nutrients that our bodies need. A great healthy dip that anyone can easily make at home.
Recipes like hummus are readily available in most supermarkets but like anything pre packaged you tend to run the risk of it having other harmful ingredients like preservatives in it. So by making your own you can make sure what goes into it is what you want there plus you can really make it nice and garlicy.
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Tahini paste
One of the main ingredients in hummus is tahini this is a sesame paste, now is it a key ingredient? No not really you can make hummus without it and it will taste fine, but I find despite it still tasting fine it lacks something and this is the tahini.
But not everyone has tahini in their pantry and may not want to buy it especially for the hummus. So what can you use in place of tahini? There is a list of different substitutes you can use but I think the best substitute for this particular recipe would be sesame oil.
Be careful how much you use, you only need a little. It has a strong flavour and one that can take over and make it bitter so just use a little amount. You can always add more but you can’t take it away once its there.
Chickpeas canned or dried?
Canned chickpeas are going to be your easiest and quickest option. Canned chickpeas are a great pantry staple, they are fantastic in recipes like curries and salads. How many times though do we open a can of chickpeas for a recipe only to have half a tin leftover to go moldy in our fridges. Hummus is a great use for those leftover chickpeas.
As easy tinned chickpeas are you will not beat the flavour of freshly cooked chickpeas. This does take a bit more planning but worth it.
Soak your dried chickpeas for a minimum over night this is to release any negative gases held in the chickpeas. If you own a pressure cooker or instant pot then you are in luck, it will take you 20 minutes on high pressure to cook them instead of the hour and half in a normal pot on the stove.
Once they are cooked do not I repeat DO NOT drain away all of the cooking water. Reserve at least a cups (250ml) worth, we will be adding some of this water to the hummus. This water is called aquafaba and when whipped resembles beaten egg whites it is used a lot by vegans in place of eggs. This is what help give the hummus its light smooth texture. You can use the water from the tinned chickpeas too.
Other hummus ingredients
Fresh garlic
Olive oil this is another key ingredient. A good substitute for live oil would be avocado oil but you should not use any sunflower or vegetable oils they are not healthy fats and defeats the purpose of the healthy hummus.
Pinch of cayenne this is totally optional but I think the little bit of heat adds a nice kick to the hummus. This can be tailored to your own personal taste.
Tools
- Garlic press optional you can place them in whole but I have found crushing them in works well
- Food processor or food blender. I have found that a blender will give you a smoother texture if that is what you prefer.
- Spatula, silicone spatulas work the best.
- Airtight container to store it in.
- Optional if you are using dried chickpeas, Instant pot or stovetop pressure cooker I love my lagostina cooker.
How to make hummus
If you are using dried chickpeas begin by soaking them overnight in water, remember they will double in size so make sure there is enough water covering them.
Cook the chickpeas, on the stovetop this will take around an hour and a half to two hours. If you can use a pressure cooker or instant pot on high pressure for 20 minutes.
Reserve around a cup (250 mls) of the chickpea cooking water discarding the rest, place the chickpeas off to the side in a bowl and leave to cool completely before making the hummus.
Using a blender or food processor add all of your ingredients except for the water (aquafaba) Begin by blending on low speed once the ingredients have combined adding a little of the water. Move to a higher speed and blend until smooth, if it is thick add more of the water do this very gradually we want it creamy not watery.
It is good to stop it every now and again to scrape down the sides and check the texture and do a taste test. Season with more salt and cayenne if needed. Take your time with this, we want perfect hummus.
Once it has reached perfection place the hummus into an airtight container. It will store in the fridge for up to a week.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the hummus with chopped vegetables as a dip.
Add some caramelized onions to the top to make it special. Go check out my recipe here.
Enjoy it as a side with falafels and pitta breads.
Creamy Hummus
This is a super creamy garlicy hummus with a little kick. Make it will dried chickpeas in pressure cooker for the best flavour or alternatively save time by using tinned chickpeas. See also an alternative to tahini paste.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Dried chickpea or 1 1/2 cup (280g) cooked/ tinned chickpeas (reserve around 1 cup of the chickpea water)
- 3 tbsp Tahini paste (See notes below for substitution)
- 2-3 Garlic cloves
- 1/4 Cup Olive oil
- 2 tsp Lemon juice
- Pinch Cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 - 3/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- If you are using dried chickpeas begin by soaking them overnight in water, remember they will double in size so make sure there is enough water covering them.
- Cook the chickpeas, either on the stovetop this will take around an hour and a half to two hours. If you are able use a pressure cooker or instant pot on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Reserve around a cup (250 mls) of the chickpea cooking water (aquafaba) discarding the rest, place the chickpeas off to the side in a bowl and leave to cool completely before making the hummus.
- Using a blender or food processor add all of your ingredients except for the water (aquafaba) If you are using tinned chickpeas reserve the water they come in.
- Begin by blending on a low speed so the ingredients combine adding a little of the water to help them come together. Move to a higher speed and blend until smooth, if it is thick add more of the water do this very gradually we want it creamy not watery.
- Try to stop blending every now and again to scrape down the sides and check the texture and do a taste test. Season with more salt and cayenne if needed. Take your time with this, we want perfect hummus.
- Once it is at the reached right consistency scrape the hummus into an airtight container.
It will store in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
- In place of tahini paste use 1 tsp sesame oil. or omit completely. another option includes nut butters
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