This is the creamiest, most flavourful version of hummus, ever. You’ve probably made a version of hummus before, but don’t pass this recipe by—it has some game-changing tricks that your old standby probably doesn’t have!
Hummus is the perfect snack: a high-protein dip for veggie sticks, or a satisfying sandwich filling. If you’re aiming to include more low glycemic index items, look no further than this hummus: it’s packed with flavour and anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet ingredients. In addition to legumes, healthy monounsaturated fat-rich olive oil, calcium-dense ground sesame seeds (tahini), anti-microbial garlic, and alkalinizing fresh lemon juice make this hummus a healthy hero! If you don’t have smoked paprika on hand you can use regular, but I love the extra layer of flavour the smoked version lends here.
Go organic!
With the recent revelations on the glyphosate levels in many grains and pulses, like chickpeas, it’s more important than ever to make sure that, where possible, you choose organic, pesticide-free foods.
Ingredients
- 1½ c cooked organic chickpeas, or 1 (398ml/15 oz) can, rinsed and drained
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ c tahini
- 4 Tbsp ice water, as needed
- ¼-½ tsp smoked paprika (to taste)
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1-2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- garnishes: drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of ground sumac or smoked paprika.
Instructions
Chickpea prep
If you are making your chickpeas from dry, add baking soda to the cooking water. If you’re using canned, drain and rinse chickpeas then place in a medium saucepan, cover with a few inches of water and add baking soda. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and continue to cook for about 20 minutes, or until some of the chickpeas have some skin falling off. Once done, drain in colander and run cool water over them for about 30 seconds.
For the hummus
- In a food processor or high-powered blender combine lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Blend until garlic is very finely chopped, then let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes while you measure out the other ingredients. This allows the garlic flavour to mellow out a bit.
- Add tahini and blend, scraping down the sides as necessary until mixture is thick and well-combined.
- With food processor on, add in a few tablespoons of ice water. Pause to scrape down sides and repeat until mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add cumin, smoked paprika, and (finally!!) chickpeas to the food processor. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until the mixture is smooth, adding more ice water as necessary to get that creamy texture.
- Taste and adjust as necessary. Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl and top with garnishes of your choice. Enjoy!
