This isn’t your classic Hummus (Hummus bi Tahini) but this recipe starts off with my basic recipe for Hummus – and then jazzes it all up in this Garlicky Spicy Hummus.
Garlicky Spicy Hummus
If you’re a follower of my site (and if not, I’d love it if you would) you might have seen a couple of recipes for various versions of hummus. In addition to the classic, linked above, there’s my Smoky Cauliflower Hummus and my Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Since I love to play with my food, it seemed it was time for this one!
About Garlicky Spicy Hummus:
I think this is a fun variation for those who appreciate a little heat, but this dip brings more than heat to the table- it has a whole array of spices that give it a well-rounded flavor.
It’s the kind of dip that makes you think about it as you taste it. And then taste it again, and again. And with each taste, you’re going to find the flavor (and the heat) builds just a little.
Making Garlicky Spicy Hummus:
Hummus is so easy to make. First of all, peel and chop your garlic, toss it in your blender (for the smoothest hummus) or food processor, and pulse.
Then just toss in your chickpeas, either canned or home-cooked (see my Braised Chickpeas or Instant Pot Chickpeas) but give them a rinse if they’re canned. Then add in a spoonful of tahini, juice of a lemon, and blend it up with the spices. Add a little water (or some of the cooking liquid if you cooked your own chickpeas) to get to just the right smooth consistency.
When finished, place it in a bowl, give it a swirl, and drizzle, just a touch of olive oil, a sprinkle of spice, and a bit of parsley.
For Smoother Hummus:
The first way to get a really smooth hummus (besides using a blender – I love my NutriBullet for hummus) is to use the right chickpeas if you’re starting from scratch. You should look for the smallest chickpeas, not the larger ones because the skins will be more tender.
There was a time I thought the best hummus was made from canned chickpeas, and that’s fine, but with time and experience, realized that properly cooking the dried chickpeas made a huge difference.
Do soak them first for the best hummus, and cook them until they are absolutely tender with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. When you are ready to stop the cooking process, check several chickpeas, pulling them from different areas of the pot, just to make sure they are just right.
The other way is to ensure your hummus is super creamy is to remove the skins, especially if you’re using canned or cooking the larger varieties.
- If you remove the skins, don’t squirt the chickpeas out one by one by pinching them like I so often see done. I just shake my head at that!
- Put the chickpeas in a big bowl of water and rub the chickpeas between your fingertips to loosen the skins. Give the water a stir and the skins will float to the top where you can skim them off. You might have to repeat this a time or two, depending on the amount of chickpeas involved.
- What you lose with removing the skins is some of the fiber and some of the volume. Personally, I rarely remove the skins for this reason. Maybe sometimes, now and then, if I have company and I want to impress just a little.
Storing Garlicky Spicy Hummus:
Your hummus should last for three to five days, and that’s really dependent on keeping it chilled and how clean you work!
That being said, hummus doesn’t last that long at our house; it’s always a fleeting thing! If I do want to keep some of it, I like to portion it out in small containers and that makes it just perfect to bring for lunch or to have for snacks. I love having something at the ready when hunger hits.
Garlicky Spicy Hummus
Saving Money on Your Hummus:
I have a whole post on Hummus and Chickpeas with tips, comparisons, and pricing info you might want to take a look at.
Chickpeas:
- Dried Chickpeas are inexpensive; like any bean, you may find them on sale just before or after a holiday known for ham: Christmas, New Year’s, or Easter. Sales are often not advertised.
- Better pricing & fresher chickpeas might be had at an Indian or Latin American market. I’ve not had great luck at discount stores like Aldi & Lidl, but that may depend on the ethnicity of the neighborhood.
Tahini:
- Tahini on the other hand is pricy. Look for Tahini in any Greek, Turkish, or Mediterranean market or in the “ethnic” sections of the grocery store. Check any sales bins; specialty items often end up there.
- I used 1/3 of an $8.00 jar. Store opened tahini upside down in the fridge and be prepared to spend time stirring it back together. Use promptly; it will turn rancid with enough time.
Olive Oil:
- Olive oil is another item that is becoming pricier. I do cook with some olive oils, but for a dish like this garlicky spicy hummus, I pull out one of my better olive oils. That would be one of the pricier extra virgin bottles.
- It is still possible to find olive oil at a lower price than you’d find at the grocery. Get used to comparing olive oil prices at your big box store or one of the discount stores, Aldi or Lidl.
Chips or Pita:
If you want to save money on your pita, flatbread, or chips, you can check out a couple of posts.
- For pita chips, see Baked Pita Chips. You can make them plain, maybe with a little salt or fancy them up with herbs and/or spices.
- For flatbread, check out my post on Super Easy Flatbread. It is easy, but does take a bit of time to perfect. That’s of little consequence because they taste amazing!
Garlicky Spicy Hummus
Garlicky Spicy Hummus
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
- Category: appetizer
- Cuisine: middle eastern american
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas or 1 15 – 16 ounce can, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- juice of one lemon (add some finely zested peel for more lemon flavor)
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water, if needed
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- several dashes (to taste) of your favorite hot sauce
- salt and pepper if desired, hold off to the end and taste
- a sprinkle of garam masala, a drizzle of olive oil & a little chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
Add garlic to blender or food processor. Whir to break down. Add in chickpeas, oil, and lemon and continue to blend or process until broken down. Add Tahini and continue to process until desired consistency. If it doesn’t seem to be coming together, add water, start with two tablespoons, then a tablespoon at a time, until it is smooth, creamy, light, and airy.
If desired, add salt and pepper, then the garam masala, cayenne, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Garnish by making a swirl across the top of the hummus, adding a few shakes of garam masala, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of parsley.
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