Homemade Hummus

At long last! I've had several requests for this recipe over the holidays after I touted how delicious and easy it was to make. I always assumed that making your own foods we typically find conveniently packaged at the store would require a lot more effort, but I now enjoy the freedom of knowing just what goes into my food and making it exactly how like it. There is one caveat to this recipe - it does require a food processor. I tried to use a Ninja blender and it didn't go over so well, but maybe a regular blender would work differently. If you don't have one, maybe you can ask a friend or neighbor to borrow theirs in exchange for a batch to keep for themselves *wink*

Make sure you give yourself at least 4 hours to chill the hummus after you make it before serving, but actual prep/mix time is only about 7 minutes. Find a sealed container to store it in; I like the glass-lock ones because it keeps it sealed and fresh, and I can just pop off the lid and serve it in the glass container when I have company. I'll give you this recipe in a single batch, but I usually triple it since we love it so much. The great part about this recipe is that it's really just a base so you can add anything you want to make it your own, even though we usually just end up leaving it plain because it's just sooo darn good! I encourage you to use some off the add-ins I've listed so you can find your favorite!

The key to a good hummus is the Tahini, which is a sesame seed paste. Its a little pricey at the store, but it's worth it for the flavor it provides, trust me I tried. You can find it at any grocery store in the international section, or with the peanut butter. Lastly, I discovered that 6 Tbsp of Tahini is about 1/2 cup, and  9 Tbsp is about 2/3 cup, if you do decide to double or triple the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp Tahini
4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp cumin
salt & pepper

Drain the chickpeas and pour into the food processor. Add mincedi garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and Tahini. Turn on food processor for about 30 seconds or until mixture forms a rough paste. Add water, cumin, and salt & pepper and puree on high for 3-5 minutes, or until mixture is smooth and creamy. You can use more or less water to your mix to get your desired consistency

Here is where you would add additional ingredients to add flavor to your hummus. Then pour hummus into airtight storage container, and cover with 1 Tbps more of oil, to keep the top moist and fresh. Refrigerate until chilled, and serve with veggies, chicken, or your favorite crackers, and enjoy!

Additional mix-ins:

Roasted Red Pepper:
2 bell peppers, cut and de-seeded
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (about 9)

Zuchinni:
2 zuchinni, peeled and chopped

Avocado:
2 ripe avocados, peeled and de-seeded.
The avocado can be used in place of the Tahini here if you wish

Basil Pesto:
8 fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp parmesean
OR add in 2 Tbsp of your favorite Pesto

More fun recipes here:

Appetizer's Hummus Upgrades
Skinny Mom's 13 Ways