Hummus is one of the most delicious dishes out there — tasty as a dip with crisps, a side dish, or in wraps and flatbreads. It’s incredibly versatile. In my opinion, the best hummus is perfectly smooth and creamy.
I’ve often found that supermarket versions are a little grainy and bitter, and they tend to turn watery after just a day. Truly creamy hummus is usually found only in Middle Eastern or Mediterranean restaurants, or in quality brands like Sabra. Having recently discovered how easy it is to make hummus from scratch, I set out on a mission to find the creamiest-ever recipe that requires minimal prep time.
After testing various different techniques, I landed on a method inspired by numerous recipes I found on social media and online.
It produces smooth, velvety hummus with the perfect balance of flavours thanks to two additions: yoghurt and ice cubes.
According to some chefs, adding just a tablespoon of yoghurt can create a smoother and creamier consistency while also balancing the earthy flavours of the chickpeas and the tanginess of the tahini.
While doing some research, I also learned that adding ice cubes to the blender while making hummus helps create that light and silky texture.
This is because the ice cubes help add air to the mixture while also helping to emulsify the oil, which contributes to a fluffier, restaurant-quality hummus.
So, armed with these two extra ingredients, I decided to give it a go. What’s more, the recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep, and involves throwing everything into a blender and whizzing until smooth.
Ingredients:
- One can of chickpeas
- 60ml fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
- Four tablespoons tahini
- One garlic clove, minced or grated
- Two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Ground cumin
- Salt
- Two to three tablespoons of cold water
- Two ice cubes
- Ground paprika, sumac or za’atar for serving
- One tablespoon Greek yoghurt
Method:
Drain the can and try to remove some of the chickpea skins. However, if you are short on time, don’t worry about this — the recipe will still be smooth without this step.
Add the tahini and lemon juice to a blender and process, scraping the sides once or twice until the mixture looks whipped and creamy. I found whipping these two ingredients first made all the difference in texture.
Next, add two tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic (which can be finely grated using a grater) into the blender mixture. Then add half a teaspoon of ground cumin and half a teaspoon of salt.
Process this for another minute then scrape the bowl to make sure it’s mixed.
To encourage as smooth as consitency as possible, I added half the chickpeas and blended for one minute. Then, add the rest of the chickpeas.
This is where I decided to add a couple of ice cubes to the mixture, and I blended them for another minute or two minutes until everything was more or less mixed.
At this stage, the hummus might look a little thick, but don’t worry. This is the stage where we add some liquid to smooth things out.
I slowly added the cold water with the processor running, then finally added a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt until it had a lovely smooth texture.
You can dress up the hummus with a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle with either paprika, sumac or za’atar. Enjoy!