Hummus: it’s a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine because it’s simple and delicious. It’s also become super popular in the Western world because it pairs so well with so many foods, and as such it’s available everywhere. Do you remember those little packs of cheese and crackers you got in your lunch as a kid? You can buy those but with hummus, now.
There’s problems with buying store-bought hummus, though. It can be expensive, especially if you like to go organic. It creates tons of needless packaging, much more so if you buy it as single-serving snacks. And it can have any number of preservatives and who knows what else!
Making hummus is SO EASY – it only uses a handful of ingredients you probably already have at home. And because it’s so simple, you can tinker with this basic recipe to make it truly your own. I’ve heard of adding a few drops of soy sauce to give it a kick of umami, or a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg to give it a unique and subtly complex flavor. Pine nuts, olives and roasted red peppers are also traditional mix-ins.
You’re spending less and getting rid of excess preservatives and packaging, too. If you like to wash and save plastic tubs and jars to reuse, you can put your new, homemade hummus into the old plastic tubs you used to buy it in!
For best results, I make my hummus in a simple food processor.
What You’ll Need:
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups (250 grams) cooked chickpeas*
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1/4 cup (60 ml) well-stirred tahini**
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) water
*Using dried chickpeas is easy if you have an Instant Pot or other brand of digital  quick-pressure cooker. It’s also less expensive as you can buy them in bulk, and dried chickpeas store well.
**you can substitute tahini with additional olive oil or unsweetened creamy natural peanut butter. And instead of store bought tahini you can also refer to our simple recipe for 100% homemade hummus!
How To Make It
If you’re using tahini or peanut butter, add these to the food processor with your lemon juice first. Run this for a minute to get a really thick, smooth paste. In fact, after you add each ingredient, running the processor for a minute at a time will make sure you have a well-blended, smooth and creamy hummus.
After you’ve added the rest of your ingredients, add the cold water. Drip it in over the course of a minute while the processor is still on. This will make your hummus incredibly smooth, fluffy and creamy!
Drizzle some more olive oil on top before serving. You can also sprinkle on some paprika, or get creative with red pepper flakes or some roasted garlic. Serve with fresh cut veggies, pita bread/chips, or even spread it on a wrap.