homemade hummus advice

andielyn

I made my first batch of homemade hummus last week and it wasn't the best. I used organic salt-free tahini and think that was part of my problem. Any advice or good recipes to share? It didn't help that my blender broke while trying to puree it

WaterBunnie

I'm interested in suggestions here too.

mrsfyredude

In for suggestions too....recently found Aethenos (sp?) spicy three pepper hummus....Yum! I'd like to try and duplicate, just don't know where to start. Yes, I know....buy the chickpeas....okay, so I know where to start but from there....

QueenBishOTUniverse

I made my first batch of homemade hummus last week and it wasn't the best. I used organic salt-free tahini and think that was part of my problem. Any advice or good recipes to share? It didn't help that my blender broke while trying to puree it

Emulsify the tahini in lemon juice and olive oil before you start adding in the chickpeas. Garlic salt, sea salt, cayenne, cumin and paprika all make excellent additions depending on the flavor you're going for.

UmmSqueaky

Did your blender break because the chickpeas were still too hard? I prefer dried over canned - boil the dried chickpeas and reserve the boiling water. That can be used to flavor the hummus. And, for non-salt flavor, add some roasted garlic and lemon juice. If you add less olive oil while making it, you can add some very flavorful, delicious stuff before you eat it for more bang for your buck.

bethlaf

1 LB cooked garbanzos
2T oilve oil
5 cloves minced garlic
1T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1T sesame seeds ( didnt have tahini- its just fine with out it)
1t black pepper

mash with potato masher till is smooshed
then put in food proscessor - add about 1/2 c water to help it blend, sometimes more sometimes less

SuzyLy

I skipped the tahini because at the time I started making my own I couldn't see spending the money on it, but now that I have some, I've got to try it. In the meantime, I've been making my own for years using chick peas, jalapenos, garlic clove, black olives, cumin, roasted red peppers, lime juice and some olive oil. Always use the garlic and any combo or all three of the jalapeno, olives or red peppers. Never made a batch I didn't like. I tried making it recently with dried chickpeas, but didn't cook them long enough. I've been using organic canned chickpeas and use a little of the juice to thin it out , if need be. Happy dipping!!

andielyn

Did your blender break because the chickpeas were still too hard? I prefer dried over canned - boil the dried chickpeas and reserve the boiling water. That can be used to flavor the hummus. And, for non-salt flavor, add some roasted garlic and lemon juice. If you add less olive oil while making it, you can add some very flavorful, delicious stuff before you eat it for more bang for your buck.

No, my blender broke because it was "vintage" No kidding, at least 50 years old and had just seen it's last day. I used dried, pre-soaked and cooked in a pressure cooker. I reserved the water to add back, plus garlic (not roasted), lemon juice and cumin (and salt.) I cooked the beans in garlic and a bay leaf.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I'll give it another go. I didn't know whether or not trying a different kind of tahini would make a difference but given the cost, I'd rather not.

I really like the Sabra brand, especially the roasted garlic variety. I'll give another batch a go with your suggestions. Thanks!

jennifer4567890

Hi there, fairly new poster here but just wanted to throw in my two cents. I have had trouble trying to make hummus in the past as well, usually the chickpeas (I always use canned- so much easier) don't blend and get all caught up in the blades. Anyway, just yesterday I decided to give it another go using more instinct than following a recipe.

Like others said, it is REALLY important to mix the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, tahini first, and THEN slowly mix in the chickpeas to blend. I used a hand-held pulsing blender this time and found it easier to control to mix than when using my big blender. This way you get a smoother consistency. I still found my mix to be waaaay too thick so I added a bit of water to get it thinner and this was good.

Here's what I blended: 2 cloves pressed garlic, 1/3 c tahini, 3-4 tbsp olive oil, juice of half a lemon, around 2-3 tbsp cumin and one can of strained chickpeas, also 1/2 c water.

jennifer4567890

Oh, also wanted to add this which I pinned on Pinterest. I found it useful for future planned batches of hummus I will make!

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/d4/00/42/d40042062b20a166f7194b05e6e5c915.jpg

(sorry if this doesn't work properly! My first time trying to include an image in a forum [newbie])

Pamelab513

This is my recipe for Homemade Hummus.

1 cup whole white sesame seeds
1 cup water
Juice of 3 lemons
3-4 cloves of garlic
1-2 tsp of sea salt, to taste
1 tsp of ground cumin
1 pinch of cayenne pepper

Blend above ingredients in a Vitamix until really smooth and aromatic. It will look slightly grey.

Then add two cans of UNSALTED chickpeas. Add a little more water if you think it needs it. I use the Eden Organic unsalted variety, from the health food store.

This Hummus is SO GOOD it tastes as though you are running off with contraband!!

Notice it has no oil. If you want oil, put a tablespoon or two in for the right "feel."

Yes, I invested in a Vitamix. Your homemade smoothies, hummus, mayonnaise, creams, purees, and soups will never be the same.

It's cheaper than chemotherapy.

;-D

ValeriePlz

The Smitten Kitchen blogger says to remove the skins of the chickpeas before you blend. I think that is too much work, but she says it results in a much smoother hummus. I am with others on the tahini not being critical, although if you are going to use it, I try to go for a Middle Eastern brand.

nimianne

You can always add salt later - so your tahini should be fine. I make mine in the food processor, and I throw everything in at once:

2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can)
1/4 cup tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 tbsp good olive oil
1/4-1/3 cup water (add more at the end if you like it thinner)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2-1tsp salt (to taste)
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
1 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

And we like things hot, so we add:
1-2 tsp tabasco or hot sauce
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper

You can omit or exchange any spices. You could add jarred roasted red peppers and season it with more Mediterranean seasonings.

I even added cooked sweet potato once and it was delicious! Recipe here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4_-5vJFMVk

MapleFlavouredMaiden

Need lots of garlic, lemon and salt. There is nothing wrong with REAL salt.

Also you could try using sesame oil in place of olive or whatever oil you used.

jigsawxyouth

Thank you everyone for posting their go to recipes! I've been talking a hot fuss about making hummus and now I have different recipes to try!

whatthedeuce23

Barefoot Contessa Hummus! or my healthier variation: 1 can no-salt chickpeas, 2T of the liquid from the can, 6T lemon or lime juice, 1T garlic (or more if you like more garlicky) 1/4-1/2 t Frank's red hot (depending on your spice preference) put it in a blender and puree! Refrigerate, I usually make 10-12 servings out of it and it's about 65 cals

motivatedmartha

I had exactly same thing at lunchtime today - blender refused to work so lumpy houmous. My tahini is also salt free - next time I think I'm going to add less tahini and lots of black pepper - poss some lemon juice too. Mine was OK - quite garlicky

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1940690/healthy-homemade-houmous-

mom2mcjc

I usually make a big batch of it at a time. Put a bag of dried chickpeas in the slow cooker with plenty of water and let them go until they're really soft. Drain off most of the water. I don't even use a blender. I just throw it in the kitchen aid mixer with a regular mixing paddle. I add tahini, salt, lemon juice, LOTS of fresh garlic, a bit of cumin, and cayenne to taste. With some good bread and fresh veggies, this is a hearty and inexpensive meal for my family of four. I give away leftovers to my other foodie friends at work.

RomulanWarbird

I make really rad hummus, and my recipe is very similar to nimianne's. The only thing missing is the garlic. I -love- garlic, and when I make a batch I have a little trick.

I pop all the cloves out of a head of garlic, and while they're still in their "paper" I toss them up in some olive oil, then wrap them in aluminum foil and bake them for 30 minutes at 350. When they come out they should be golden, and you can squeeze them. They'll smell a little sweet and the garlic inside the pouch comes out really easy. I add all of that garlic to my batch of hummus.

It's not really overwhelming and it gives the hummus a really yummy roasted garlic flavor. I do the same thing to mashed potatoes. It's worth the extra effort.

Good olive oil is also important, because the cheap stuff tastes like butt!!! Get a small vial of the expensive kind to give it a really good flavor. Sometimes I top my hummus with chopped kalamata olives when I'm feeling fancy. And I don't always add the cumin. Cumin and paprika makes the hummus sort of tex-mexxy.

I'm a hummus geek, sorry!

ketoandbarbell

I've been looking into making some too. Thanks for all the recipes and tips.

snowflake954

bump

Elainejk21

I prefer using Trader's Joe's toasted sesame oil instead of tahini (better cost & flavor) but you'll have to experiment with the quantity, you won't need nearly as much.. I attached an example recipe.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/05/chick-pea-and-roasted-pepper-dip.html

Sometimes I shell the chickpeas for a much smoother consistency as well.

KarenJames23

I don't really like hummus with lots of tahini, so here's the recipe my partner came up with (it's VERY lemony, but we love it!):

2 tsp tahini
Juice of one whole lemon
3-4 tsp of olive oil (or less, if you want; he uses garlic oil which is lovely)
1 tsp cumin
A little salt
Water to thin it to whatever consistency you like

SO good! And pretty good calorie wise. I like to use it as a sandwich spread, really filling and healthy, especially when you add a ruck of veggies in with the sandwich too x

msbeeblebrox

http://ohsheglows.com/2010/12/04/the-hummus-that-changed-everything/
This is my favorite hummus recipe.

superfox12082

I grind my own sesame seeds, which is what tahini is made from. If you have a coffee grinder this is easy. I add the powder to my beans, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil until desired consistency. I don't add salt, but that is my personal preference.

tk2222

This is my recipe - it's Israeli (or Palestinian, as your politics may run) so maybe taste will differ a little the way you might be used to it elsewhere. It looks more involved than it is - it's really not very much work, but it just takes forever.

* Tehini shouldn't have salt in it. The ingredients list on your tehini should read, in it's entirety: sesame.
* I always use dried chickpeas, but I guess it works on the same principle with canned, but skip all the chickpea-preparing steps.

1. Wash your chickpeas. Seriously, they get dusty. Give them a good wash in cold water, pick out any dodgy looking ones.

2. Soak them in cold water, enough to cover them. Change the water after a few hours (it'll get yellowish, you'll want to.)

3. Soak at least 18 hours or so, 24 is good too. If it looks like they've soaked up all the water, add more water. You can speed this up a little by adding a teaspoon or so of drinking soda (or, sometimes I use baking powder) but still leave at least overnight.

4. Put the chickpeas in a big pot with enough water to cover them and then some. I add the garlic - peeled teeth - to the chickpeas at this point. It's also common to add an onion (just a whole onion, peeled of course) to the pot at this point. (Dunno if it really does anything for the flavour, but I've never had the experimental guts to leave it out.)

5. Bring to a boil, and then put the heat very low and leave for about 3-5 hours, until the chickpeas are totally, totally soft, effortlessly squished between fingers. At the beginning of the cooking it'll generate this kind of white foam - gather this up with a spoon and throw it away. During the cooking some of the skins might float up. Some people get rid of them at this point, but it's a fussy procedure and I think they're actually supposed to be good for you. It's mostly a question of texture.

6. Cool the whole thing down, (water, chickpeas, onion and all) and stick in the fridge, overnight or at least until it's totally cold. It'll might be just a little gelatinous. (if you want it hot, skip this step - you get a rather different consistency though.)

7. If you're using canned chickpeas, I guess this is the stage you come in. I think canned chickpeas come pre-cooked.

8. Stick **part** of the chickpeas, garlic and water from the pot in a bowl and mash, or in a blender and blend. Add in lemon juice and tahini gradually, stirring and tasting as you go.

Keep adding in the four ingredients: chickpeas, the water the chickpeas was cooked in, tahini and lemon juice, (and garlic, if you didn't cook it or just want more) until you get a flavour and consistency you like.

Tahini *soaks up water* and gets *less* liquidy as water is added to it, up to a certain point. So if you've added a lot of tahini you're going to need a bit more chickpea-water, etc. A little bit like making dough. It's all about playing with the taste and texture that you want. If you're making a lot, make it in several batches.

9. I usually add in a little salt while i'm doing the mixing, and sometimes cumin. All other spices in hummus (except as toppings) are heresy and that's all I'll say to that. ;-P

10. Wash the pot or it will get really gunky. Throw away the onion.

143tobe

Loving this thread

dklibert

http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2014/03/honey-roasted-garlic-hummus.html

http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2014/02/traditional-hummus.html

http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2013/06/smoky-three-pepper-hummus.html

Wasabi Hummus
source: Soup Spice Everything Nice
Makes 2 cups, Serves 16 (2 Tbsp. serving)

Ingredients

15 oz. can garbanzo beans (drained, reserving liquid)
3 Tbsp. tahini
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
3 tsp. wasabi, or to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced

Directions

Add can of garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, soy sauce, wasabi, garlic and ginger to the food processor. Blend until smooth, adding reserved liquid a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency (about 4 Tbsp.) Serve with veggies, oven baked wontons, or on sandwiches and wraps.

Garnish with wasabi peas, black sesame seeds, pickled ginger or toasted nori snacks.

Nutritional Information per serving*: Calories 54, Total Fat 2 g, Total Carbohydrate 7 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Protein 2 g, Calcium 1 g.

focused4health

"Around 2-3 tbsp cumin...."

Thats a lot of cummin. Hows it taste?:blushing:

focused4health

Me to. Loving it.

zivasak

1 LB cooked garbanzos
2T oilve oil
5 cloves minced garlic
1T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1T sesame seeds ( didnt have tahini- its just fine with out it)
1t black pepper

mash with potato masher till is smooshed
then put in food proscessor - add about 1/2 c water to help it blend, sometimes more sometimes less

This! I like to sprinkle sesame seeds on top
However I add 1t cumin and use sesame oil instead of olive oil!

I skip the tahini too!