- Prep time10 mins
- Cook time0 mins (with canned chickpeas)
- Servings6
- DifficultyEasy
- CategoryMiddle Eastern
Silky hummus has three secrets, and none of them is a fancy blender. First, overcook the chickpeas until they are falling apart — mushy chickpeas blend smooth, firm ones never do. Second, whip the tahini with lemon juice first until it turns pale and fluffy. Third, ice water, added a spoonful at a time, which emulsifies everything into something unbelievably light.
Ingredients
- 1 can (400 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed — or 1 1/2 cups home-cooked, very soft
- 1/3 cup (80 g) good tahini, well stirred
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 to 5 tbsp ice water
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
- Paprika and whole chickpeas, to garnish
Method
- If using canned chickpeas, simmer them 15 minutes until very soft and the skins loosen; drain. (Skip if already mushy-soft.)
- Blend the tahini, lemon juice and garlic for 1 minute until pale, thick and fluffy.
- Add the chickpeas, cumin and salt; blend 2 minutes, scraping down once.
- With the blender running, drizzle in ice water a tablespoon at a time until the hummus is impossibly smooth and light.
- Blend in the olive oil last. Taste and adjust lemon and salt.
- Swirl into a bowl with the back of a spoon, drizzle with olive oil, dust with paprika and serve with warm pita.
Tips for success
- Overcooked chickpeas are the whole game — when in doubt, cook them 5 minutes longer.
- Good tahini (runny, nutty, not bitter) matters more than any other ingredient.
- Hummus thickens as it sits; thin with a little ice water when serving leftovers.
Watch video tutorial
Prefer to watch it being made? This from The Recipe Bandit walkthrough covers the same hummus step by step — the spoken narration doubles as an audio tutorial.