Easy Homemade Hummus

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tahini (roasted, not raw)

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more for garnishing)

• 2 garlic cloves, mashed and roughly chopped

• 2 (15-ounce) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

• 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Garnishes: A sprinkling of paprika, a swirl of olive oil, toasted pine nuts, and/or chopped parsley

• Method

  1. Process the tahini and olive oil:

     In a food processor, combine the tahini and olive oil and pulse until smooth.

  2. Add the garlic, beans, lemon juice, water, and salt; process until smooth:

     Then add the garlic, garbanzo beans, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Process until smooth. The longer you process in the food processor, the smoother the hummus will be. Add more salt or lemon juice to taste.

  3. Serve:

     Spoon into a serving dish, swirl a little olive oil over the top and sprinkle with garnishes—a little paprika, toasted pine nuts, or chopped fresh parsley.

     Serve with crackers, raw dip vegetables such as carrots or celery, or toasted pita bread.

     To toast pita bread, cut the pita bread into triangles, brush with olive oil, and toast for 10 minutes in a 375°F oven, turning them over halfway through the cooking.