I know nobody has been anxiously waiting for my hummus recipe, but it’s worth reminding everyone how simple, delicious, and economical homemade hummus can be.
Made from dried chickpeas and pantry staples, this version is inexpensive even when I use organic ingredients. I worked out the approximate cost for the generous batch below: under 2€ to make. I haven’t counted the few minutes of hands-on time (about fifteen minutes total) or the energy for cooking and blending, but the result comes to roughly 3€/kg ($2/lb).
If you eat as much hummus as I do, it really pays to know what that habit costs you.
By contrast, store-bought hummus—often non-organic and containing extra additives—can cost about 13.50€/kg ($9/lb). Buying it fresh from a deli may run as much as 18.70€/kg ($12.50/lb). That can be more than six times the cost of making your own.
The main hurdle for many people is the pre-soaking and cooking time for dried chickpeas. That’s manageable: a few hours of soaking (I often do five or six) is usually enough; a pressure cooker will cut the cooking time significantly; and cooked chickpeas freeze very well. Make a double or triple batch and store extras for quick hummus later.
Some cooks remove the thin skins from cooked chickpeas to achieve an ultra-smooth hummus. That does make a silkier texture, but it also discards fiber and nutrients. I skip that step and am happy with the result.
I also tried raw hummus—soaking and sprouting chickpeas and blending them without cooking—and found the flavor and texture didn’t appeal to me.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours, 55 minutes
Makes about 680 g (2 3/4 cups).
Ingredients
- 190 grams (1 cup) dried uncooked chickpeas (about 475 grams when cooked)
- 1 small piece kombu seaweed (optional; helps make chickpeas easier to digest)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 really heaping tablespoon tahini (white sesame butter)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Leaves from a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley (optional)
- Dash of hot sauce (optional)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (use a bit more if the spice is old)
Instructions
- Six to twelve hours before cooking, place the chickpeas in a medium bowl, cover with plenty of water, and leave to soak. If you’ve soaked them for around 12 hours but can’t cook them right away, drain and rinse, then store them in the fridge in a covered container for up to a day.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put them and the kombu into a pressure cooker, cover with cold water by 2–3 cm (about 1 inch), seal, and heat until the cooker reaches pressure. Reduce to medium and cook for about 45 minutes, until the chickpeas are very soft. (See notes for stovetop cooking.)
- Drain the cooked chickpeas, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Discard the kombu.
- Place the drained chickpeas in a blender or food processor with the garlic, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, parsley (if using), hot sauce (if using), salt, cumin, and about 80 ml (1/3 cup) of the cooking water. Process for several minutes until very smooth; warming the chickpeas slightly helps create a creamier texture. Add more cooking water a tablespoon at a time until you reach a creamy consistency. The hummus will firm up when chilled, so aim for slightly looser than the final texture you want.
- Taste and adjust: add more lemon juice for brightness, more tahini for richness, or more salt, hot sauce, or cumin to suit your preference.
- Cover and refrigerate. The flavors deepen after a few hours and are best the next day.
- When ready to serve, transfer to a bowl, drizzle with a good olive oil, and serve with warm pita, carrot sticks, or raw vegetables.
Notes
- You can also cook the chickpeas in a regular pot with a lid; once the water simmers, it will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on the age of the beans. Keep an eye on the water level and add more if needed.
- I often cook a double or triple batch and freeze the extras in containers with a little cooking liquid to keep them moist. Frozen cooked chickpeas are perfect for quick hummus later.