In Dubai, May 13th is a time for celebration: it's national hummus day! In fact, this delicious dip is celebrated around the world with deep appreciation. Hummus is versatile and contains a very simple base of chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, and spices. Hummus can be found on the ends of sliced veggies, on toast at breakfast, or even in pasta.
There was a time in my life where a good portion of my weekly budget was dedicated to hummus. In order to reduce my hummus-filled expenses, I decided to start making my own from scratch. This recipe also is free from many of the pressed oils found in store-bought hummus, thus making it a healthier alternative for anyone who isn't looking to compromise on flavor. You can either used canned, drained, and rinsed chickpeas or dry (and cooked) chickpeas.
Don't throw away that "chickpea juice!"
You might be wondering what the tuna-smelling, brining liquid found in a can of chickpeas is. That's aquafaba! It can be used as an egg-replacer in many vegan dishes (vegan meringues, anyone?). It can be used in many dishes like waffles, pancakes, or mayo. Simply substitute 1 tbsp. for an egg yolk, 2 tbsp. for egg whites, and 3 tbsp. for a whole egg.
Where does hummus come from?
The exact origins of hummus are contested; the Lebanese, Palestinians, Egyptians, Syrians, Arabs, and Greeks have all tried to stake their claim on its creation. Evidence points to the first instances of hummus occurring in Egypt in the 13th century. But, this recipe for mashed cold chickpeas with vinegar, pickled lemons, and spices might not resemble the soft, pillowy goodness of hummus as we know today. It's probably because they didn't have high speed blenders back then!
Check out this Spoon article for more about where hummus comes from and its history!
Savory or Sweet: You Decide!
Here are some recipe variations that you can make to develop the perfect, dreamy hummus concoction.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Hummus: Instead of salt, pepper, and onion powder, add 1/3 cup of peanut butter and blend. Fold in a handful or two of your favorite chocolate chips. Enjoy by the spoonful or with fruit slices.
Brownie Hummus: Add 2 tbsp. of cocoa powder, 2 tbsp. of almond butter, and 2 tbsp. of maple syrup to the blender with the chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice.
Garlic Hummus: Add 3-4 cloves of garlic to the blender with a dash of salt, pepper, and onion powder. We want to taste the garlic, after all!
Funfetti Cookie Hummus: Add 2 tbsp. of maple syrup, 2 tsp. of vanilla extract, and a handful of your favorite sprinkles!
Avocado-Hummus: Instead of adding the water to the recipe immediately after the chickpeas and spices, add chunks of avocado to the blender and pulse until smooth. For an extra kick, add some of your favorite hot sauce!
Everything But the Bagel Hummus: Get creative with some of your favorite spices! You can add fennel, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, and more to this recipe. Or, of course, just sprinkle a little of Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Seasoning before you serve it.
DIY Homemade Customizable Hummus
- Prep Time:5 mins
- Cook Time:10 mins
- Total Time:15 mins
- Servings:5
- Easy
- 30oz 2 standard cans chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup chickpea water from post-boil
- 1 tbsp. tahini
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
Ingredients
-
Step 1
Bring a pot of water to rapid boil. Add chickpeas to water and let boil for 10-15 minutes, or until soft. The chickpeas will start "shedding" their exterior once they are finished cooking.
Sara Klimek -
Step 2
Meanwhile, add tahini and lemon juice to a high-speed blender. If you're going for a savory hummus (like I did), add a sprinkle salt, ground pepper, and onion powder to blender. If you want to try one of the more adventurous add-ins, pour them in here!
Sara Klimek -
Step 3
Add chickpeas to blender and pulse until incorporated. Slowly add water to the blender (in 3 parts) to achieve the desired consistency. You want the hummus to resemble mashed potatoes, without any chunks of chickpeas inside of it.
Sara Klimek