Homemade Hummus with Canned Chickpeas

Making homemade hummus is easier than you might think. There is no cooking involved. All you need is a food processor or blender and the right ingredients. And in about 10 minutes time you’ll have a dip that is popular in both the Middle East as well as Mediterranean countries.

About Hummus

The origins of hummus are a subject of debate primarily due to its long history and the cultural significance it holds in various countries. Many Middle Eastern nations call it their own, including Lebanon, Israel and Turkey.

At its core, hummus is a vegan food because it contains no dairy or other animal products. Given different yet similar dietary customs in these countries, it would make sense that hummus is a staple of this kind of diet. In college I worked in a Middle Eastern restaurant and the most popular menu item was a platter of hummus, baba ganoush and tabbouleh aka tabouli.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas
• 4 tablespoons ice water
• 1/2 cup tahini paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, and more to drizzle
• Parsley, finely chopped, to garnish
• Smoked paprika, to garnish

Step-by-Step Directions

You’re going to need a good blender or food processor in order to make your hummus. We have a Cuisinart food processor that is a real workhorse and is what we used to make this recipe.

Start by combining lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender. Blend until the garlic is finely minced. Add chickpeas, ice water, tahini, cumin and olive oil to the mixture. Blend until you achieve a smooth consistency.

When serving, drizzle some olive oil over the hummus and garnish with reserved chickpeas, chopped parsley and a sprinkle of paprika. Serve with pita bread or pita chips or even fresh vegetables. Enjoy your homemade hummus!

Notes

If you find that the hummus is too thick based on the ingredients list, you can add more ice water to the food processor, one tablespoon at a time and blend. Continue until the hummus has the consistency you seek.

When you buy canned chickpeas at the store, they have already been cooked. That’s why this recipe doesn’t involve having to cook anything. Just be sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas before using.

Also, you may see chickpeas sold as garbanzo beans. They are the same thing.

The liquid that chickpeas come in and which you drain off is called aquafaba. You can use it as an egg white substitute if you ever wanted to make a vegan meringue.

Most cans of store-bought chickpeas are 15.5 ounces or just shy of two cups. That means you’ll have about a 1/2 cup of chickpeas leftover, which is why I recommend using the leftover chickpeas to garnish this dish. However, if that’s more than you’ll need or want to use, you can always use leftover chickpeas as a salad topping that day or the next. Chickpeas won’t last after opening the can for longer than a few days.