No mezze is complete without a bowl of hummus and some warm pita. But there are so many ways to enjoy this tasty dip!
What is hummus?
Most everyone knows hummus. It’s the quintessential Middle Eastern dip made by blending chickpeas with tahini, garlic, and citrus. I grew up on it, and I’m convinced that this simple beige dip is some of the best stuff on earth! Creamy, satisfying and packed with plant-based protein. This authentic homemade hummus recipe is so much easier to make than most people think and way better than the store bought stuff! I love this recipe because it’s simple and uses just a few ingredients. But a few tips make all the difference in this hummus recipe, so be sure to read on!
Ingredients
Chickpeas (3 cups). Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are the star ingredient in hummus. Canned or dry chickpeas? If you’re wondering how to make hummus from scratch–the best, extra creamy, authentic stuff–you’ll want to cook your own chickpeas from scratch (you’ll give them a good soak overnight + boil in water until well-done. More on this later)Garlic (1 or 2 cloves). Start with 1 clove and make sure it is finely minced. Tip: to tame its pungency, allow minced garlic to sit in a little bit of lemon juice for a few minutes. Tahini (1/3 cup). Tahini is a rich, nutty and slightly bitter paste made from toasted sesame seeds. (You can find my go-to tahini paste here).Fresh Lemon Juice (from 1 lemon). Fresh lemon juice is just the thing to add tang here.Kosher Salt. Just a pinch of kosher salt to your liking. You can always add more. If you’re interested in addingExtra Virgin Olive Oil. A generous drizzle of quality extra virgin olive oil is the way to finish and serve this dip the authentic way. (You can find my go-to extra virgin olive oils at our online shop here)Garnish. Not to be underestimated. My favorite way to garnish a bowl of hummus, once the EVOO has been poured nicely right in the middle, is a few pinches of tangy sumac (sometimes ground cumin is a good addition). If you have some extra cooked chickpeas, plant them right in the middle. For a pop of green, you can add a garnish of fresh parsley.
5 Important tips
How do you make hummus from scratch?
How do you thicken hummus?
If , for some reason, you ended up using more liquid than you should have or if you still want a thicker consistency, you can add a bit more tahini. And if you chill the hummus for an hour or so before adding any garnish, that should help as well. My guide for how to make hummus step-by-step. Printable recipe below Another thing you can add to thicken your hummus is 1 or 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt. You can add the Greek yogurt right in the food processor and blend.
What is hummus traditionally eaten with?
People of the Mediterranean, myself included of course, eat hummus with pita bread. And if we’re doing a more modern thing, then maybe pita chips. But there are many ways to serve and enjoy this tasty dip:
As part of mezze alongside other small plates like baba ganoush, tabouli, roasted cauliflower, or pearl couscous salad.To make a Mediterranean dinner bowl like these chicken shawarma bowlsAs a side next to things like kofta kabobs, chicken kabobs or Greek souvlaki, lamb chops, salmon kabobs or even a fun shrimp skillet.For breakfast? Sure! Hummus makes the best savory breakfast toasts or these satisfying breakfast bowls.
Tahini substitutions: what can I use instead of tahini
Let me be clear, if you wan to make the real deal dip using an authentic hummus recipe, you should not substitute tahini for something else. I personally do not. (You can find my favorite organic tahini here at our online shop) However, in a pinch, if you want to turn your chickpeas into a dip, you can get a similar result in consistency, but not in flavor, by using a nut butter such as cashew, almond, or brazil nut butter. Each of these nut butter will give you a different flavor profile. You can also use Greek yogurt, as I indicated earlier. Again, a completely different flavor profile. In the absence of tahini, you can create a chickpea dip, I just would not call it hummus.
Variations
I think plain, authentic hummus reigns supreme, but I do love to play around with fun flavors. Here are a few options you might like:
Layered hummus dipRoasted red pepper hummusAvocado hummusBeet hummusRoasted garlic hummus
Watch the video for this hummus recipe:
See our collection of Mediterranean diet recipes, and for all recipes visit us here. JOIN MY FREE E-MAIL LIST HERE. SHOP OUR ONLINE STORE FOR QUALITY OLIVE OILS, ALL-NATURAL SPICES AND MORE This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2015 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit. Enjoy! 4.9 from 166 reviews
