FARGO — My son, Giovanni, is finally home for the summer and one of his first food requests was this Classic Homemade Hummus. A staple in Mediterranean cuisine, this savory chickpea spread became a dining hall favorite for Gio this past school year. Nutritious, easy to make and delicious, a batch of hummus can be whipped up in about 10 minutes and is versatile enough to use as a dip, spread or condiment.
Hummus is made with simple, healthy ingredients, including chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), tahini, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, ground cumin, fresh lemon juice and seasoning. Tahini is a thick paste made from ground sesame seeds and it has a lovely, nutty quality and a slight bitterness that is balanced by the lemon juice.
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Tahini lends a touch of supple creaminess to the hummus, and it is an integral part of the flavor profile. You can find it in the specialty foods aisle of most grocery stores and at Asian and international food markets. You will not need an entire jar for this recipe, but tahini has a long shelf life and can be stored at room temperature in a cool dry place, or in the refrigerator or freezer.
Tahini contributes greatly to the overall texture of hummus, and I like to whip it first with the lemon juice before adding any other ingredients. This initial step in the process incorporates extra air into the mixture and transforms the thick tahini paste into a light and airy base for the rest of the ingredients. I use my food processor to quickly whip up a batch of hummus. A liquid blender will also work well.
Once the tahini and lemon juice are combined, I add the garlic, olive oil, cumin and salt and blitz the processor again until they are fully incorporated. For the garlic, I use just one clove and I use a Microplane tool to grate it so that it can blend easily into the mixture but mincing it will also work well.
To ensure a velvety smooth finish, I add the chickpeas in two stages and pulse them well until the hummus appears free of any lumps. I save some of the liquid (known as aquafaba) from the can to help thin out the hummus once it is fully combined, but if you forget to do this you can also use cold water.
Hummus is a perfect summertime dip, as it will stay fresh at room temperature for several hours, and it lasts for up to a week in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to two months. Giovanni likes his hummus as a dip with pita crackers and fresh vegetables, and we also like to use it as a condiment in meat and veggie sandwiches.
Simple, fresh and delicious, this Classic Homemade Hummus is going to be a staple at our house this summer, and I hope you enjoy it, too.
Classic Homemade Hummus
Ingredients:
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- ¼ cup + 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup tahini, well mixed to combine the paste and liquid
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to garnish
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed – save some of the liquid to use in the hummus
Directions: In the bowl of a food processor or liquid blender, cream the lemon juice and tahini together by processing for 1 minute. Scrape around the sides and bottom of the bowl and process again for 1 minute. Add the garlic, olive oil, cumin and salt; blitz for 30 seconds.
Add half of the chickpeas and process for 1 minute. Scrape around the sides and bottom of the bowl again, then add the remaining chickpeas and blitz until the hummus appears mostly smooth, about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. It will be quite thick at this stage. Taste the hummus and add more lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt as desired (the recipe is exactly what I use).
To thin the hummus, turn the food processor on and pour 2 tablespoons of the reserved chickpea liquid (aquafaba), or cold water, through the feed tube. Process for 1 minute or until desired consistency is achieved. The hummus should be smooth, creamy and easily spreadable.
Transfer the hummus to a serving dish and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of paprika, if desired.
To store: The hummus can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 1 week. To freeze, coat the top with a thin layer of olive oil and freeze for up to 3 months.
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