After making a huge batch of homemade hummus yesterday, I can boldly make that statement.

I’m a huge hummus fan, and I’ve tried multiple times in the past to achieve the restaurant-style creaminess that I adore. I’ve made homemade versions from canned chickpeas and I’ve whipped up batches from scratch with dried ones. Not one of my previous attempts have come close to the texture of this hummus…You might think I’m exaggerating but no, seriously, you’ve gotta give this a try.

I ran across Sonia’s recipe and tips at The Healthy Foodie, and I couldn’t wait to make my own! Sonia hit the nail on the head with her description as “unbelievably good, light, velvety and creamy” – yep, that about sums it up 🙂

I found out that this makes A TON, so feel free to cut it in half and you will still have a huge appetizer portion. I can’t tell you exactly how much it made though…I kept dipping my spoon (and fingers) into the Vitamix – you know, for taste-testing purposes 🙂 Let’s just say my Vitamix was 80% full, and that’s a whole bunch of hummus.

Since this recipe requires soaking the chickpeas, it’s not a “quick” recipe in the fact that you need to soak them dried beans overnight. However, once they are cooked, this is a snap to put together…it just takes a little thinking ahead!

I served this hummus with cut up vegetables (broccoli, red bell pepper, snap peas, and jicama) and Chris enjoyed his dip with Back to Nature’s Sunflower Basil Crackers (not gluten-free) but pita bread, chips or other chip make a perfect pairing too. Hummus is also a great high-fiber substitute for mayo or sandwich spreads, as a non-traditional sauce for pizza, used in my 3-ingredient healthy deviled eggs, as a binder in burgers and as a topping for cooked meats, veggies or breakfast bakes.

This version is for the more “original” or traditional hummus flavor but see my Recipe Notes below for ideas on flavor variations 🙂

Creamiest Homemade Hummus (adapted from The Healthy Foodie)

Ingredients

2 cups dried chickpeas (the smallest you can find)
2 tbsp baking soda for soaking + ½ tsp for cooking
1/2 cup tahini
juice from 1 1/2 to 2 squeezed lemons (if you really want the lemon flavor, add a little lemon zest)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sea salt (less or more to taste – for me the salt brings out the flavor, but start with 1/2 tsp if desired)
1 – 2 tsp ground cumin (freshly ground tastes even better!)
1/2 tsp of good quality ground paprika
couple shakes of cayenne pepper, optional
3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more for serving, optional but I like the added depth of flavor and richness
½ – 1 cup water, or more depending on desired texture

Additional ground paprika for garnish
Fresh parsley or other fresh herbs for garnish/serving

Directions

1. Soak chickpeas in clean water with 2 tablespoons of baking soda overnight.
2. Drain, rinse and soak again in tap water for a few more hours. The beans should absorb most of the water and almost double their volume.
3. Rinse the chickpeas well and put them in a large pot. Cover with water, add ½ tsp baking soda and NO salt. Cook until the beans are very tender, around 45 minutes to an hour. Regularly skim the surface during cooking process to remove foam and loose peels floating.
4. When cooked, drain the chickpeas and transfer to food processor or Vitamix. Process into a thick puree. Allow to cool for a little while before you continue.
5. Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin and paprika then start the food processor or Vitamix (use tamper to help mix if using this). Add olive oil then add water, a little bit at a time, until you get the desired texture. For serving, drizzle with oil olive and sprinkle with ground paprika and enjoy!

*Make the hummus a little bit thinner than the actual desired texture, as it tends to firm up after a little while (especially if you don’t eat it right away and refrigerate it)

Recipe Notes – Flavor Variation Ideas

1. Chipotle Lime Hummus – sub all or some of the lime juice for lemon, add chopped up chipotle peppers in adobo
2. Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus – omit cumin and add chopped sun dried tomatoes
3. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus – add a couple shakes of dried oregano and chopped roasted red peppers (from jar or freshly roasted)
4. Black bean hummus – sub black beans for chickpeas and lime juice for lemon juice
5. Roasted Garlic Hummus – roasted cloves of garlic and increase amount for a smokey deep garlic flavor

What’s your favorite flavor?