Hey Frugal Friends! I’ve been in a fabulous frenzy over Israeli Hummus. I can’t stop making it. It’s Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus, and downright decadent. If you make hummus, this should be your go-to. And if you haven’t? Maybe the time is NOW!
Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus – Israeli Hummus
Strong words, but it’s seriously good; better than any hummus I’ve had at a restaurant and sad to say, better than my old favorite recipe. It doesn’t hurt that it’s so easy, either. I’ll walk you through the steps – be prepared to make some of the best hummus you’ve ever had.
About Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus:
Seemingly, there’s been a hummus revolution here in the US – and I wasn’t invited! Once I woke up and made Israeli Hummus? I’m 100% on board. Maybe even a little obsessed.
This hummus stands out from other regional versions for its audacious amount of tahini, making it ultra creamy smooth hummus. While delish cold, it usually comes to the table warm. Because it’s simply flavored, there’s plenty of room to customize toppings. That makes Israeli Hummus an appetizer or the base of a meal.
My interest started from the show Somebody Feed Phil. First, an episode featuring Tel Aviv and a Synagogue-themed Hummus shop. Then in another episode, Phil visited Chef Michael Solomonov’s restaurant, Zahav. It was around this time I sadly realized my old reliable hummus perhaps wasn’t all it could be.
A quick Google search was eye-opening – Chef Solomonov’s recipe was there but so were dozens of recipes from major food players. Everyone from the New York Times, to Cook’s Illustrated, Food & Wine, Milk Street, Food 52, Serious Eats, and more had dipped their toes in the water.
After some obsessive trying, testing, and tasting, my fave is barely adapted from the Milk Street version. It’s everything you could want from hummus without going overboard and just a smidge of tweaking helped me bring it to the table at a fabulously frugal price.
Making the Hummus:
This is easy with very little hands-on time but requires planning. The freshest tasting hummus is made with dried chickpeas (happily the cheapest option) which means time needed for soaking and cooking. When the chickpeas are ready, it’s just a quick whirl in the food processor to perfection!
You may have seen peeps squeezing the skins off of chickpeas to get smooth hummus. It’s unnecessary. These chickpeas are soaked before they’re simmered with a touch of baking soda. They fully soften and create smooth hummus with no effort.
For the best flavor, brine the chickpeas by adding salt to the soaking water and add aromatics when simmering. The tahini makes up the majority of the flavor; make sure you love your brand.
Preparing the Chickpeas:
Buy where there’s a good turnover (fresher chickpeas cook more quickly) and if there’s a choice, choose the smaller chickpeas over larger.
Dump the chickpeas on a tray and remove any oddities. Rinse thoroughly, then brine the chickpeas preferably overnight, but at least 12 hours to soften (and remove any field dust). If worried about fermentation, brine in the refrigerator. Before cooking, rinse thoroughly again.
To see more about brining, including pros & cons, check out Brining Beans.
Just recently I came across a small rock & a dirt clump in my dried beans.
Cook the Chickpeas:
The recipe calls for half a bag, about a cup of dried chickpeas. It doesn’t sound like much but it makes four cups of hummus. (The whole bag can be cooked and half saved for something else; once cooked half a bag (about a cup) will weigh 1 pound and 10 ounces and measure about 3 cups.)
Add the chickpeas and baking soda to a large pot or Instant Pot. Add a tablespoon of oil to the instant pot. It’s not traditional, but parsley stems, thyme, and an onion up the flavor. See more about this on Cooking Chickpeas.
- Stove Top: Bring to a simmer, cook until very soft and skins begin to separate, 40 minutes to an hour. Test several chickpeas from different areas of the pot for doneness; they should squish between finger and thumb. Timing varies; don’t rely on it.
- Instant Pot: read more on Instant Pot Chickpeas. Place in the Instant Pot, cover with water by two inches. Process on high for 20 minutes with a 20-minute release. Again, test several. Add more time if needed.
Drain chickpeas in a strainer for one minute, reserving the cooking liquid. Remove herbs & onion & set aside 2 tablespoons chickpeas for garnish. Add remaining warm chickpeas to food processor.
Save time – cook the whole bag and freeze half.
Trouble Shooting – Chickpeas won’t Soften:
If chickpeas aren’t softening, they’re old. Add in additional 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and:
- On the stovetop: simmer another 30.
- In the Instant Pot: bring to pressure for 10 minutes; quick release.
If they STILL aren’t soft, continue cooking until tender, adding extra water if needed. If that doesn’t work, cover and let sit for an hour or two, or put them (and liquid)in the fridge for longer or overnight. That will generally soften them. Resume as above.
Mix the Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus:
Now for the food processor! We’re getting close! Add 1 teaspoon salt to warm chickpeas in food processor. Use the metal S blade & process three minutes; Milk Street timed this & I do, too.
Mix the tahini if separated. Open the processor, add tahini, and process for an additional minute. Stop and scrape down sides. With the machine running, add the reserved cooking liquid and lemon juice and process till combined. Taste and add more salt if needed. If tahini was very thick, a tablespoon or two of water might be needed to get to the right consistency. Hummus should be very soft and creamy.
Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus Israeli Hummus – see how smooth & creamy.
Serving Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus:
Israeli Hummus is often served warm. It may be served with pita chips, but it seems somewhat of a disconnect! Heat and tear up pita or flatbread to scoop hummus.
Milk Street garnishes with olive oil, parsley, cumin & paprika. Alternatively, Za’atar or another topping of choice would be great, too. Tradition dictates serving with fava beans, boiled chickpea kernels, or boiled egg. A popular restaurant in Atlanta serves hummus with marinated feta, tomato & pine nuts.
To make hummus a meal, cookbook author Leah Koenig serves hummus with chicken & cauliflower cooked with Shawarma spices. Food & Wine suggests “substituting any protein and/or vegetables you like. Sautéed mushrooms, eggplant, or browned ground lamb with onions are common toppings.” I’ve had hummus served with roasted veggies, and Zahav serves theirs accompanied by several small dishes.
Storing Hummus:
- Hummus keeps in the fridge for three to four days. Work clean and use good judgment.
- Bacteria multiply rapidly in the danger zone (40 and 140 degrees F. ) Keep hummus no longer than two hours at that temperature.
- Freeze up to 4 months in an airtight container with headroom, but press plastic directly on top of the hummus. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Saving Money on Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus:
Around 4 cups of the most ethereal hummus ever ran about $3.90 paying regular grocery store prices for the ingredients. Careful shopping will lower the price more. Compare to $4.99 for less than half that amount of Sabra – and you’ll have no worries about recalls when you make your own.
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.
Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus Israeli Hummus
Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus
For more detailed instructions, including Instant Pot directions and troubleshooting, refer to the body of the post.
Before draining chickpeas, reserve 3/4 cup of cooking liquid.
To increase the recipe, soak and cook all the needed chickpeas at once but process them into hummus in batches.
- Prep Time: 12 plus hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 13-14 hours
- Yield: about 4 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Israeli
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (227 grams, approximately 1 cup) dried chickpeas, picked over and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (additional if needed)
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and quartered (optional)
- 3 large sprigs flat leaf parsley (optional)
- 2 large sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- 3/4 cup sesame tahini, mixed well and at room temperature
- 1 large lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika for garnish
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine 8 cups of cold water, the chickpeas, and 2 tablespoons of salt. Let soak at least 12 hours, or overnight. Drain and rinse well.
In a large pan over high heat, bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil. Add the chickpeas, and optional quartered onion, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves if using. Adjust heat to a simmer and cook until the chickpeas are softened. Remove the onion and herbs. Set aside about 2 tablespoons of chickpeas. Strain the chickpeas for one minute, reserving 3/4 cup of the liquid, then transfer to the food processor. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt to the food processor, then process for 3 minutes.
Stop the processor and add the tahini. Continue to process until the mixture has lightened and is very smooth, about 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the processor bow. With the machine running, add the 3/4 cup of cooking liquid and the lemon juice. Process until combined. Taste and season with salt.
Transfer the hummus to a shallow serving bowl and use a large spoon to make a swirled well in the center. Drizzle with olive oil, then top with the reserved 2 tablespoons chickpeas, parsley, cumin, and paprika or alteratives.
Note: Best served warm; mixture will become a little thicker after refrigeration.
Note on Tahini: Stir the tahini very well. Some brands separate and can become quite thick at the bottom of the container. If your tahini is particularly thick, you may need to add a tablespoon or two of tap water for the hummus to reach the right consistency.
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