Hummus is a traditional Middle Eastern dip that became very popular in Western cultures over the last few decades. It's made with chickpeas and tahini, then seasoned with lemon, garlic and cumin. Once you try this incredibly delicious yet simple authentic hummus recipe, you will never want to buy a pre-packed hummus from the supermarket.
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Every culture has its own hummus recipe and different ways of serving this delicious dip. While some cultures serve hummus as an appetizer, some serve it as a warm dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
In Turkey, hummus is mainly considered as mezze and is usually served with “pastirma” (air-dried Turkish cured beef). If you can get your hands on pastirma from your local Turkish market, or even better, if you are in Turkey, I highly recommend you try this amazing combination.
Why This Recipe Works?
- It is very easy to make this delicious dip with step-by-step instructions and pictures.
- You can serve it as a dip or use it as a spread to make wraps & sandwiches.
- You can add flavourings such as roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes or roasted garlic.
- It’s nutty and tangy, thanks to the tahini and fresh lemon juice.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Chickpeas - They are the base for the hummus. You can use canned or dried chickpeas.
- Tahini - It is a paste made from sesame seeds. Always make sure to use good quality tahini and give it a good stir before using it as the oil accumulates on top of the sesame paste in time.
- Olive oil - It gives a smooth texture to hummus. I use extra virgin olive oil and also drizzle a little on top for garnish.
- Lemon juice - I always use lemon juice squeezed from fresh lemons instead of bottled lemon juice for a fresher and delicious taste.
- Garlic - Using the garlic from the bulb instead of pre-peeled garlic improves the taste. Adjust the amount to your taste.
- Cumin - It is a great ingredient that adds a bit of spice to hummus. You can omit it if you don't like the taste.
- Ice cubes - Adding ice cubes gives the hummus a fluffier and softer texture. Use a few drops of ice-cold water instead if you don’t have ice cubes, or if you don't have a powerful food processor.
How to Make Authentic Hummus?
Although this is a very simple recipe, you need to follow a few simple steps to achieve the best results:
- Prepare the chickpeas - If you have time, you can cook dried chickpeas beforehand, preferably with a good quality pressure cooker. You need to soak the chickpeas overnight before cooking them and then cook them until very soft. When using canned chickpeas, drain the water and then place the chickpeas in a saucepan with some fresh water and ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. Cook them for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are almost mushy. When cooked, drain and then put them under cold running water.
- Blitz - Blitz the garlic with lemon juice and salt in your food processor, let it rest for 10 minutes to lose the garlic's harsh taste. In meanwhile, try to discard as much skin from the chickpeas as you can for a creamy & smooth hummus texture. Add tahini paste, chickpeas, cumin powder, ice cubes or some cold water and then start blitzing while slowly adding the olive oil, until the mixture gets smooth & creamy.
You can garnish your hummus using olive oil, whole chickpeas, cumin powder, paprika, chilli flakes, sumac, pomegranate seeds, sesame seeds.
Related Recipes
For more delicious dips&mezze recipes why not try:
When you serve and garnish the hummus, your options are unlimited. You can serve it as a starter with lots of crispy pastirma and some fresh green herbs.
You can serve it with my Homemade Pita Bread or Garlic Naan Bread as well as some colourful crudités (sliced vegetables)as a dip.
You can use it as a spread to make wraps or sandwiches.
Tahini is a paste made from toasted sesame seeds and widely used in Turkish, Middle Eastern and North African cuisine. It is a major ingredient in hummus, baba ghanoush and halva.
You can freeze hummus in an airtight container and keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure you don't fill the container to its full capacity as hummus expands a little as it freezes.
Top Tip From the Chef
If the consistency of your hummus is too thin, add some more tahini to thicken it. If it is too thick, gradually add a few drops of ice-cold water until you achieve the desired texture.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this Authentic Hummus as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Easy Authentic Hummus Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 240 g cooked chickpeas (one can)
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 120 g tahini paste
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 3 ice cubes or cold water
Instructions
- Drain the chickpeas and put them in a pan.
- Cover with fresh water and add bicarbonate of soda.
- Cook for 15 minutes or until they get really soft and mushy.
- Drain and peel the skin under cold running water.
- Blitz the garlic, salt and lemon juice in a food processor and leave for 5 minutes (that will help to mellow the garlic).
- Add tahini paste, chickpeas, cumin powder, ice cubes or some cold water and start blitzing while slowly adding the olive oil, until the mixture gets creamy.
- Add a few drops of ice-cold water if the mixture is too thick.
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Did you make this recipe?
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Ayla
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