Congrats! You're 5 minutes away from a delicious and healthy snack. This hummus recipe just needs a few pantry staples and makes about 2 cups. You'll be dipping and snacking in no time!
There has been a lone can of chickpeas in my pantry for months. I don't know how it got there--I sure as hell didn't buy it. It just showed up one day like the babadook on the shelf of my canned goods. Look, I'm not a picky eater, but I don't like chickpeas. They're bland, and their texture is similar to navy beans without the rich creaminess. It's a hard pass for me whenever I see them as a featured ingredient in a dish. Unless it's in hummus.
Hummus is one of those things that turn a boring ingredient into something luxurious and different altogether. Maybe it's the tahini, the garlic, or the lemon juice. Whatever it is, it works. This hummus is creamy, spiced, and flavorful. I might even go to the store and buy another can of chickpeas to make it again.
Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas (about 15 oz.)
1/3 cup tahini*
1/4 cup cold water (less, if you like your hummus really thick)
3 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika (optional)
Salt, to taste
Optional garnishes:
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Minced parsley
- Sumac or extra paprika
*Tahini is sesame paste that adds a wonderful creaminess and nuttiness to hummus. You can usually find it in the kosher section of the grocery store. If you don't have tahini, you can sub it with 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Instructions:
Rinse the canned chickpeas thoroughly and drain.
Place all ingredients except the salt into a food processor (see 5 Essential but Overlooked Tools for the Home Cook). Process on high power for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and continue processing for another minute or so. Taste and add salt to your preference. I ended up using about a teaspoon or so of salt.
Garnish to your preference and serve! It's great with crackers, crunchy pretzels, carrots, celery, or as a spread on sandwiches. Or you can do what I did--stick a finger in that shit and eat it straight up.
Just a hummus sapien like you, I guess.
- Arielle