How to make hummus
People spell it hummos, hummus, hommous, or hommos. All of them are correct since it's an English spelling of the Arabic word for "chickpea." Just don't spell it humus...that's something else. No matter how you spell it, hummos is a delicious and healthy chickpea dip/spread that is simple to make. Trader Joe's carries plenty of hummos varieties, even one made with edamame (my favorite is probably the Mediterranean Hummos). It's a breeze to pick it up ready-made, but it's so easy to make your own...and with many things, the one you make fresh at home is often the best!
Hummos is typically made of mashed chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans or ceci beans) flavored with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini. The ingredients are blended into a thick and smooth spread that is very popular across the world. My friend Ariel and I used to make it constantly when I was in grad school in Chicago. Whenever there was a party, we were throwing chickpeas into blenders, making our famous hummos. Our favorite version always contained some cumin. Everyone always asked for our recipe.
When making hummos, aim for letting it sit in the fridge for a few hours or even a day. While it is yummy right away, the additional time gives the flavors time to meld and makes it even more delicious. I serve hummos with pita triangles, pita chips, tortilla chips, in a falafel sandwich and as a dip for just about any vegetable such as carrots, cucumbers, celery, and bell pepper. It's a delicious food and healthy too...chickpeas are full of soluble and insoluble fiber, protein, iron, manganese, and other trace minerals.
Hummos
2 15-oz cans of Organic Garbanzo Beans
1 tsp crushed garlic (1 clove or 1 cube frozen garlic)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sesame tahini
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice (juice of 1/2 large lemon)
1. Drain one of the cans of beans. Add both cans (including the juices of the one can) to a blender or food processor.
2. Add remaining ingredients and puree until the hummos is smooth.
3. For best flavor, put in fridge for a few hours before serving.
Tip: When serving, garnish with pine nuts, a sprinkle of paprika, a drizzle of olive oil, or some chopped parsley. Serve with pita chips, pita bread, or vegetables.
You're right, it does look easy! I've tried so many of the ready-made hummus varieties at TJS: eggplant, roasted garlic, spicy, edamame. It will be fun making variations of this, depending on what I have leftover in the fridge.
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There are lots of great varieties there for inspiration. My sister is currently a big fan of the white bean hummos...
I'm now remembering all the eggplant leftover in my fridge...I think a baba ghanoush recipe might be next!
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i'm on a huge budget and tahini is difficult for me to keep around so sometimes i substitute 2 parts tahini with 1 part peanut butter and 1 part water, with a touch of sesame oil added (i use sesame oil a lot for Asian cooking so it's good to have around and comes in small bottles).
making your own hummos is so cost effective and delicious (you can make about 3 times as much for half the cost at the store and it tastes worlds better). also, if i have leftover hummos, if you add equal parts hummos and lemon juice together, it makes an awesome salad dressing! it's tangy and very lemony, but i love it.
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It's funny, my friend Ariel never liked tahini, so we'd always leave it out. She was a big fan of lots of cumin! I tend to use a bit of both and love it that way.
Great tip on the dressing.
And another nice variation to try out is to blend in a couple of Tbsp plain yogurt for a creamier hummos.
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How funny, I have a recipe that uses sesame oil INSTEAD of tahini. Tahini is actually made of sesame seeds, although the taste is quite different from sesame oil. Although hummos purists might complain, but I've had great results using 1/2 tsp sesame oil and more lemon juice (3 Tbsp per can of garbanzo beans).
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For real authentic Middeteranian experience put more tahini (like 1/2 cup) and garnish with some olive oil, paprika and pine nuts (I also like a little more lemon juice).
Another nutritional fact - hummus spread is a complete protein because of the combination of bean and seed. So it's super healthy and good for you.
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No idea it was this easy. I love hummus!
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One of my favorite quick breakfasts foods is a slice of TJ's sourdough wheat sandwich bread toasted and spread with hummus. Yum!
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I love hummos and I even pack it with my kids' lunches as a dip for baby carrots. They like it!
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This recipe looks really good!
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Hummus is one of my absolute favorite dishes ever! Thanks for the recipe.
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I love hummus!
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Thank you for this recipe. My man really loved this with his tortillas.
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Great post! I’ve been very interested in health for a long time. I didn’t know that How to make hummos
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Thanks for the spelling lesson of hummos and the recipe too.
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Very tasty recipe. I advise to all to prepare it.
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I'll have to admit I am not much of a cook but for hummons I'll make an exception. It's not my first try in cooking hummons, I love this food, thanks for sharing all the tips, I hope this time I'll make it taste as it should.
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Nice recipe , Thanks for sharing I wish I knew this before my husband birthday I could have made that for him
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My favorite hummus uses Trader Joe's white beans (instead of garbanzo beans), oil, vinegar, tahini, Trader Joe's crushed garlic, lemon juice, and some of the Trader Joe's kalamata olives ... just blend and enjoy!!!
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Add some Trader Joe's Kalamata Olives to the mix and you have some MAJOR YUMMAGE.
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does trader joes have tahini? thanks.
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Yes, they do! It's in the refrigerated section right next to hummus. I can never finish the whole container of tahini, so I freeze dollops and store in a Ziploc. That way I can take out a dollop for each batch of hummus I make.
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