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    Cooking Gorgeous » Traditional Turkish Dishes

    Easy Authentic Hummus Recipe

    Published: Jan 4, 2021 · Modified: Mar 23, 2022 by Ayla Clulee · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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.

    authentic hummus with chickpeas
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • Ingredients and Substitutes
    • How to Make Authentic Hummus?
    • Related Recipes
    • Top Tip From the Chef
    • Easy Authentic Hummus Recipe

    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.

    turkish hummus with pastirma
    Hummus served with Pastirma (air-dried cured beef) is a traditional meze in Turkey.

    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

    ingredients for easy authentic hummus
    • 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.
    cooked chickpeas to make hummus
    • 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.
    blitz the garlic, lemon juice and salt
    add chickpeas, tahini and cumin
    blitz until smooth

    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:

    • Mediterranean Whipped Feta Dip
    • Yoghurt Dip (Haydari)
    • Chilli Jam
    • Saksuka (Turkish Aubergine Mezze)
    • Barbunya (Turkish Style Borlotti Beans)
    • Piyaz (Turkish Bean Salad)
    • Cacik (Turkish Yoghurt with Cucumbers)
    What to eat hummus with?

    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.

    What is tahini?

    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.

    Can you freeze hummus?

    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!

    authentic hummus served with crudités

    Easy Authentic Hummus Recipe

    Ayla Clulee
    This delicious Mediterranean dip / mezze made with chickpeas, tahini and olive oil is best when served with warm pita bread.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 230 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 kitchen scale
    • 1 Thermomix TM5
    • 1 Measuring Spoons
    • 1 6-Piece Plastic Measuring Cups

    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

    Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 7gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 295mgPotassium: 226mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 27IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingorgeous or tag #cookingorgeous!

    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.

    This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

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    Comments

    1. Ayla

      August 03, 2021 at 3:29 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious

      Reply

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    Hi! Thank you for visiting Cooking Gorgeous. My name is Ayla, and I’m a professional chef based in the UK. The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy. To me, food is more than ingredients and nutrition; it is a language of love, a way of expressing compassion.

    More about me →

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