Drain and rinse the canned garbanzo beans thoroughly. If you prefer a silkier texture, reserve 2–3 tablespoons of the can liquid (aquafaba) instead of water to adjust texture later.

Peel the garlic cloves. Measure out tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper.

Blend the Spread

Initial processing

Place the rinsed garbanzo beans, peeled garlic cloves, tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ground cumin, kosher salt and black pepper into a food processor or high-speed blender.

Puree

Process on high until the mixture is mostly smooth, pausing to scrape down the bowl with a spatula as needed (about 1–2 minutes total). Mixture will be thick at this stage.

Adjust texture

With the machine running, stream in up to 2 tablespoons cold water or reserved aquafaba to loosen the spread to your desired consistency. If needed, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and process another 20–30 seconds until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust salt, lemon juice or cumin as desired.

Finish & Serve

Transfer the garlic garbanzo bean spread to a serving bowl. Create a shallow well in the center with the back of a spoon and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon extra olive oil into it.

Sprinkle smoked paprika over the top and scatter the chopped fresh parsley. Serve with pita bread, crackers, raw vegetables or use as a sandwich spread.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. Stir before serving; add a splash of water or olive oil if it becomes too thick.