Hey frugal peeps! Let’s talk hummus. Whether you make it at home or are still in the thinking about it stage, this recipe is for you. Best One Can Hummus is gonna beat the pants off store-bought hummus (what does that even mean, now that I think about it!) and maybe the hummus from some restaurants.
Best One Can Hummus
Just think of it, whipping up hummus at home, and not just any old hummus, but an absolutely fabulous one, so fresh and flavorful, pretty much any time you want. Is life-changing too strong of a word to use?
About Best One Can Hummus:
I have a few hummus recipes on my site, but it wasn’t until I saw Phil (from Somebody Feed Phil) in Israel (I wish I could travel more!) that I knew my hummus wasn’t all it could be! That led to this scratch, from dried chickpeas, Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus.
But now it’s time to get that gorgeous (and healthy) hummus to the table and make it easier and faster to do so, about 20 minutes, with the help of canned chickpeas. You will never want (or need) to buy another tub of hummus.
Savor your homemade hummus, and savor this: grocery hummus is pricy ($4.99 for 10 ounces), about 3/4 cup by volume, with countless recalls! Homemade is about 2 1/2 cups for $2.50.
Making Best One Can Hummus:
Everything is in the recipe, so I’m just going to stress to make sure the chickpeas are very soft and have basically no resistance when pressed, and know it will take as long as it takes to get those chickpeas smooth.
Adding the garlic and lemon to the food processor and allowing them to sit mellows the bite (but not the flavor) of the raw garlic.
Serve With:
Garnish as desired, serve with pita chips and/or an assortment of veggies. I used a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of Za’atar, and a whiff of smoked paprika.
Tinker with add-ins and change up the flavors or garnishes. For inspiration, take a look at commercial varieties or recipes from cooks around the world.
Homemade Za’atar Spice
Leftover Best One Can Hummus:
Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for three to four days.
Freeze: add to a container, leaving room for expansion. Once solid, to prevent freezer burn, drizzle with a little olive oil and place back in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator; stir back together if needed.
Other Hummus Recipes You Might Like:
- Ultra Creamy Smooth Hummus – from dried chickpeas.
- Garlicky Spicy Hummus – Yes, please – I love this stuff!
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus – This is a favorite; next time I make, I’ll apply these techniques for a smoother batch.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.
Tahini:
- Tahini can be pricy. Check Greek, Turkish, or Mediterranean markets or in “ethnic” areas of the grocery.
- Check sales bins; tahini, like most nut butters, is good months beyond the producer’s “best by” label.
- Once open, store up to six months in the fridge (less time at room temperature). Store upside down for an airtight seal. You will need to spend time stirring it back together.
- If in doubt about freshness, whether it’s a new jar or an open one, give it a sniff. If too old, there will be a distinct rancid odor.
Chickpeas:
- Dried Chickpeas are cheap but, like any bean, will be on sale, often unadvertised, just before or after a holiday where ham is usually served. Indian, Middle Eastern, or Latin American markets may have better prices & fresher chickpeas.
- Canned are on sale regularly; if used often, pick up enough to last until the next sale. Discount stores have great pricing.
- Dried are cheaper, but canned won’t break the bank. For comparison, a can is 15 ounces, about 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas. A pound bag, once cooked, yields about 1/4 cup less than 3 cans. A flex is to cook the pound and divide any unused into roughly 1 1/2 cup portions with some of the liquid and freeze.
- Today’s comparison: a pound of dried chickpeas was $1.46, and a can $.99. The savings were $1.50.
Lemons:
- Lemons are at a low from January through April. The juiciest will have thin skins. Weigh several in your hand; choose the heaviest. Avoid soft lemons and those with brownish spots. Examine any in bags thoroughly. Avoid small lemons; even discounted, you’ll pay for mostly pith.
- To store, place in a loosely covered paper towel-lined container in the fridge.
- To get the most from your lemon: wash first, microwave 30 seconds, and/or roll with pressure on the counter. Grate the rind and freeze excess in a small ziploc, then juice. Expect about 3 tablespoons juice per lemon. Toss what’s left in a pitcher for “Spa Water.“
Olive Oil:
- Sadly, price can be a factor. At the grocer, look for sales; the best are buy one/get one half off, especially when there are hang tags ($ off coupons). Compare sizes and pricing. If there’s a coupon, smaller bottles are the best bargain.
- Check buyers’ clubs or discount stores for a range of pricing and quality. Aldi Specially Selected made Consumer Reports’ Best Olive Oil list.
- Good olive oil (dark bottle, extra virgin, cold pressed) should be used as a condiment, to add flavor (find one with a taste you like) to dishes; basic, less expensive ones are for cooking.
- Store in a cool, dark cupboard. Larger bottles can be divided into glass containers, one handy and the other tucked away. Don’t be stingy with it; once open, olive oil begins to degrade in a couple of months.
Hi frugal peeps! Whether you are looking to save money or just have the easiest (and the best hummus) to get in your mouth, this is your recipe. I’d love it if you share and comment if you make it!
Mollie
Best One Can Hummus
best one can hummus
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 2 1/2 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz can Chickpeas, rinsed & drained (rinse the can, also)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 canfuls of water (reserve 1/4 cup when draining chickpeas)
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus a little additional for garnish
- 1 to 3 tablespoons reserved water, if and as needed
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
- Garnish as desired: Shown with olive oil, zaatar, and smoked paprika
Instructions
Note:
If planning on garnishing with a few chickpeas, reserve and set aside before starting the recipe.
Add rinsed chickpeas to a pot, along with 2 cans worth of water and the baking soda. Bring to a boil, reduce to a good simmer, and continue simmering for 10 to 15 minutes. The chickpeas should be very soft; test by pressing one between your thumb and index finger. It should easily “squish.” They’ll look broken, the skins separating, but that’s okay. Strain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the water, and rinse the chickpeas in the strainer with cold water. Drain well.
In the meantime, add the garlic and lemon juice to a food processor (a blender will work if it can handle the job) and pulse as needed, scraping down, until the garlic has broken down. Allow it to sit in the juice until the chickpeas are ready.
Once well drained, add chickpeas to the food processor along with the tablespoon olive oil and process for at least three minutes. Time it, and if not smooth enough, go longer. Stop if the equipment is beginning to get hot. If necessary, add the reserved cooking water, a tablespoon at a time, to help the food processor along. If the food processor appears to be overworking or getting hot, stop for a minute or two.
Look for the mass to turn creamy and slowly move from top to bottom as the blades turn. If necessary, add a little more water by tablespoon. Stop and scrape down several times, paying special attention to the area beneath the blades and edges of the bowl.
When the chickpeas are finished, add the tahini, blending until incorporated, then the salt to taste.
Place in a bowl, smooth the top, and using a teaspoon, make a swirl over the top. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish as desired.
Nutrition based on 1/4 cup serving:
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 10.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 118 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 7 g | 11 % |
| Saturated Fat 1 g | 5 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 3 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 3 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 5847 mg | 244 % |
| Potassium 131 mg | 4 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 9 g | 3 % |
| Dietary Fiber 3 g | 12 % |
| Sugars 2 g | |
| Protein 4 g | 8 % |
| Vitamin A | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 6 % |
| Calcium | 3 % |
| Iron | 8 % |
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