Easy Creamy Classic Hummus Recipe (With Tips & Variations!)
Eating a Mediterranean diet is not only healthy, but delicious. One dish in particular is usually a fan favorite when it comes to Greek cuisine: hummus. There are many varieties out there, but you can tell the quality of a restaurant’s food pretty much by how good the classic hummus is.
For a few years now, I’ve been trying to come up with a good basic hummus recipe. After doing some research online, I found out that Bon Appetit magazine named Chef Michael Solomonov’s hummus their 2015 “Dish of the Year.”
The secret?
Boiling the chickpeas in baking soda to soften them to achieve a smooth, creamy texture.
You'll also want to choose the right tahini to get the best taste. Get a high quality brand, as this will greatly affect the flavor of your hummus.
I have tried many brands of tahini and the one our taste buds like the best is Mighty Sesame Co.’s tahini. It is available at Whole Foods, Walmart, and on Amazon.
This Classic Hummus Recipe is a basic recipe that can be adjusted to tantalize your taste buds any way you want. Just add your fave flave to this original recipe, such as roasted red bell peppers or extra garlic. One of our versions is a kalamata olive hummus—the perfect tapenade to add to a salad or pair with veggies and pita. For a protein-packed vegan salad that uses hummus, check out this Epic Salad recipe.
ingredients:
Time: 20 minutes prep, plus 30 minutes boiling time
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed well
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1 medium-large clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 C tahini
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2T cold water
1T olive oil
instructions:
Place drained, well-rinsed chickpeas in a pan, adding the baking soda and enough water to cover plus 2”. Boil on high for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Meanwhile, place lemon juice, salt, and chopped garlic in a bowl to allow the garlic to mellow.
Place the boiled chickpeas, lemon juice mixture, tahini, and cumin in a food processor. Puree for one minute. Scrape the sides. Puree again for one minute adding in two tablespoons of cold water. Scrape the sides. Puree again for one minute adding in one tablespoon of olive oil.
Scrape the hummus into a serving dish and garnish with paprika and parsley. Serve with pita bread along with veggies or add to your Epic Salad.
