Are you wondering what kind of starter to add to your dinner tonight? Have you ever tried to make your own hummus? It’s really quite easy, and delicious. Try this great chickpea dip recipe for an appetizer or lunch dish that will have people asking “Do you have any more of that lovely hummus?”
Chickpea dips are very versatile and can be paired with falafel, shawarmas, or even salads or simply used as a dip with pita bread or chips.
Hummus has been one of my favorite foods for years. I used to buy it by the tub, but then one day I decided to experiment and make my own chickpea dip – after a few failed attempts, I managed to find the perfect combination of ingredients that made this recipe better than anything I could ever find in the grocery store!
Reasons why you’ll love this homemade chickpea dip
- Super quick, easy to make, and healthy!
- Vegan, dairy free, gluten-free and nut free
- The leftover dip tastes even better the next day
Now let me show you how to make the best homemade hummus from scratch!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup tahini, make sure you stir it well before using (you can also use sesame paste if preferred)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or lime)
- 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas (or one 15 ounce can of drained chickpeas)
- 1 small crushed garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 – 3 tablespoons water or aquafaba (the liquid from the can of chickpeas)
- Salt to taste
- Dash ground paprika, for serving
Chickpea Dip Recipe
Step 1
Start by adding the tahini and lemon juice to your food processor and pulse for about 1 min. Then scrape the sides of the food processor bowl and pulse for another minute. This step will help to make sure the hummus is smooth and creamy.
Step 2
Combine the minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, and olive oil and pulse for another 1 minute, scrape the sides of the bowl again and pulse for another minute until everything is well mixed together.
Step 3
Include half of the drained chickpeas into the mixture and pulse for 1 – 2 minutes. As usual, scrape the sides of the bowl and add remaining of the chickpeas; pulse for another 1 – 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Step 4
If the chickpea dip is too thick for your liking, add 2 to 3 tbs of water or aquafaba to the mixture while the food processor is still running and pulse until the consistency is right.
Step 5
Add salt to taste, pour into a serving bowl, and serve with a drizzle of virgin olive oil and a little sprinkle of paprika. You can also eat with a handful of broken tortilla chips or crackers on the side.
You can store your homemade chickpea dip in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to one week.
Homemade hummus variations
Spicy chickpea dip without Tahini
If you’re not a fan of Tahini because of its bitterness or find it too expensive, then this spicy chickpea dip recipe will be perfect for your needs!
The ingredients you will need are the following:
- 1 can of drained chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon of water or aquafaba
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Similar to the regular chickpea dip recipe
Add all the ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor. Pulse until they become creamy. Finish off by adding the tablespoon of olive oil to the mixture and continue pulsing.
Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the second tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice.
Black-eyed pea hummus
Black-eyed peas can be used as a substitute for chickpeas for making hummus. They have a much richer flavor and require less soaking time!
You will need the following ingredients:
- One can of black-eyed peas (15 ounces)
- 1 garlic clove
- 5 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley
Start with removing the skin from the garlic clove and a little off the top. Wrap it up in foil with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven at 425°F for 30 minutes. Then let it cool a little.
Add the roasted garlic and black-eyed peas, lemon juice, and cayenne to the food processor, and pulse until it turns into a purée. While the motor is still running, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil. Pour the purée into a medium bowl, mix in the finely chopped chives and parsley; add a little salt and pepper to taste.
Frequent questions from our readers
So, What’s the Secret to Making the Best Hummus?
The key to making the perfect hummus is adding the ingredients in this order. First, you should add tahini and lemon juice, then before anything else turn on your food processor for just one minute or so so that they can mix well together at high speeds with no lumps!
Do You Need to Peel the Chickpeas?
Another trick for the smoothest hummus is to remove the skins of each chickpea. We’ve done it. For one can of chickpeas, you’re looking at about ten minutes to remove all the skins. We really didn’t want to add the extra time to our hummus recipe below, but just to make sure, we tried it both ways — skinless chickpeas and chickpeas right out of the can.
What is aquafaba?
Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas or cooking liquid left after you cook dried chickpeas. This starchy substance, when whipped, aquafaba form will turn light and fluffy so it’s perfect for making hummus!
Equipment
Your most important piece of equipment for making chickpea dip is a good quality food processor.
