Garlic and fresh squeezed winter lemon shine in this hummus recipe, but the real stars are the pureed chickpeas and savory, nutty tahini. Pairing intentionally overcooked chickpeas with equal parts tahini makes this hummus rich, creamy and extra-smooth. Please note, substituting a can of chickpeas is perfectly acceptable, but we prefer to buy them in bulk.
We use grams instead of tablespoons in a few sections of this recipe. This allows for a more precise measurement, and a deliciously creamy, balanced outcome.
1 lb dry chickpeas
1.5 tablespoons baking soda
- Submerge the chickpeas in a bowl of water overnight. Make sure they are well covered and soaking up water for 24 hours.
- The next day, put the chickpeas in a pot of water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Cook until they are super-soft -- they should be obviously breaking down.
580 g lemon juice
65 g unpeeled garlic
Crush the garlic - the skins can stay on. Blend the crushed garlic with lemon juice on high for 3 minutes. Let this mixture sit for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and discard the solids.
925 g tahini
273g water (cold)
24 g salt
- In a Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment, mix the tahini for 2 minutes on a low to medium speed to increase its creaminess.
- Slowly add the garlic lemon juice mixture from the last step, and salt.
- Slowly begin to add the water. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
You can increase your speed, but high isn’t necessary. You’re looking for a very smooth texture reminiscent of salad dressing.
To finish:
- Strain your cooked chickpeas but save the water.
- Start to blend (using a food processor or blender) equal parts cooked chickpeas and the tahini sauce mixture from the previous step. (You may have some left over tahini sauce, so save that for salads.)
- If necessary, you can also use some of your chickpea water to loosen the hummus. This will prevent "watering down" the recipe and keep everything as rich tasting as possible.
- Season with more salt, and a little olive oil if necessary.
- Blend your hummus until it is super-smooth and creamy.
Garnish your hummus dish with herb oils, fresh herbs, or spices... you can use basically anything! We went with smoked paprika and an olive.
