Hummus was one of the first “health foods” I fell in love with many moons ago. It was also one of the first recipes I tried from scratch. After realizing how easy it was to make, I was not only hooked on hummus, but could routinely be found carting a tub of my homemade creations to any party I was invited to. People are always impressed when you bring homemade hummus! If you’ve never tried making it before, you’re in for a treat. It’s only a few ingredients and one step. Pop everything into a food processor, blend, and you’re done!
Hummus is loaded with fibre, plant-based protein and healthy fats. It’s an ideal food to fill you up and keep you satisfied without spiking your blood sugar. Obviously, it’s great for dipping, but it’s also fantastic on sandwiches or mixed into soups to give a creamy consistency when skipping dairy. Lately, I’ve been experimenting by blending it with brown rice to make a hearty, dairy-free risotto. Watch out world!
The other great thing about hummus is that there are just SO many ways you can switch it up. All you have to do is add more healthy, whole foods to the original recipe and you’ve got a fresh new dish in a variety of colours and flavours. The sky is the limit when it comes to variations (you can even start subbing the chickpeas for black beans or edamame, which really changes things up). Today, I’m just going to show you five of my fave hummus recipes. Once you realize how easy it is to shift gears, you’ll be whizzing up your own secret recipes in no time!
Basic Hummus Recipe
Fear not, you really can’t screw this up. You can follow my basic hummus recipe, but if you find it too dry, just add more water or oil. If you find it too runny, add some more chickpeas. It’s kind of a no-brainer.
There are many different ways to approach the pureeing part. Generally, I put everything in the food processor at once but I have experimented with splitting up the steps. For instance, some people like to grind the chickpeas first and then add everything else in, while others enjoy adding the lemon juice and tahini to the mixer FIRST and whipping that into a frenzy before adding the rest of the ingredients. And, if you do it like my friend Chef Rony, you add the tahini at the last stage and mix by hand. I have to say, I haven’t really found a huge difference in either method, but I encourage you to try different techniques because it’s fun!
Use organic ingredients when possible
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 3 tbps tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 1-2 ounces)
- 1 tbps olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced or crushed)
- 2 tbps water (or to desired consistency)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Bits of dry chickpeas will stick to the side.
- Open food processor and scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula (add more liquid if necessary). Replace the lid and puree again until smooth like
buttah . - Spoon into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and favourite garnishes like paprika, hot sauce or parsley.
With the following variations, simply make the original recipe and then add the additional ingredients and blend again until fully integrated.
Beetroot Hummus (aka: B’ummus)
Adding beets to your homemade hummus will give you a colour that is out of this world amazing. It’s so bright and fun that even your kids will like it. An eye-popping pink that’s actually super-healthy. Beets are nutritional powerhouses. They are loaded with micronutrients and antioxidants and are incredibly liver-supportive. They are also one of the richest sources of glutamine, which is essential to the health and maintenance of the intestinal tract. On top of all that, they have a wonderful sweet flavor that gives this hummus an interesting twist that’ll leave you wanting more.
Use organic ingredients when possible
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 3 tbps tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 1-2 ounces)
- 1 tbps olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced or crushed)
- 2 tbps water (or to desired consistency)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup chopped roasted beets
- Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Bits of dry chickpeas will stick to the side.
- Open food processor and scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula (add more liquid if necessary). Replace the lid and puree again until smooth like
buttah . - Spoon into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and favourite garnishes like paprika, hot sauce or parsley.
Lemon Dill Hummus
Adding lemon and dill makes this a tart zinger that I just can’t get enough of. Plus, lemon and dill both have nutritional superpowers. For one, dill is a good source of calcium, manganese and iron and also contains flavonoids, known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. Both foods aids in digestion as well. Lemons also help to reduce inflammation caused by acidity in the body. In fact, lemons are one of the most alkalinizing foods you can eat. Yay, lemons!
Use organic ingredients when possible
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 3 tbps tahini
- Juice of 2 lemon (about 1-2 ounces)
- 1 tbps olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced or crushed)
- 2 tbps water (or to desired consistency)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Cup of loosely packed chopped fresh dill.
- Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Bits of dry chickpeas will stick to the side.
- Open food processor and scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula (add more liquid if necessary). Replace the lid and puree again until smooth like
buttah . - Spoon into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and favourite garnishes like paprika, hot sauce or parsley.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
I like to roast my peppers at home as much as I can, but sometimes, I just don’t have the time, so I will buy a jar of the organic ones. Either way, the roasted peppers impart such a lovely sweetness to this hummus and a nice, rich colour. There is a ton of vitamin C and beta-carotene in red peppers, which does become reduced in cooking, but the peppers still retain much of these critical nutrients when roasted and taste uber-delicious.
Use organic ingredients when possible
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 3 tbps tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 1-2 ounces)
- 1 tbps olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced or crushed)
- 2 tbps water (or to desired consistency)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup roasted red peppers (either homemade or store-bought)
- Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Bits of dry chickpeas will stick to the side.
- Open food processor and scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula (add more liquid if necessary). Replace the lid and puree again until smooth like
buttah . - Spoon into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and favourite garnishes like paprika, hot sauce or parsley.
Herbed Hummus
Fresh herbs not only pack amazing flavor, they have a potent nutritional punch. They are basically concentrated bundles of antioxidants. In fact, green herbs like parsley are one of the most detoxifying foods you can eat. This fresh herb, has a ton of vitamins like A, Bs, C and K and the minerals iron, magnesium and potassium. It supports immunity and, therefore, protects against chronic disease. Plus, it’s a natural diuretic so can help reduce swelling and bloating from excess sodium. It’s mild in taste, which is why I love adding the basil and tarragon to up the flavor factor. This recipe is next level.
Use organic ingredients when possible
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 3 tbps tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 1-2 ounces)
- 1 tbps olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced or crushed)
- 2 tbps water (or to desired consistency)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley (tightly packed)
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil (tightly packed)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon (tightly packed)
- Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Bits of dry chickpeas will stick to the side.
- Open food processor and scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula (add more liquid if necessary). Replace the lid and puree again until smooth like
buttah . - Spoon into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and favourite garnishes like paprika, hot sauce or parsley.
Happy hummus!
K
