Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0
Hummus (Middle Eastern Chickpea Dip)
A classic Middle Eastern dip of chickpeas blended smooth with tahini, lemon, and garlic. Creamy, nutty, and tangy, it's drizzled with olive oil and scooped up with pita. A mezze staple loved across Lebanon and the wider Middle East and Mediterranean.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas · dried, soaked overnight & boiled (or 2 cans)250 g
- Tahini · sesame paste120 g
- Lemon juice · about 2 lemons60 ml
- Garlic2 clove
- Ice water · to adjust texture & creaminess4 tbsp
- Salt1 tsp
- Ground cumin · optional0.5 tsp
- To finish
- Olive oil3 tbsp
- Paprika & parsley1 to garnish
Steps
- ⏲ 60 min
Soak the dried chickpeas overnight, then boil with a little baking soda until very soft (~1 hour). If using canned, just rinse.
- ⏲ 10 min
For extra smoothness, rub off the chickpea skins (optional but a big texture upgrade).
- ⏲ 2 min
Blend the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt first into a bright, creamy base.
- ⏲ 5 min
Add the chickpeas and blend smooth, drizzling in ice water a spoon at a time until light and fluffy.
- ⏲ 1 min
Taste and adjust with lemon and salt. Spread on a plate with a well in the center.
Drizzle generously with olive oil, dust with paprika and parsley (or a few whole chickpeas), and serve with pita.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Hummus bi lahm (with meat): Top with sautéed minced lamb and pine nuts.
- Hummus with ful: Serve alongside stewed fava beans (ful medames).
- Spicy hummus: Swirl in harissa or chili oil.
- Roasted veg: Blend in roasted beet or red pepper for color and sweetness.
Tips
- Cook the chickpeas very soft for creaminess — baking soda helps.
- Removing the skins is the secret to silky hummus (a restaurant trick).
- Blending with ice water lightens the color and makes it fluffy.
- Tahini quality makes the dish — use fresh, well-stirred paste.
- Adjust lemon, garlic, and salt to taste — balance is everything.
The basics behind this dish
- Knife Skills: Grip, Cuts, and Why Size MattersHow you hold the knife matters more than how fast you cut. The pinch grip, the claw hand, and why uniform size is a cooking decision rather than a cosmetic one.
- Salt: When You Add It Matters More Than How MuchThe same amount of salt either draws water out or seasons all the way through, depending on when it goes in. Osmosis, seasoning in layers, and why salt types are not interchangeable by volume.
- Heat Control: Preheating, Oil, and Reading the PanThe same ingredients become a different dish depending on pan temperature. When to add the oil, how to read heat by sound, and which dishes want low heat instead.
More of the same kind
More from this country
Lebanese →
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