Mini Homemade Hummus
Although readily available at the supermarket, hummus is very economical to make at home. This recipe requires a food processor or blender.
Although readily available at the supermarket, hummus is very economical to make at home. This recipe requires a food processor or blender.
- Carbohydrate 0.0925931330128205 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.5593450171212 g
- Fiber 0.0378601762820513 g
- Protein 0.0156441105769231 g
- Saturated Fat 0.189552846635175 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (6g)
- Sodium 0.0628621794871795 mg
- Sugar 0.0547329567307692 g
- Trans Fat 0.0312905629139739 g
- Calories 23 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the chickpeas and the garlic in the Instant Pot inner pot. Add 5 cups water and stir. Add the vegetable oil. Secure the lid, ensuring the valve is turned to the Sealing position. Press the Bean/Chili button and set the time to 50 minutes.
- Once cooking is complete, allow the appliance to natural release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the valve to the Venting position to release the pressure.
- When all the pressure is released, carefully remove the lid. Place a colander over a large bowl in the sink. Drain the chickpeas into the colander and capture the chickpea cooking liquid in the bowl, reserving the liquid for later use.
- Once drained, combine the chickpeas with salt, pepper, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 cup of the reserved chickpea liquid in a food processor. If using a blender, this step will need to be done in two batches. Pulse the food processor to blend the ingredients. Then turn the food processor to high, slowly adding the remaining olive oil and reserved chickpea cooking liquid as needed until smooth and of the desired consistency. Before serving, place in bowl, drizzle additional olive oil on top, and season with freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with pita bread, carrots, peppers, and cucumbers.
- TIP: To try different hummus flavors, consider adding roasted red peppers, hot pepper sauce, or fresh herbs during the blending phase.
Home cooks frequently process cold chickpeas straight from the can, which results in a grainy purée rather than the silky emulsion characteristic of quality mezze. Achieving restaurant-quality texture requires starting with dried garbanzo beans, hydrating them fully under pressure, and blending them while they retain residual heat. When operating a standard food processor, dividing the batch prevents motor strain and ensures the blade catches every stubborn particle of legume skin.
The Chemistry of Fats and Liquids
Olive oil provides essential flavor, but adding it too quickly to the spinning processor bowl will break the emulsion and create an oily, separated paste instead of a cohesive dip. Pouring the remaining olive oil in a thin, continuous stream while the machine runs on high incorporates air and builds a velvety structure. Retaining the warm cooking liquid from the pressure cooker allows precise viscosity control, as starches leaching from the beans act as natural stabilizers when combined with salt and pepper.
- If the mixture seizes or spins without catching, add reserved cooking liquid one tablespoon at a time until the blades engage smoothly.
- Soaking dried beans overnight before pressure cooking is unnecessary when using high-pressure settings, but matching the bean-to-water ratio prevents scorching on the heating element.
- Chilling prepared hummus in a sealed container for up to four days concentrates the garlic intensity, requiring a brief rest at room temperature before serving.
