Hummus: A Favorite Snack
Sometimes I find myself getting stuck in a rut when it comes to after school snacks. My kids come home ravenous and, hey, I often need a snack too. Without resorting to expensive and less healthy store bought snacks, I was brainstorming other options. And, obviously, the result was hummus.
Hummus is such a crowd pleaser because it’s cold, creamy, and versatile. You can pair it with classic dipping foods such as veggie sticks and crackers. You can spread it on a sandwich with feta and greens. Or, my favorite, you can make a giant salad that includes avocado and cheddar and put a big dollop of hummus on top.
Chickpeas are inexpensive, rich in nutrients, help you feel full, and may even help with weight management. I like to make a big batch of hummus (I basically double the recipe featured here) and freeze a cup at a time in smaller containers. The texture doesn’t change at all upon thawing, and this way I can batch cook once and have a month’s supply of hummus in the freezer.
Where’s the Tahini?
Tahini is a paste made from sesame. While it’s not the most common food allergen, it’s nice to have a tahini free hummus for those who may be allergic to sesame. In addition, tahini is not a super common pantry staple for many people. I wanted this recipe to be accessible to try at home, so I left out the tahini.
While hummus made with tahini has a deeper, more earthy flavor, hummus made without it is brighter. The flavors of lemon and garlic are more pronounced, and the smoky paprika sprinkled on top adds some depth.
How to Make Hummus at Home
The hummus you buy in stores is overpriced and often comes with less than healthy vegetable oils. If you make hummus at home using dried chickpeas, you can make a huge batch for a few dollars.
I use dried chickpeas. This requires soaking the chickpeas overnight or for at least eight hours. After cooking them, reserve some cooking water and drain the chickpeas. Combine them in the bowl of a food processor with lemon, garlic, cumin, and salt. While the machine is running, drizzle in the reserved cooking water and some extra virgin olive oil. Serve the hummus in a bowl topped with smoked paprika, flaky sea salt, and additional extra virgin olive oil.
Before You Go…
Check out these other favorites! Thanks for reading, and see you next time,
Rebekah
Tahini Free Hummus
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas soak for 8 hours
- 1 cup reserved chickpea cooking water
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 tsp salt divided
- smoked paprika and flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Soak dried chickpeas in filtered water overnight or at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse. Add to pot with enough filtered water to cover by 2 inches. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer for 40 minutes or until tender. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid and drain the rest.
- Combine cooked chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl of food processor. Run processor while drizzling in reserved chickpea cooking liquid, followed by 1/4 cup of olive oil. Scrape down sides of bowl and finish mixing.
- Garnish hummus with additional olive oil, smoked paprika, and flaky sea salt and serve with your favorite crudites.
