Hummus Recipe

Soak

Place 1 cup dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches of cold water. Soak 8–12 hours or overnight.

Cook

Drain and rinse soaked chickpeas. Put in a pot with fresh water to cover by 2 inches and add 0.5 tsp baking soda. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 45–75 minutes until very tender. Reserve 2–4 tablespoons of cooking liquid (aquafaba). Drain and let cool slightly before using.

Prepare garlic and tahini

In a food processor, combine tahini and lemon juice. Process 30–45 seconds until thickened and pale. Add the peeled garlic cloves, ground cumin, and salt; process again until finely ground and incorporated (about 20–30 seconds). Scrape down sides.

Add chickpeas

Add the cooked chickpeas to the food processor. Pulse a few times to break them up (5–10 pulses).

Emulsify and adjust texture

With the processor running, drizzle in 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons cold water (or reserved aquafaba) through the feed tube. Continue processing 1–2 minutes until very smooth. Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed. For an even silkier hummus, process 3–4 minutes, adding up to 2 more tablespoons water or aquafaba to reach desired creaminess.

Taste and season

Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, lemon juice, or cumin as needed. If hummus tastes bitter from tahini, a small pinch of sugar or an additional tablespoon of lemon juice can balance it.

Transfer hummus to a shallow serving bowl, use the back of a spoon to create a shallow well in the center.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over the surface, then sprinkle 0.5 tsp paprika across the top.

Scatter diced cucumber, diced tomato, and thinly sliced red onion over one side of the hummus. Sprinkle chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts if using.

Serve with lemon wedges on the side and warm pita bread, pita chips, or raw vegetables for dipping.

Refrigerate leftover hummus in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days. Stir in a little water or olive oil before serving if it thickens.