Vegan Basic Recipe for Hummus
We have strong feelings for hummus – and they are (almost without exception) positive. We could take a bath in it, and when I traveled to Tel-Aviv, I didn't want to eat anything else. For the first time, I understood why hummus is the star on the plate and why bread only exists to transfer it from your plate to your mouth. Back in Germany, I couldn't eat store-bought hummus from the supermarket anymore – which is one exception to my otherwise positive feelings about hummus. The premade version from the supermarket always leaves me unsatisfied – it's often not creamy enough, tastes sour-ish, or is over-seasoned. My frustration is only topped by hummus as a thin spread on sandwiches – this almost feels like an insult because hummus is not just "a spread," right? So I either buy hummus at Arabian supermarkets or make it at home.
If I'm in a hurry, I opt for canned chickpeas, but I prefer hummus from dried chickpeas, which need to be soaked and cooked in advance. When they boil, baking soda helps to soften the chickpeas, which makes the hummus incredibly creamy. As for the other ingredients like tahini and lemon juice, I recommend you to not fixate on our recipe too much but follow your taste. Start with only half of the lemon juice first and season to taste later to avoid the hummus getting too sour. Tahini can taste very different depending on which product you have, so also be careful with this – I love the taste of tahini, which is why I tend to add a lot more than in this recipe. Still, you should adjust it according to your taste.
Vegan Basic Recipe for Hummus
Ingredients
For the hummus:
- 700 g (1.5 lbs) cooked chickpeas (or 350 g/12 oz dried chickpeas)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 100 g (3.5 oz) tahini
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
For serving:
- pita bread
- olive oil
- fresh parsley
- sesame seeds
- olives
- tomatoes
- cucumber
Instructions
Preparing hummus, version 1 with dried chickpeas
Rinse dried chickpeas and soak them in a fair amount of cold water overnight.
The next day, drain the chickpeas. Add them to a pot with baking soda and fresh water until they are covered. Let them simmer for approx. 30-60 minutes until the chickpeas are very soft and almost "fall apart." Don't drain the cooking water.
Let the chickpeas cool down within the liquid until they're just lukewarm.
Preparing hummus, version 2 with canned chickpeas
- Add canned chickpeas with all the liquid from the can to a pot. Add baking soda and let the chickpeas simmer over medium heat for approx. 20 minutes. In case they absord all the water while cooking, just add some more. They are ready once they fall apart easily and are very soft. Again, make sure to save the cooking water from the pot.
Making hummus
Squeeze out the juice from a lemon, but only add half of it to a blender – set the remaining juice aside. Peel garlic cloves and add them to the blender along with tahini, cumin, and salt. Blend for approximately one minute or until combined.
Now add the cooked chickpeas and blend again. Add as much of the cooking water as needed until you get a creamy, almost velvety hummus — season to taste once more and add the remaining lemon juice if desired.
Serve fresh hummus with pita bread, olive oil, fresh parsley, sesame seeds, olives, tomatoes, and cucumber.
