I just recently spent some time in Israel on a Culinary Blogging Trip called Taste of Israel and find myself still dreaming about Israel’s Hummus! The hummus we ate in Jerusalem was so smooth and flavorful that I am afraid I will forever be disappointed with mediocre Hummus.
I picked up a few tips from our Israeli friends for making Hummus and was eager to try my hand at it. I played around with a basic Hummus recipe and made changes to it based on what I had learned. I am super happy with it. But…of course will probably still continue to tweak the recipe a bit until I have perfected it.
But really! It is good! And you can’t have hummus without a delicious flat bread, so I made some pita bread to go with it! I will share that recipe later.
PrintHummus Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb bag dry chickpeas
- 1 Tbsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (yes…this is not a mistake)
- 1 cup raw tahini (ground sesame seed)
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- dash salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak chickpeas overnight in a bowl of water and 1 Tbsp of baking soda.
- The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas and put them in a large saucepan.
- Add water until it reaches 1 inch above the chickpeas.
- Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and bring the chickpeas a boil.
- Cook covered over low heat for 2-3 hours until the peas become VERY soft.
- Be patient with this step as undercooked chickpeas will yield a lumpy texture.
- Cool slightly, drain and save some of the cooking liquid.
- Put the chickpeas in a food processor, add 2/3 of the cup of raw tahini and process until almost smooth.
- Add some of the cooking liquid if it is too thick.
- Season with lemon juice, garlic and salt..
- If you want it to be a bit more creamy, add the remaining tahini.
- Now you can add any other spices. I garnished the top of the hummus with a dash of turmeric, paprika and thyme.
Now, I know it seems like a bit of work to soak the chickpeas overnight and then boil them for 2-3 hours with the baking soda, but it is a BIG key in making a great hummus! The next tip is to get a really good raw tahini! Tahini is ground sesame seed. I found mine at Whole Foods but it could be found at most ethnic stores. Now go and make some and let me know what you think!
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I love hummus. I’ve never made my own. I can’t wait to try it! Hummus is yummus! LOL
xoxo
haha! Hummus IS yummus! xo
I can relate! I have made two trips to Israel and I still remember the hummus served with mushrooms. Thanks for the recipe.
You are welcome! I am going to have to try it with mushrooms!
Thank you for the recipe. I am making hummus for my cooking class today for 6 little girls ranging in age from 8 to 13. I am so excited. I LOVE hummus. We are also making couscous. Some of these kids have never even heard of hummus or couscous. I am about to change that! Love your tips.
How fun! What a great idea. I bet the girls love that! What a great thing to teach them! I LOVE couscous too! Hope you had a great time yesterday!
I worked at a Mediterranean restaurant when I was younger, and I could have lived off of the hummus. I can’t wait to try this at home…and what’s great is you know exactly what has gone into it. Thanks for sharing…I’ve been waiting for this since you had originally posted about your experience in Israel :)
You are so sweet! I would have loved to have worked in a Mediterranean restaurant! So many amazing foods and flavors! Hope you love it!
How come baking soda is listed twice in the ingredients list?
nevermind…. i just read through the recipe… I get it ;)
Thanks Jasey! It is a bit confusing. I wasn’t sure how to write it in the ingredient list!
I make my own hummus but I always use canned chick peas. You have inspired me to use dried. My grown sons go crazy when I make hummus, store bought is just not the same. Thanks for your great work!
Terri–I always have had it with the canned chickpeas too. I think doing it this way does make it better. I would love to know what you think and what your boys think too! Thanks for the comment! xo
I’ve been waiting to try this recipe! I love hummus!! Thanks for sharing.
Oh right! I saw that on Instagram! Glad you found that I posted it here! Hope you like it. Let me know what you think if you end up making it!
YUM!! I LOVE hummus!!
You and me both! xo
YUM! Just pinned!!
Thanks my dear! xo
I have been looking for a good hummus recipe recently. I’m a new convert! I think the looks of it has always scared me away from it in the past:-) 2 questions: What do you think about cooking the chickpeas in the crock pot? and Are you going to try making your own tahini sometime? Thanks!
Hello :) Can you tell me approximately how much hummus this recipe makes? And also how long it may keep? Thank you I can’t wait to try it!
Ive recently become a hummus aficionado! Thanks for sharing your recipe. Now, where is your flat bread recipe? Ive looked all over and would love to experience these two recipes together. Please advise.
How about cooking the chick peas in a pressure cooker?