Classic hummus is made with chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans). I have a few hummus recipes that use an alternative to chickpeas: hummus using soaked cashews or white beans and the cauliflower hummus recipe in Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
The two tricks to getting classic hummus light and creamy is to boil the chickpeas in baking soda and water for a few minutes to get them really soft, and then add icy cold water to the tahini when processing the hummus. If you have the time, soaking dried chickpeas overnight for 12 to 24 hours is the best. Here's my latest favorite way to soak and prepare chickpeas using an Instant Pot. If you don't have an Instant Pot, simmer them in a stockpot with water and a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda for about 10 minutes, or until they're tender.
I go all in by roasting a batch of chickpeas to layer on top of the hummus (recipe below). They remind me of small fried potatoes and they're great on their own as a snack. The chickpeas get crispy after boiling them in water and baking soda and then roasting them in olive oil.
Spread the hummus out on a large plate or bowl, top with herbs, seeds, spices, and olive oil, and serve with grain-free pita, crackers, bagels, fresh or roasted veggies. Enjoy!
Light & Creamy Hummus
Equipment
- Food processor or high speed blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups water for boiling the chickpeas with baking soda
- 15 ounces chickpeas
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup lemon juice about two lemons
- 1 garlic clove peeled and chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ cup icy cold water plus more as needed to pulse into a creamy smooth spread
Instructions
- Add the chickpeas, water, and baking soda to a saucepan and bring the mixture to a steady low boil. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are very soft.
- Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt to the food processor (or high speed blender) and process until well blended. Let sit for a few minutes to let the garlic settle in the mixture.
- Add the tahini to the garlic mixture and blend until thick and creamy.
- While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle the cold water into the creamy mixture. It should turn fluffier and lighter in color.
- Drain the chickpeas and add them to the food processor along with the cumin. Remove any loose skin. Blend or process the hummus until smooth. Add more icy water as needed to get the hummus smooth and creamy.
- Season with more salt and lemon juice to taste, process, and then use a spatula to transfer to hummus to a serving bowl.
- Top the hummus with all or some of these: toasted chickpeas (recipe below), olive oil, paprika, smoked paprika, Zatar, everything bagel seasoning, chopped mint, parsley, and other herbs.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for a week or so.
Nutrition
Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 15 ounces chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425℉.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas in water.
- Spread the chickpeas out on a paper or cloth towel to pat dry.
- Spread the chickpeas across the baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil over them. Roll the chickpeas around to coat them with olive oil.
- Sprinkle salt and paprika over the chickpeas and bake for 20 minutes, or until they become golden.
- Store in a sealed container for a week, or in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
Mio Mie says
Chickpeas are lovely...we call them channa in these here parts. It is a daily staple for some grain eaters who like it with a pita style "fry bake" and spicy sauces. I'm eager to create a grainfree version of this...and soon...but I am curious your thoughts on the following.
What are your favourite things to pair with hummus? Does the carb count matter to you?
Hi Mio, which parts are you from? I love the idea of a spicy sauce! I'm personally pretty basic with hummus, usually eating it with crackers and raw veggies, maybe some olives too. I also personally don't worry too much about carbs but instead just try to balance out protein, fat, and carbs. The nutritional info is provided mostly for folks who are more closely watching their carb intake.