Recipes > Hummus bi Tahini | Hummus w/ Sesame Paste
This traditional Middle Eastern dip is made with chickpeas, garlic, lemon and tahini.
Dawn Thomas
- Serves: 4 to 8
- Active Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Views: 117,346
- Success Rating: 99% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Gathering Your Mise en Place
- 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 1/4 cup dried)*
- 2 1/4 tsp baking soda, split*
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, optional
Method
*For the chickpeas, it’s best to cook your own, rather then using canned. If cooking your own chickpeas, soak the chickpeas over night — cover the chickpeas with double their volume of water and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda. Let re-hydrate overnight. The baking soda helps the skins to become soft, which in turn produces a much smoother hummus.
To cook the chickpeas, drain them and then add them to a medium pot and cover with double their volume of water. Add the remaining 3/4 tsp of baking soda and bring to a boil. At this point, turn down the heat and let the chickpeas cook over a very low simmer — about 2 hours or so, or until they are soft and easy to mash. If needed, as the chickpeas cook, top them up with water so they are fully covered.
Once done, drain the chickpeas, but SAVE all of the cooking liquid.
Step 2: Making the Hummus
- 3/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- paprika, for garnish
Method
To make the hummus, first purée the garlic in a food processor. Note that roasted garlic can also be used.
Next, add the still WARM chickpeas—reserving some for garnish—tahini and spices (if using). Pulse a few times and then add the fresh lemon juice, salt and purée again. With the machine running, slowly add either some of the cooking liquid and/or a bit of olive oil. The final consistency will depend on how you like your hummus, but typically it is served somewhat soft/runny but still hold it’s shape. If making it the more traditional/runnier hummus, you may need to use quite a bit of the cooking liquid—just add it slowly and check the consistency from time to time, to ensure you don’t make it too runny.
To serve the hummus, spread the hummus out in a shallow bowl or plate and drizzle the surface with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil (if using) and sprinkle with a bit of paprika and garnish with the reserved chickpeas. Serve either warm or cold with some pita bread or vegetables.
Optionally, the hummus can be garnished with some finely diced onions and some roughly chopped parsley.
This hummus go particularly well with many of these delicious plant-based Greek recipes: Tzatziki, Lemon Potatoes, Briam, Baked Beans | Plaki, Dolmades, Pita Bread and Plant-Based Chick’n Souvlaki.
Chef's Notes
- by Dawn Thomas
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- October 20, 2006
Besides being fantastic with Greek, or any other Mediterranean food, hummus is a healthy dip for vegetables, and even adds a nice kick to burgers and sandwiches. Try serving with warm pita brushed with garlic butter.
Hummus will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
This recipe reflects a more authentic hummus with a stronger tahini presence, unlike most North American recipes. If you prefer, you can decrease the amount of tahini to suit your tastes.
56 Comments
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Try adding basil or olives to your hummus too! It's really delicious, especially with the Pita Bread! -
Yum! I make a similar hummus, but a bit looser (juice of one lemon, a little more oil, and sometimes a little water to smooth it out). I find it thickens back up as it rests. It's also quite good finished with olive oil and a dusting of paprika instead of cracked pepper. How long does tahini keep, and what is the best way to store it? I only use it occasionally when I make hummus, so I hate to buy large quantities. -
If stored in the refrigerator after opening Tahini will keep for months and months. AS for buying it in larger quantities I agree, smaller quantities are usually better. With all nut butters it's best to buy them fresh and use them up sooner than later. But fear not, tahini will keep for a very long time. Just a suggestion, try using some of your tahini to make a dressing, it's really very good. -
This hummus is definately the best hummus that my family and I have had. It is so easy to make and is so delicious. It is definately better than any hummus that you will get in a restaurant or grocery store. I love the fact that I can make it for my family without all of the perservatives that you would get if you buy it in the grocery store. Thank you Rouxbe for the great recipe. -
Very good. My husband and I really like the cumin.
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Toast a cup of raw sesame seeds in a small skillet, stirring over low heat until they are fragrant. Don't overdo it because they can very quickly become bitter from over-cooking. Allow to cool. Using a food processor or stick blender with container, whirl them up until they are like a fluffy nut butter. Add to hummus mixture - it's a revelation! Experiment with different toasting times. Make extra, blend with salt and you have gomasio - sesame salt! Delectable, nutty condiment for almost anything you can think of. The more you can reduce the elements of a simple dish like hummus, the more you can appreciate the subtleties of each ingredient! -
Great idea Jack, thanks so much. I am going to do this for sure :-)
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Can/should olive oil be refrigerated after opening and brought to room temperature prior to using and the put back in the fridge? Will it prevent it from going rancid? Thank You
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Is it necessary to add and process the ingredients separately in several steps o can all the ingredients be put in the food processor at once? I have tried making it that way and couldn't really tell a difference. thank you
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I do it separately as I want to the garlic to be minced as fine as possible before I add the chickepeas. I also don't want the chickpeas to be too mushy, which is why I add them after the garlic. That being said, you can do it however you like. Perhaps you might enjoy a few bigger chunks of garlic...up to you. This is just the way I enjoy it and it really only takes another second in the food processor. Cheers!
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No it does not need to be refrigerated. It should be stored somewhere dry and dark (such as a pantry or cupboard, or the bottle itself). Using it and enjoying it will prevent it from going rancid :-)
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If you don't have pita bread, toasted Italian bread or crackers is great too!
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Reserve some of the liquid from the canned chickpeas to use in achieving the consistency you seek. The liquid has lots of flavor and the extra richness improves the mouth-feel. This weekend I heard an NPR food program where the host advised that excessively-thick hummus could be thinned with more olive oil (!!!) or, forgive me, removing the skins from the chickpeas. Where in the world do they dig up this stuff? Color me very disappointed.
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I have heard of this as well...in fact, I did a post about it a while back. It really does make for super smooth hummus, just not sure if I have the patience for it. Here is the URL for the post, if you are interested. blog.rouxbe.com/the-smoothest-and-creamiest-hummus Cheers!
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I hope its the last time i hear and see black pepper in my hummus. to finish off any good humus(trust me im middle eastern) you need papprica and a dash of cumin, and a good splash of olive oil. regarding the hummus itself heres a few professional tips: the lemon, salt, pepper(white and optional), and tahini are to be combined seperatly in order to MAKE a tahini. raw tahini is great on salads and such, but in order to make tahini sauce you need the lemon juice and garlic and salt and water to make it the back bone of any good hummus. after you have made your tahini sauce, you can either add in some parsly and enjoy over a warm pita bread, or keep it for your hummus. next, you need to avoid completely from canned hummus, there are so many muslims around the world...go get the peas yourself, its easy and heaps cheaper, and i promise you it tastes much better. then you let them rest over night in a bowl of water, you may also add a splash of club soda, and by morning they should double or triple in size, WHICH, will break free the skin and no more hard work seperating that...nature does it all by itself. after you have done that, you can go on as shown here...pulse the hummus few times, add the tahini, and you done. olive oil comes last, as garnish. if you wanna make it super delicious, and super authentic, u strain the peas and place them in a large pot, fill in with water, juice from one lemon, with the lemon itself, cumin as desired, and salt and pepper also and cook untill they become soft, and then puree it all together. if not thick enough, u can always add raw tahini as it thickens everything it touches. and yet another tip dear Dawn, for your peanut sauce...try to add some raw tahini to it, it goes extremely well with the nutty flavors and again, works as a thickening agent, and it loves spices enjoy
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I actually tried the club soda method as one of the users stated above, but it did not work for me and I left them soaking in them for a couple of hours. Still I decided I wanted to try the hummus without the skin so I peeled them by hand (with my bf's help) and it came out really smooth and creamy and was delicious!! -
Buy the dried beans yourself, soak them in water over night - its better to change the water at least once during the night. Cook the beans over small heat for few hours, replacing the water 2-3 times during the cooking, start with fresh cold water every time and rinse the beans tossing them around - it will help to peal them later. Baking soda might speed up the cooking time but I personally don't like the aftertaste. When the beans are very soft peal them and while still hot move them to a food processor. Keep some of the last cooking water to moist the paste and keep some beans for decoration. After the beans are smooth add the raw tahini, lemon juice, garlic (I like it chopped), salt, paprika and little bit cumin powder. If the paste is to thick just add little bit of the cooking water. There is no need to add olive oil to the paste. Try serving the Humus fresh and hot :-) Enjoy!
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Dawn, Thanks for the great recipe. I have made it many times with good results. I usually make a bigger batch and wondered how long it can be used after refrigerated. Thanks
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If stored properly, hummus will keep for several days, if not longer. As long as it looks and smells fresh then it should be fine. Cheers!
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I'm with Jack E. I always make fresh tahini, which is very simple to do. I also avoid canned chick peas (garbanzo beans) and make them fresh using a pressure cooker. I soak the dried chick peas overnight and then add a bit of olive oil and lemon juice to the refreshed cooking water. Only 17 minutes from start to finish and, with the pressure cooker method, the skins practically fall off on their own. Great recipe. Hope this helps.
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I have to confirm that taking the extra time to soak and cook the dried chick peas was indeed a taste revelation. And I have to credit Rouxbe for giving me the wherewithal to do it! Thanks, and next challenge is making tahini a la Jack E. -
Can you process the ingredients in a blender rather than a food processor?
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usually the blender are not big enough and don't have enough surface to produce good results - i usually use foor processor
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Rouxbe Staff
Yes, Uzi is correct. Blenders are better for mixtures that contain a lot of liquid. The small space at the bottom isn't enough to pull the ingredients down and create a smooth texture. A food processor will provide better results. Cheers! -
Ok great - thanks for the advice
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For years I have used hummus for sandwiches that need to store and travel since it holds up so much better than traditional sandwich spreads like mayonnaise. (You can freeze sandwiches made with hummus but don't try it with mayonnaise based spreads!) However, until I saw this recipe on Rouxbe I had never thought of making my own! Last night I put some chickpeas on to soak. Today I cooked them up. I followed the recipe and in an instant I had the best hummus I have ever tasted! I can see so many possibilities for this. I can easily make variations to suit different applications from simple changes in spices and seasonings to additions of olives or sundried tomatoes and the like. And I can easily change the thickness to adapt to what I want it for. I know this will now be part of my regular repertoire of tricks! -
I have made this recipe before and it is great! I took Ben R's tips this time and started from dried beans and took off their skins - fantastic! I made a double batch for a party last night and have a ton left over. I'm hosting another party next weekend. Can I freeze the leftovers to use for next weeks party? -
Rouxbe Staff
Because cooked beans on their own can be frozen with good results, freezing hummus should also be okay. I have not done this before but it should be fine. Just make sure to thaw it in the refrigerator so it thaws slowly and gently (no microwave) at least a day in advance. You might need to adjust the seasoning before serving as sometimes frozen dishes tend to lose a bit of their flavor. Cheers!
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I always make large batches of hummus (This is my favorite food) and I have frozen it before. It freezes very well. Just make sure its completely thawed and mix it well before serving. Regarding the smooth hummus I had no idea you have to peel the peas off, I always blamed my food processor for not making it smooth enough :) Not sure I have the patience to peel them off but.... I recently heard about chick pea flour and I wonder if you can make instant smooth hummus by boiling that flour for a bit then drain and mix with the spices. Something I would like to experiment with if I ever come across that chick pea flour. I would love to have instant hummus! -
Super creamy and delicious. I will never buy hummus at the grocery store again. This recipe is easy and the perfect combinations of flavors. The only thing I changed was that I used less tiahini as suggested at the bottom of the recipe. Thanks for another fantastic Rouxbe recipe. -
Rouxbe Staff
Great to hear that you are hooked on homemade hummus. Of course, feel free to alter the ratios of the recipe to suit your palate preference. Some like more tahini, others like the acidity of more lemon. You can also stir in or top with sumac, good olive oil, chopped herbs, or thin strips of roasted vegetables. Enjoy! -
I have a friend on bedrest (she's due in Jan) and I'd like to make this for her. Question - "2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas". I just bought some chickpeas this afternoon. Is that 2.5 cups dried chickpeas, cooked? Or is it 2.5 cups cooked chickpeas. I was never good at math or measurements but I was thinking that, once soaked and cooked, 2.5 cups dried would end up more than 2.5 cups cooked. Help a poor, math/measurement deficient soul out! :-) -
Rouxbe Staff
Dried chickpeas, like most beans, will double in volume upon cooking, so 2 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas is roughly 1 or 1 1/4 cups dried chickpeas. I would recommend cooking a bit more than what you need for that recipe and find a way to use some chickpeas in another dish. They also freeze well (as long as they are in frozen in cooking liquid or water). I hope this helps, Enjoy!
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...and it was AWESOME! This is much better than any store-bought hummus and, with a little practice, I think I could match restaurant quality. Cooking the dried chickpeas was easier than I imagined. My only difficulty lay in the fact that I have an old and unreliable stove so even cooking is a challenge.
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The hummus I make at home always turns out to be too thick. I just followed this recipe exact measurements and it still too thick. It says to add olive oil till we reach the desired constancy, but I put more than 3 table spoons and it still too thick. Do you have any suggestions on how to make it more loose/liquid? Thank you, Lena
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If you find the hummus is too thick for your liking, you could add some of the cooking liquid from the beans, a bit of water or lemon juice and/or more olive oil. If you like a really smooth and thinner hummus, you could also peel the chickpeas before pureeing them. It does take a bit of time, but it is worth it —at least if you are looking for that ultra-smooth hummus it is. Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on how you look at it—I am the only one in the house that likes hummus this smooth, so I generally do not peel them.
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Previously, I'd made this recipe 2x and brought it into the office. Imagine how flattered I was when, last Friday, one of the guys stopped by my office and asked (in a pleading voice) "can you make hummus next week?" I made the hummus last night and it got rave reviews today. I've found that adding some of the cooking liquid really enhances the flavor and texture. One person even said mine was better than the Turkish restaurant we all go to! What a compliment! One question: does anyone know the nutritional value of this dish? We have several dieters in our office and all I can find online are values based on using canned chickpeas.
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Lea- Oh, how great that people enjoyed your hummus. I remember hummus as a real breakthrough dish for me in terms of understanding how each ingredient contributed to the dish. Garbanzos are protein and fiber. 1 tablespoon of oil = 14 grams of fat. For tahini, a tablespoon = 7 or 8 grams of fat. You can adjust the amount of fat by reducing the olive oil an/or tahini-but beware-it will also reduce and shift the creaminess/richness to more of a beany texture. I think the rouxbe recipe strikes a good balance of flavor and health. Plus, the tahini is loaded with minerals, fiber and protein. Enjoy!
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I would very much like to make my own tahini. Can anyone give me an idea of the ratios of flax seed to water to lemon juice, etc. -
Tahini is actually made from sesame seeds, not flax, and the preparation really varies depending on location, tradition, etc. To start, try blending 1 cup of sesame seeds (preferably toasted) with 2 tablespoons of liquid (olive oil, lemon juice, sesame oil, or even water.) Technically, you can make tahini without liquid at all just by grinding the sesame seeds into a paste--kind of like peanut butter (which, coincidentally, could be used for instead of tahini for those with allergies or no access to the ingredient.) -
Rouxbe Staff
Hi Geni- Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds, not flax. In its simplest form it is just ground sesame seeds (like peanut butter is just ground peanuts), but tahini "sauce" is thinned with water and sometimes a bit of lemon and salt. This treatment makes it thinner and easy to pour or use as a flavoring (I spoon it on kale and rice to add richness and depth of flavor). Straight tahini is thick and paste-like. I hope this helps!
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Thank you for the idea of using the pressure cooker. It did still take an age to peel them to use in the hummus. I now have several containers of chickpeas frozen in the cooking liquid just ready and waiting until I need them.
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Rouxbe Staff
Yes, the pressure cooker is great for chickpeas. And that's great about having some extra containers of cooked chickpeas on hand for salad or more hummus. Enjoy!
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Exactly, I also keep some in the refrigerator, need a snack, grab a handful, add to a salad, it's easier to open the refrigerator than open a can!
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This recipe adds too much fat to a vegan dish. There should be oil less options to make this hummus healthy. We tend to heat the chick peas making them softer to process and using the chickpea juice to add smoothness. -
I think you may have missed the part in the recipe where we say "With the machine running, slowly add either some of the cooking liquid and/or a bit of olive oil." Cheers!
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Love this hummus...I added some roasted red peppers, and it really goes well with the flavors already in this recipe. -
I am preparing this hummus for a baby shower and mom-to-be is allergic to lemon and other citrus. Would you substitute apple cider vinegar or white vinegar or something else for the lemon? -
Hi Kris - what a lovely dish to serve at a baby shower and yes, your suggestions will work - you might also consider pineapple juice as well. Enjoy and thanks for learning with Rouxbe! Chef Kirk -
Just made it! Came out perfectly! Thanks Rouxbe!
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can garbanzo beans substitute for the peas? -
Hi Violet and thanks for your question. So while the two names seem unrelated, chickpeas & garbanzo beans are, in fact, the same bean. A chickpea or garbanzo bean both refer to a plant in the legume category. So if you have garbanzo beans available, you can definitely use in this recipe. I hope this helps Violet. All the best, Chef Kirk
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Please share Tahini recipe
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HI Ankur! I typically use store-bought tahini. I have found a few brands that I love. Making fresh tahini is quite easy and lasts in the refrigerator for quite a while. You want to gently toast white sesame seeds and process them until smooth and creamy. Most recipes I have found add a bit of oil just to help break the sesame down into a creamy texture. I would imagine that using sesame or even toasted sesame oil would amplify the flavor. Here is a link to one recipe that looks pretty easy. https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-tahini/ Lauren -
We have a sesame seed allergy in the house, can you make this without adding tahini? Is there something you could use in it's place? Is it also possible to make it without the oil?
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Hi Mel, Yes to both questions! You could use another nut paste in place of the tahini, adding the richness and nuttiness found in that ingredient. To omit the oil, you may just need to thin the hummus a bit with some liquid. Aquafaba (the chickpea cooking liquid, from cooking at home or from the can) is a great liquid to use, both for its flavor and viscosity. Cheers, Sandy
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