Hummus Recipe

Prepare chickpeas

Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas thoroughly. If you want an extra-silky hummus, remove skins by gently rubbing chickpeas between your fingers or between two towels and discard the loosened skins (optional; about 5–10 minutes).

Blend chickpeas

Place the chickpeas in a food processor. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 2 tablespoons reserved chickpea liquid (aquafaba) or cold water. Process until the mixture becomes broken down and somewhat creamy, about 1–2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Make tahini-lemon-garlic emulsion

In a small bowl or in the food processor bowl, combine 1/2 cup tahini, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 2 peeled garlic cloves. Whisk or pulse until it thickens into a pale, creamy emulsion, about 30–45 seconds. If it becomes too thick, add 1 tablespoon water or aquafaba to loosen slightly.

Combine tahini with chickpeas

Add the tahini-lemon-garlic mixture to the food processor with the partially processed chickpeas. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Process on medium-high, pausing to scrape down the bowl, until very smooth, about 2–3 minutes. If the hummus is too thick or grainy, add additional aquafaba or water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a creamy, spreadable consistency (total added liquid about 2–4 tablespoons). Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or garlic as desired.

Spoon the hummus into a shallow serving bowl, using the back of the spoon to create a small well in the center.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over the top, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika and 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley if using.

Serve immediately with warm pita bread or pita chips. Leftover hummus can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.