Quick and easy to make, hummus is a satisfying and versatile dip and spread. From classic Israeli Hummus with Paprika and Whole Chickpeas to Roasted Garlic and Caramelized Onion Hummus to vivid pink Beet Hummus, there are plenty of ways to change up the standard recipe and find a new favorite. Chickpeas — and sometimes vegetables — are blended smoothly to transform into appetizers and dips, sandwich or pita spreads, part of a meze, or even a main course served with plenty of varied, colorful, and tasty garnishes. Discover these terrific hummus recipes and more.
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Israeli Hummus with Paprika and Whole Chickpeas
"Hummus is the hardest thing to get right," says legendary hummus maker Mike Solomonov. "It has to be rich, creamy, and mildly nutty." To make his hummus luxuriously smooth, he soaks the chickpeas overnight with baking soda to soften them.
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Beet Hummus
Soft, sweet, and earthy, roasted beets make for a vivid pink dip that's a fun take on hummus. If you're pressed for time, use the pre-roasted beets available in many supermarket produce sections instead of roasting your own.
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Hummus with Tahini and Spicy Chickpeas
Chef Michael Solomonov makes his signature hummus at Zahav with an unusually generous amount of tahini — something that distinguishes the hummus of his native Israel from that of other Middle Eastern countries. He tops the dish with warm chickpeas fried with jalapeño, cumin, and crushed Aleppo pepper.
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Avocado-Hummus Dip
For a new twist on the usual hummus or guacamole, try this delicious mash-up of the two. It's great with crudités, crackers, and corn chips, or as a sandwich spread.
This hummus packs a punch of flavor. You can adjust the intensity by adding more or less roasted garlic to suit your taste.
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Easy Hummus with Tahini
Hummus can do more than cling to a carrot stick. This simple and sublime version adds nutty flavor to potato salad, eggs, and soup, and can be made and refrigerated up to five days in advance.
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Hummus with Whole Wheat Flatbreads
"Kids like hummus," says legendary chef Alice Waters, "and they like to make the little flatbreads and heat them like tortillas. The whole process is irresistible, and the price is practically nonexistent."
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Dinner Hummus with Spiced Chicken and Cauliflower
Flavored with a shawarma-inspired array of spices — cumin, smoked paprika, coriander — and sautéed with plenty of onions, buttery pine nuts, and sweet-tart currants, hummus is transformed into a fully satisfying snack-meal.
The combination of warm portobello mushrooms and poblano peppers is marvelously savory on top of hummus made extra creamy with tahini and olive oil.
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Sweet Potato Hummus
Roasted sweet potato adds just a hint of sweetness to regular hummus. For a touch of heat and flavor complexity, blend in the optional cayenne pepper. This hummus keeps in the fridge for up to a month, so it's easy to keep on hand for all your dipping and spreading needs.
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Roasted Tomato-Basil Hummus
With familiar flavors of a classic pizza sauce, roasted peak-season tomatoes make all the difference in this hummus. Serve alongside warm pita, or spread it over a flatbread with some toppings for a unique spin on your favorite slice.
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Lemony Hummus with Roasted Fennel and Black Olives
What makes this hummus special is the tangy hit of lemon throughout, and how it pairs beautifully with the golden brown roasted fennel and intense flavor of sun-cured black olives.
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Green Lentil Hummus
For his take on this ubiquitous dip, Istanbul's star chef Mehmet Gürs uses earthy green lentils instead of chickpeas but stirs in a little of hummus' classic ingredient — tahini — for nuttiness. He also likes to flavor his hummus with spices like cinnamon, or in this case, cumin.
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Pumpkin Hummus
Canned pumpkin dresses up classic hummus in this quick and easy recipe from Food & Wine Culinary Director at Large Justin Chapple.
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Lima Bean Hummus
The buttery texture of lima beans makes an outstanding smooth and creamy hummus. Serve this up with some vegetables or crackers and you have the perfect party dip.
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Yakitori Morels with Fava Bean Hummus
2006 F&W Best New Chef Mary Dumont's grilled peak-of-spring fresh morel and fiddlehead skewers are delectable atop a canvas of fava bean hummus and crowned with a pungent furikake mix of sesame seeds, bonito, and dulse.
Another cause might be that your lemon is a bit old, causing it to taste more bitter than sour. Lastly, if you've added too much garlic or just happened to used a particularly strong clove, it'll leave the hummus with a very pungent, raw taste.
Next, enhance the blank slate of flavor with a few squeezes of lemon juice, a sprinkling of garlic salt, a turn of freshly cracked pepper, a heavy-handed sprinkle of paprika, and a generous drizzle of your nicest olive oil. Bonus points if you have an herby olive oil on hand with a little color to it.
You might need more tahini, garlic, lemon and/or salt and very likely more chickpea water. Add a bit of each as you need, the recipe explains. "Blitz the hummus until very smooth, a few minutes at least. Don't worry about the hummus being too loose; it will thicken as it sits."
Moore claimed that overdoing it with this dip could lead to gastrointestinal issues, arguing that because hummus is made from chickpeas—a legume that takes a while to break down—eating hummus could cause gastrointestinal inflammation for some individuals.
If your tahini is dry, or if you prefer a thinner sauce, add more water, as needed, to reach your desired consistency. Then, taste and adjust your seasonings. If you prefer a brighter sauce, add more lemon. If it is too bitter, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey.
Spices like paprika, cayenne pepper and sumac all lend a marvelous layer of nuance to a classic hummus dip. Seasoning your hummus with spices is perfect when you want to supercharge your hummus dishes with flavor. This trick also works with making canned soup taste better.
Baking soda: Adding baking soda to the chickpeas helps make the legume easier to digest, softer, and makes them easy to peel. Don't skip this ingredient! Lemon juice: I never suggest using pre-bottled lemon juice, but I especially urge you not to in homemade hummus.
Hummus is very nutritious, but has a high water activity that supports the growth of several microorganisms, including spoilage microorganisms like Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli [6]. In addition, it is susceptible to microbial cross-contamination during preparation and post-processing [3].
Lemon juice contains high levels of Vitamin C, and is an effective natural preservative due to its citric acid content. It also adds tanginess and a light, fresh flavor to hummus.
Hummus is a versatile ingredient and a good source of fiber, along with vitamins and minerals like manganese, copper, folate, and iron. Thanks to its impressive nutrient profile, it may help ease inflammation, promote heart health, and support blood sugar management.
For extra light and fluffy hummus, adding an ice cube to the hummus mixture before blending helps incorporate air into the mixture. Only add an ice cube if you're using a heavy-duty blender or food processor that can handle chopping ice.
You will definitely notice that the hummus is spoiled when you see mold growing on it. The less obvious may be that the hummus offers an unpleasant, off-odor and sour smell. This hummus may also taste sour if you decide to try it. Our recommendation is: when in doubt, always throw the food out.
Dried chickpeas provide better flavor than canned. Overcooking the chickpeas in water with baking soda makes them easier to blend. Puréeing the chickpeas while they're still hot lets you use a blender instead of a food processor for smoother texture.
You may be using poor quality olive oil, compared to what they use in restaurants. You might be using a different variety of cumin. I have noticed a difference between Indian cumin and the cumin you usually get in typical western grocery stores. You might not be using enough oil.
“You can add lemon juice to reduce the pH and add preservatives, but these usually only extend the shelf life for a couple of weeks in chilled storage. As an alternative, you can pasteurize the hummus and this can extend the shelf life to up to 6 weeks in chilled storage.
While opened and homemade hummus can last up to seven days, it does not mean it will. You will definitely notice that the hummus is spoiled when you see mold growing on it. The less obvious may be that the hummus offers an unpleasant, off-odor and sour smell. This hummus may also taste sour if you decide to try it.
By using freshly cooked chickpeas, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and top-notch tahini, you're guaranteed a hummus that bursts with flavor. On the other hand, store-bought hummus, while convenient, often lacks the same level of freshness.
Introduction: My name is Velia Krajcik, I am a handsome, clean, lucky, gleaming, magnificent, proud, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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