Hummus has almost a cult like following.  People can’t get enough of the stuff and will put it on any and everything.  I am one of those people.  I love the creamy texture and garlicky, smokey taste.  I like dipping things into it, spreading it on anything, and adding it to any meal that I can.  It’s pretty much amazing.

But there is one problem.  I have had a really hard time recreating the texture at home.  Store bought hummus is so smooth and creamy and that’s what makes it so addicting.  I really like making my own though because it’s cheaper and I control the ingredients.  It seemed every time that I made my own the taste would be just fine but I would end up with a dense and thick paste instead of smooth and creamy.  Not so good.

After a lot of testing out a ton of recipes and techniques I think I finally found the best method to make the perfect hummus.  It’s actually a combination of a few techniques out there to help make that perfect texture.  This is a little labor intensive, but I promise it’s worth it.  You can make a really big batch so it will last longer and you will always have hummus on hand.  Now onto the hummus!

Perfectly Creamy Hummus

You will need at least 24 hours to soak the chickpeas. Don’t skip this step!!

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 4 whole cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/2 tsp cumin (freshly ground if possible)
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water, reserved from cooking the chickpeas

1.  24 hours before you want hummus, place chickpeas into a large bowl and cover with water.  Stir in the 1/2 tsp of baking soda.  Cover and place the bowl into fridge.

2.  After 24 hours, drain and rinse chickpeas and place into a large pot.  Cover with at least 5 to 6 cups of water.  Add in the 4 whole garlic cloves and bring the water to a boil.  With a slotted spoon, skim off any foam/skins that floats to the top.  Lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 hours.  The chickpeas should be super soft at this point.

3.  Drain the chickpeas and garlic, reserving at least 1/2 cup of the water.  Now at this point you can remove some of the skins off the chickpeas if you want.  I have tried it both ways and haven’t noticed a huge difference.  Place chickpeas and garlic into a food processor or blender.  Add in the rest of the ingredients except the water.  Pulse a few times to start to combine everything.

4.  Turn the processor on and slowly add in water.  This will turn the hummus into that wonderfully creamy texture.  You might need less water, but I have found the full 1/2 cup makes the creamiest version.

Yes, it seems like a lot to make hummus when you can just go to the store and buy some and be on your merry way.  But it is really hard to find hummus that doesn’t have weird ingredients or preservatives, and it can get expensive to support a serious hummus addiction with store bought.  Take the time to make this and you will be rewarded with a delicious hummus that is half the cost and ready to be used in any way you want!

Have a great Friday and wonderful weekend!