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.

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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) to get to just the right smooth consistency.

When finished, place in a bowl, give it a swirl, and drizzle in 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 and cook them until they are absolutely tender.

Rub the chickpeas between your fingers to loosen skins.

Skim off the floating skins. If they aren’t floating, give the chickpeas a swirl and the skins will float up.

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.
Put them 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.
What you lose with removing the skins is some of the fiber and some of the volume.

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 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 have for snacks.

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. While dried chickpeas are very inexpensive, canned chickpeas won’t break the bank. Really, the price of the chickpeas is the least of your issues. It’s the price of the Tahini that makes up the bulk of the cost to make this.

While I never see tahini on sale, I do find it sometimes on the discount shelves or bins at the store. Like with most items, it’s usually just fine, even after the “best used by” date put on the jar by the producer. Once open, keep it upside down in the fridge. That forms what is basically an airtight seal and keeps it at its best much longer.

Garlicky Spicy Hummus

Print Recipe

Author: mollie kirby
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
Category: appetizer
Cuisine: middle eastern american

Ingredients

Scale

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.

Keywords: Appetizer, Chickpeas, Condiments, Dried Beans, Hummus, Lemon, Spreads and Dips, tahini