Circle B Kitchen
In order to make super smooth and creamy hummus, you really do need to start with dried chickpeas and cook them up to the perfect texture for hummus. (I've provided instructions for this at the bottom of the recipe). Of course, yes, you can use canned chickpeas if you must, but a little trick to making those work better is to heat them up a bit before putting them in the food processor. (Just place your rinsed and drained canned chickpeas in a pan, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Drain and place in the food processor.) Warm chickpeas break down more quickly and make a smoother paste. I’ve given you some detailed instructions on how to cook dried chickpeas so you, too can make the best possible hummus.
2 cups warm chickpeas (see below for how to cook dried chickpeas)
1/3 cups tahini
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil (and more for serving)
2 tablespoons water (or use the cooking water from the recipes below)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cups toasted pine nuts for serving (optional
Place the still-warm chickpeas, garlic (if using), tahini, lemon juice, cumin (if using) and salt in the food processor or blender. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds, and then with the motor running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream and blend until completely emulsified and creamy. Taste for salt.
Using a spatula, transfer the hummus to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.
To store, keep refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for up to a week.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
1 recipe of hummus (see above), eliminate the water
1 large roasted red pepper (or 2 small), about 3/4 cup roughly chopped
1 tablespoons Harissa (add more if you're using a mild version)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Process the ingredients per the above instructions, leaving out the water. Taste for salt and stir in more Harissa, if desired.
Cooking Chickpeas from Scratch (see below for Instant Pot Directions)
1 lb dried chickpeas
lots of cold water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
In a large pot, cover the chickpeas wth 4 times their volume of water. Let them soak for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature. Rinse, drain and return the chickpeas to the pot. Cover with fresh water to cover by 4 inches and a tablespoon of salt. It's important to salt your chickpeas as they cook, and no it will not keep them from softening.
Bring the chickpeas to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for at least an hour, but maybe 2 or 3 depending on how long it takes for the chickpeas to get really tender. I cook them until the chickpeas are soft and just at the point of falling apart. While the chickpeas cook, skim away any foam that collects on the surface of the water. Drain (reserving at least 2 tablespoons of the cooking water for this recipe), and use them while still warm to make your hummus. Any chickpeas that you aren't going to use right away can be refrigerated for a couple of days or frozen.
To freeze, place the chickpeas on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours. Once frozen, divide them into smaller ziploc bags containing 2 cups each so they're ready to pull out and use for your next batch of hummus. Be sure to thaw them completely and use them warm if making hummus.
Cooking dried chickpeas in the Instant Pot
(For this recipe we need 2 cups of cooked chickpeas, which will require 2/3 cup dried. But feel free to cook more and just use 2 cups of them for this recipe.)
Place the chickpeas in the Instant Pot and cover with water by about 2 inches. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
Set the time to 43 minutes at high pressure. When they're done cooking, let the pressure release naturally. The chickpeas should be tender and perfect. If not, set the timer to cook another couple of minutes.
Drain the chickpeas, reserving 2-3 tablespoons of the cooking water.