Silky Smooth Hummus
- Total Time: 8 hours 40 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
This hummus is more labor intensive than some recipes for the popular spread, but the result is super smooth, like the stuff you get at a Middle Eastern restaurant.
Ingredients
- 250g dried chickpeas
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 4 heaped tbsp Tahini paste
- Juice of 1 lemon (approximately 4 tbsp)
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 70-100ml ice cold water
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp roasted and ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp toasted pinenuts (optional)
- Olive oil, to taste
Instructions
- The night before you want to make the hummus, leave the chickpeas to soak in a pan of water, with at least twice as much water as chickpeas.
- The next day, drain the swollen chickpeas
- Heat a saucepan large enough to accommodate the chickpeas and 1 1/2 litres of water over a high heat.
- Add the chickpeas and the bicabornate of soda and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add 1 1/2 litres of water and bring to the boil.
- Simmer the chickpeas for 20-40 minutes until soft but not mushy.
- Skim off the foam and chickpea skins every few minutes while they are cooking.
- Drain the chickpeas once they are soft.
- You’ll probably still have chickpea skins mixed in, so fill the pot with cold water and tip the chickpeas in.
- The remaining skins should float to the top and you can either pour them out or remove them with a slotted spoon.
- Blend the chickpeas and garlic in a processor or with a stickblender (which worked fine for me) until smooth.
- Add the tahini, salt and lemon juice and blend.
- Finally, add the iced water bit by bit (I didn’t need the entire 100 mls) and blend until you get a smooth paste.
- Leave to rest for 30 minutes for the flavours to come together.
- Serve sprinkled with the cumin, paprika and pinenuts, and drizzled with olive oil.
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 170
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- How to Make Hummus Without Tahini
- Smooth Potato Hummus
- Velvety Smooth Hummus
- Hummus with Pickled Jalapeños
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the bicarbonate of soda do when cooking the chickpeas?
Adding 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda to the hot pan and stirring constantly for 3 minutes before adding the water softens the chickpea skins and makes them easier to remove. Skin removal is the key step toward the restaurant-smooth texture this recipe is after.
How do I remove the chickpea skins without picking them off one by one?
After draining the cooked chickpeas, fill the pot with cold water and tip them back in — the remaining skins float to the top and can be poured off or scooped out with a slotted spoon. Much faster than hand-peeling. 
Why does the recipe call for ice cold water when blending?
Ice cold water (70–100 ml, added bit by bit) helps emulsify the chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice into an ultra-smooth paste. After blending, the hummus also needs 30 minutes of resting for the flavors to fully come together before serving.
