Hummus is one of those essential condiments in life that is so painfully easy to make every time you reach for a prepackaged store brand, a Yiayia (grandma) should pop out and clock you upside the head. I don’t even give a crap if you used canned beans. Just try your best not to buy this ridiculously easy-to-make dip. I finally got off my lazy butt to make this as a healthier alternative to store bought chips and salsa at the barbecue my family was throwing for my 30th birthday. I made this decision the morning of the barbecue in fact. See? No strenuous prep-planning needed.
This recipe is inspired by the best hummus I’ve ever eaten, made by a friend of a friend for Game Night many moons ago.
Ingredients
1 can. of drained garbanzo beans/chickpeas – reserve liquid
1/3rd cup tahini
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Pinch of Kosher salt
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh Italian parsley for garnish
Put everything except the parsley in a food processor and begin to process.
Add a small amount of the reserved liquid as needed to produce a smooth puree
Add more paprika if you’re so inclined (as I was – about an additional tsp)
After scooping into your serving dish, drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle some more smoked paprika and garnish with parsley.
Serve with vegetables
Note:
If someone can’t take the heat, add some more tahini and lemon.
I love spicy hummus! Lately I’ve been eating (store bought – shhh) spicy hummus on rice cakes with turkey and avocado on top…for breakfast, but hey, it’s probably about time I made my own!
…I have to admit that I am also in the “too lazy to make hummus” camp, but I really should try it one of these days. The inexpensive hummus offerings at Trader Joe’s adds to my laziness. Being able to tweak a recipe does sound tempting though….
Well, clearly I’ve been too lazy since this was only my second attempt. Usually when I am berating my readers about making their own condiments I am in actuality berating myself for taking such a long time to get with the program, as I am at home and have no excuses! Mayonnaise was a big one for me. I can’t ever, ever go back to store stuff. Hummus at least has a wider spectrum of quality control, especially if one picks it up at, say, a Farmer’s Market, like we do occasionally. This is a good, easy project to tackle when you find yourself with some creative energy and a bit of time. Plus, I still bought the tahini!
Funnily enough I had no intention of making it so spicy, but my family (mom especially) raved about it. Definitely give it a go when you feel so inspired; I look forward to reading how you approach it. That’s probably the greatest aspect about hummus: it is such a blank slate that anyone can rework to their particular tastes.