How to make the best, easiest hummus
The secret? A higher-than-you-think tahini-to-chickpea ratio
CHICKPEAS ARE IN MY HAIR, lemon rinds are on the floor, and tahini paste is flung on the ceiling. I spoon my creation into a rinsed-out to-go container and drizzle some olive oil on top.
“Look! Hummus!” I say to my roommates as I pass tortilla chips.
OK, so the hummus is a little lumpy, no doubt because I made it in a plastic zip-top bag. I’m still beaming with pride. My new-found ability to turn canned chickpeas into my favourite food will serve me well for years to come, cutting my grocery bills in half given my hummus-centric diet.
When I was living in my first apartment, buying packaged hummus was a luxury I couldn’t really afford. A food processor was laughably out of my budget.
This was back in the day, when you needed to visit a gourmet shop to find prepared hummus; it would be a few years before hummus commanded its own supermarket aisle. But even now, it’s dramatically cheaper to make your own, and the result is so much tastier. I still advise the food processor-less among us to smash the chickpeas to a paste inside a plastic bag, then squeeze it into a bowl and stir in the other ingredients. (Just make sure that bag is really sealed before you start.)
You probably think of hummus as a go-to snack, lunch or appetizer. Pro tip: It also makes a satisfying dinner. I make at least a full quart of hummus every week, and it vanishes, mainly because I serve it as part of an entrée. I’ve come to think of it as another starchy, flexible base for flavourful toppings, much like mashed potatoes or polenta. Trust me on this.
A quart of hummus sounds like a lot, but when you make it yourself, you eat more of it because it tastes better than store-bought. A lack of preservatives is one reason fromscratch hummus is so different. Typical ingredients in the packaged stuff, such as citric acid and potassium sorbate, give hummus a long storage life but contribute artificial sour notes that don’t even suggest the fresh lemon flavour that’s supposed to be there. And no brand of hummus I’ve ever tasted has enough tahini, an ingredient equal in importance to the chickpeas, to make for a truly luxurious spread. The best hummus has a higher-than-you-think tahini-tochickpea ratio.
Here are my guidelines for making the best hummus and getting the most out of it:
Start with canned chickpeas
As with most home cooking, the quality of your finished product starts with the quality of the ingredients. You might think that means I’m going to tell you to cook your own chickpeas from dried, but that isn’t worth the effort. Depending on their age, dried chickpeas can be hard to cook evenly. They can overcook, absorbing too much water and yielding an overly loose hummus. And if some chickpeas in your batch don’t cook enough, you might be left with a gritty final product.
In this case, the easy way is also the better way: buy canned chickpeas. But not all canned chickpeas are equal. Whatever brand you buy, skip the salt-free versions. They are also taste-free and will yield a bland, spiritually inert hummus nobody wants to eat.
Choose good tahini
It can range from delicious to wholly unpalatable. Any tahini that smells fresh and tastes rich and clean with just the slightest edge of pleasant bitterness will do the trick. A good rule: don’t put tahini you wouldn’t enjoy spooning directly into your mouth into your hummus.
Think about toppings
Once you have your own homemade hummus waiting for you, you can turn your attention to topping it with hearty, simply prepared ingredients that make it dinner-worthy. It doesn’t have to be complicated. One of the best and easiest ways is to top your hummus generously with whole canned chickpeas, a swirl of olive oil, and a sprinkle of paprika or za’atar. A simple chopped salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and parsley is another appealing option, especially in summer when those things are all over the farmers’ market or even in your garden. Leftover smoked or braised meats work well as toppings, too.
In the absence of hummus-friendly leftovers, it’s worth the time to spend a few minutes cooking up a topping. I like to combine something cooked, dense and earthy, such as meat or mushrooms, with something lighter, maybe a juicy vegetable such as tomatoes or cucumbers. And, of course, spices, herbs and a bright pop of acidity from pickles, hot sauce or vinegar. A final flourish that adds crunch — nuts, seeds or a raw veggie such as radish — can take it over the top.
Don’t be afraid to break the mould
I know hummus purists will be scandalized, but I sometimes stray from the classic chickpea version. Vibrant pink beet hummus is a scenestealer in a party situation. As summer moves into fall, I like to sub in roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash or puréed pumpkin for the beets. I know, I know: the word “hummus” means chickpeas. But guess what? The hummus police have not come to handcuff me yet.
Consider the dippers
Before you run to your kitchen to whip up your own homemade hummus in 10 minutes flat, ask yourself: what will you eat it with? A well-topped hummus is a dish I sometimes eat with a spoon, but usually I’m scooping it up with wedges of whole-wheat pita or other flatbread. Spreading it thick, with or without toppings, on a toasted or grilled slice of bread makes for a filling and Instagrammable open-face sandwich. In my most healthconscious moments, I use sturdy triangles of green or purple cabbage as dippers. I can only say that this tastes a lot better than it sounds. Give it a try.
Use every bit
And finally, when you have just a few spoonfuls of hummus left at the bottom of your container, I encourage you to whisk the remnants into a homemade or bottled vinaigrette to toss with salad. Just a little hummus thickens the dressing, making it lush without dairy, and proves that a big batch of homemade hummus is good to the last drop.
Speedy Homemade Hummus
Making a well-whipped tahini sauce in the food processor before you add the chickpeas makes for a lighter-textured hummus. Even when you are in a hurry, let the hummus purée for the full three minutes for best results.
Another tip: Tahini can be messy to measure. Let it come to room temperature first, and precoat the inside of your measuring cup with a drop of oil or a little cooking oil spray.
It is best served at room temperature; if you’re in a hurry, microwave chilled hummus in 10-second intervals, stirring each time.
The hummus can be refrigerated for up to one week.
Makes 16 servings (about 4 cups)
1 clove garlic 3⁄4 cup water 3⁄4 cup tahini 1⁄4 cup lemon juice (from 1 lemon) 1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
Two 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Pulse the garlic in a food processor until it is minced.
Add the water, tahini, lemon juice, salt and cumin and purée for about one minute, until the mixture becomes light-textured and smooth. (It should be pourable, not pasty.) Add the drained/rinsed chickpeas; purée for about three minutes, until
very smooth.
Serve or store in an airtight container, for up to one week. Based on 1/4-cup servings; 16 servings
per container: 140 calories; 7 grams fat (1 g saturated fat); 270 milligrams sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 4 g fibre; 2 g sugar; 6 g protein. From food writer Joy Manning.
No Food Processor Hummus
Here’s the low-tech, more-textured version of Joy Manning’s Quickie Homemade Hummus, which calls for crushing the chickpeas a large (gallon-size) zip-top bag.
To double the recipe, she recommends doing a second batch in the same bag.
Manning likes to use Goya brand canned chickpeas (not low-sodium) for this recipe; according to the magazine Today’s Dietitian, rinsing and draining them reduces the amount of sodium by 41 per cent.
Another tip from the author: tahini can be messy to measure. Let it come to room temperature first, and precoat the inside of your measuring cup with a drop of oil or a little cooking oil spray.
Make ahead: The hummus can be refrigerated for up to one week.
Makes 8 servings (a scant 2 cups)
One 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (not low-sodium) 6 tablespoons tahini
6 tbsp water
2 tbsp lemon juice (from 1⁄2 lemon)
1 small clove garlic, run through a garlic press 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1⁄4 tsp ground cumin
Place the drained/rinsed chickpeas in a gallon-size zip-top bag and seal, arranging them in a single layer. Use a rolling pin to press down on the chickpeas to mash them. Roll the rolling pin over the bag to purée the chickpeas as much as you can.
Whisk together the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cumin in a large liquid measuring cup or mixing bowl, until smooth.
Turn the chickpea bag inside out over the cup or bowl, using a spatula or table knife to scrape out its contents. Stir until smooth.
Serve, or cover and refrigerate for up to five days. Per serving: 140 calories, 6 grams protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 270 milligrams sodium, 5 g dietary fibre, 2 g sugar From food writer Joy Manning.
Beet Hummus
This balances vibrant sweet pink and earthy hummus flavours. variation Its eye-catching colour perks up a snack spread for friends or an otherwise boring packed lunch.
Make ahead: This tastes even better after a day’s refrigeration, and it can be refrigerated for up to one week.
Makes 14 servings (3½ cups)
1 1⁄2 pounds beets, scrubbed well 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp water
3⁄4 cup tahini
4 cloves garlic
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1⁄4 cup lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet, then arrange the beets on it. Drizzle them with a tablespoon of the oil and the water. Seal them tightly in the foil; roast (middle rack) for about one hour, until completely tender. Let cool, peel and chop.
Combine the chopped beets, tahini, garlic, salt, lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a food processor; purée until smooth.
Serve at room temperature, or chilled.
Per serving: 120 calories, 3 grams protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 300 milligrams sodium, 2 g dietary fibre, 3 g sugar From food writer Joy Manning.
Hummus with Spiced Lamb, Scallions and Dill
Lamb’s robust flavour stands up well to a base of hummus and a flurry of fresh dill, but beef is great in this recipe, too. The mixture also makes for a good filling for a pita sandwich — with or without hummus.
Serve with whole-wheat pita wedges.
Make ahead: The hummus can be made up to one week in advance.
Makes 2 to 4 servings
4 ounces ground lamb (may substitute lean ground beef )
2 scallions (white and green parts), minced 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1⁄4 tsp ground coriander 1⁄4 tsp salt, or more as needed 1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1⁄2 cup diced cucumber (peeled or unpeeled)
2 tsp white wine vinegar
About 2 cups Speedy Homemade Hummus or No Food Processor Hummus (see related recipes) 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, toasted (see NOTE)
1 tbsp minced fresh dill
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Combine the ground lamb, scallions, cinnamon, coriander, salt and pepper in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook for about five minutes, breaking up the meat, until no trace of pink is left. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the cucumber and white wine vinegar. Taste, and add more salt, as needed.
Spread the hummus on a platter, then top with the spiced meat mixture. Scatter the almonds, dill and red pepper flakes over the top and serve.
Note: Toast the nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat for several minutes until fragrant and lightly browned, shaking the pan to avoid scorching. Cool completely before using. Per serving (based on 4, using Speedy Homemade Hummus): 380 calories, 17 grams protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 22 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 9 g dietary fibre, 5 g sugar