Levantine hummus creamy spread (Printable View)

Smooth blend of chickpeas and tahini with lemon and olive oil in a classic Levantine style.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chickpeas

01 - 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)

→ Tahini Mixture

02 - ⅓ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
03 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
04 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
05 - 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Seasonings

06 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
07 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)

→ Garnish

08 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - ½ teaspoon sweet paprika or sumac
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Place chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, cold water, cumin, and salt into a food processor.
02 - Process the mixture until ultra-smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. If too thick, add additional water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired texture is achieved.
03 - Taste the blend and modify the salt or lemon juice to preference.
04 - Transfer the hummus to a shallow serving dish and create a swirl or well in the center using the back of a spoon.
05 - Drizzle olive oil over the hummus, sprinkle with paprika or sumac, and finish with chopped parsley.
06 - Present immediately with pita bread, fresh vegetables, or as part of a mezze platter.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes impossibly creamy and restaurant-quality despite using just a handful of pantry staples.
  • Ready in fifteen minutes, yet feels like you've spent the afternoon cooking something special.
  • The ritual of creating that center swirl with the back of a spoon is oddly meditative and always impresses.
02 -
  • If your hummus turns out grainy, it usually means the tahini wasn't creamed properly with the lemon juice before the chickpeas went in—I learned this the hard way and now I blend tahini with lemon for a few seconds first.
  • Cold water truly does make a difference; room temperature water can throw off the texture, making it less ethereal.
  • Peeling the chickpeas before blending is a step some swear by for ultra-smoothness, though it requires patience and a wet cloth—I do it when I have time and feel the difference.
03 -
  • Tahini separates in the jar; always stir it well before measuring, or the oil-to-paste ratio will be off and your hummus will suffer for it.
  • If you're making hummus for someone with a sesame allergy, there's no substitute that delivers the same depth—this is one of those non-negotiable ingredients that makes it authentically hummus.
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