Here's some tips for good hummus.
A lot of people here like Lars recipe too:

Ingredients :

I like Hummus with a strong garlic flavor, and so you may want to use a bit less than I do, but I think it improves the flavor. The important thing to remember when you make hummus yourself is to use freshly cooked dried beansÂnever canned, as they always have a "can" flavor. If you must use canned garbanzos, make sure you rinse them thoroughly and discard all liquid.

Ingredients

1/2 pound (1-1/3 c) dried garbanzo beans, (about 3 to 3-1/2 cups cooked)
1/4 - 1/3 cup lemon juice
3-4 large cloves of garlic (6 if small)
1/3 - 1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
1/2 cup tahini (toasted, if available)
2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 to 1-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
1-2 tbsp water, if needed
How to Prepare :

Cook beans according to package instructions. I generally boil them for two minutes in a large pan, with triple height of water. Then I turn off the heat and soak for 1 hour covered and then wash them. Garbanzos will require about 2 hours to cook*, after being soaked. After cooking, I rinse them twice with cold water to remove the cooking water.

Put the drained beans in a large food processor with the peeled garlic cloves (coarsely chopped) and the rest of the ingredients. Process until smooth. If it is too thick, thin with water, a tablespoon at a time.

It is difficult to find tahini made from toasted sesame seeds, and this is why I add the toasted sesame seed oil.

*If you add a tablespoon of baking soda to the water, the beans will cook faster, but they may become too soft this way and must be watched more closely.

Variations

There are lots of ways to vary hummusÂthis is just a basic recipe that you can save and then alter smaller portions of it by adding kalamata olives, roasted red pepper, roasted onions, or roasted garlic. My recipe has a fairly strong lemon flavor, which you can adjust by using more or less lemon. When you alter the amount of lemon juice, you may need to adjust the salt as well, as lemon juice reduces the amount of salt required.

Serve with lavash bread, table water crackers (unsalted), or thinly sliced sourdough or French bread. Or make Melba toast by baking thinly sliced French or Italian bread for 20 minutes at 250°.

Here is a link that might be useful: hummus tips

How timely! I just made some.

1 15 oz. can of chick peas, drained
1 red bell pepper, roasted
3-4 cloves garlic, roasted (you can used them raw but I don't love raw garlic)
juice of one lime
juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted in pan and pulverized with mortar and pestle
1/2 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
salt to taste

Whirl in food processor until smooth.

I also like it made with a roasted eggplant instead of a red bell pepper.

If you like you can use olive oil instead of sesame oil.

If you are ambitious you can cook your own garbanzo beans but they take forever to cook thoroughly.

I like the recipe from Jane Brody's Good Food Book:

In some olive or vegetable oil, saute 1 large onion, minced, with 1-2 cloves minced garlic (or use roasted garlic instead.

Rinse and drain 2 cups of canned chick peas. Place chick peas, onion and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Add 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/4 cup tahini and 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds.

Process the mixture, but don't let it get entirely smooth. Chill. Taste for salt and pepper.

I serve it with pita chips or bagel chips. You can make it a day or so ahead. And I like my hummus warm with a little olive oil drizzled over it and a sprinkle of paprika.

Teresa's note: I do not add the sesame seeds.

My son's hummus recipe:

Plain Hummus

2 T lemon juice
1/4 c olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic
1/8 -1/4 t cayenne
2-3 T tahini
1/4 c water
2 cans drained garbanzo beans
salt & pepper to taste

Combine everything but beans in food processor and puree until fine paste. Add garbanzo beans, puree until proper consistency.

He uses this basic recipe, then will add other flavors (roasted red peppers, cumin, olives,etc.) if he wishes to have a flavored Hummus. But, most of the time he prefers it "straight".

This is one that I've been making for years. Both Moe and Matthew love this Hummus.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Hummus
======
This recipe originated from the Nantucket Open-House Cookbook.

This recipe can be cut in half.

3 Large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup sesame tahini paste
1 cup water
6 cups canned chick-peas rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
Salt to taste

Garnish

3 Tablespoons fruity olive oil
Sweet Hungarian paprika

Lemon slices

Kalamata Olives
Fresh parsley
. Place the garlic, lemon juice and tahini in a food processor and
process to smooth paste.
Add the water and chick-peas and process until the mixture is very
smooth, almost fluffy. Season with the cumin and salt to taste.

Pour the hummus into a shallot serving dish. Drizzle the olive oil
over the top and swirl lightly with the tip of a knife. sprinkle with
paprika and garnish with lemon slices around the edges with some olives
and parsley sprigs.

Serve with pita bread cut into strips or triangles.

Makes 6 Cups

I love Lars' hummus, but sometimes for a change I make some pretty pink red pepper hummus.

I drain two cans of garbanzos and put them into the food processor, saving the canning liquid. I add a big ole' spoonful of tahini (nope, I don't measure), a couple of strips of canned red pepper from the mediterranean market, a couple of cloves of garlic and about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Nope, no lemon, I don't like it with the red pepper. I turn on the food processor and add the canning liquid through the tube until it's as smooth as I want it. Taste and add salt and pepper as you wish.

Annie

I have never used a recipe for hummus and so I read every recipe posted here carefully. I think "my" recipe is still different than all posted, so maybe worth typing out.

1 can chick peas drained
several big tablespoons of tahini -stir it well before scooping from jar
couple garlic cloves roasted if possible
juice of one lemon
some evoo- however much fat you want to add. I usually add about a quarter cup if I feel thin

some water, salt to taste.

Whir everything in a fp, add water until the consistency you want.
For red pepper hummus, add 1 cored, seeded red pepper. No water. This is my favorite.

I'm glad someone posted this for me because I don't have the recipe here! I'm happy that other people like it too. Thanks, Bumblebees!

Lars

Here's the one I always use when I make hummus. I love the flavour so much that I haven't looked any further for another recipe.

SPICED SWEET ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS
-----------------------------------------

1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (4 oz) jar roasted red peppers (or homemade)
3 TBS lemon juice
1 1/2 TBS tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teasp ground cummin
1/2 teasp cayenne pepper *(I used 1/4 teasp)
1/4 teasp salt
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley

Blend all ingredients except parsley in electric blender. Process until fairly smooth. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Source: Holly at All Recipes.com.

SharonCb

Sharon, I make that same recipe from allrecipes! It's awesome. The only thing I do differently is to add in about 1 1/2 T plain yogurt-gives it a little bit of creaminess.

Tracey

We aren't really picky about measuring things, either, on Hummus. The only thing that REALLY gets measured is the garbanzo beans (use two entire cans). We use the recipe kind of as a guide. We throw in more garlic if the cloves look small, more lemon if the lemons don't have much flavor. The tahini is just measured in big dollops of spoons from the jar. Then when it's done we decide if it needs more of anything. I like more tahini, but my husband likes more lemon. How it gets made kind of depends on who is going to eat it. We make hummus at least once a week. It is considered a "staple" at our house. My kids take it to school a lot. The recipe I posted is the original recipe we started with and measured exactly the first time we made it., and really liked it. Now we just throw it together since we make so much.

If you want to cut down on the fat, but still have a creamy texture, replace some of the garbanzo beans with a soft bean like navy beans and leave out the tahini.

I never met a hummus I didn't like. My favorites are with eggplant or roasted pepper, though.

Sharon if you don't like hummus, play with the lemon/lime, tahini, garlic, cumin, cayenne, oil etc. amounts until it suits you better. Or like SuzyQ says, try it made with navy beans. Tahini made from toasted sesame seeds tastes better to me than plain tahini which I find to be a bit bitter. I think Alton Brown uses peanut butter in place of tahini. I like to roast the garlic to mellow it.

I wanted to make hummus a while back, but could only find tahini in a pint-size jar. Don't know what I would ever do with the rest if I onl needed a few tablespoons or a quarter cup!

Do they sell tahini in smaller amounts or can one make their own? I kinda forgot about hummus after seeing the big jar that I wasn't sure I'd ever use up!

Lida

My jar of tahini has been around for a long time in my frig. It keeps. I am finally down to the last quarter cup.

As suggested, tahini made with toasted sesame seeds is better, but if you can't find it, add some toasted sesame oil. I also like a lot of lemon in mine.

I don't like cumin in hummus, and so if you are unsure about it, add that last, or add some to part of it and see if you like it better with or without. Many people I know do not like hummus with cumin, even though they (like me) like cumin in other dishes. Also, if you can make it with dried beans instead of canned, you will get a much different flavor.

BTW, I store my tahini upside down in the fridge, so that it is easier to get out. Otherwise, the oil remains on top and it is difficult to get the paste out.

Lars

I buy tahini in quarts, and buy it fairly regularly :) We use lots of it. What to do with all of that tahini is never a problem in my house. My kids are addicted to hummus.

I started with Ina's recipe years ago and I've made Lars several times too. Now it's kind of a Nike thing for me.

As for leftover tahini, not a problem for me. I do remember getting a sweet treat from Bubbe years ago in a swap that I'm sure had tahini in it. I can't remember what's it's called tonight. Man it was so good!

David

Here is a link that might be useful: Ina's Hummus Recipe

I'm not a cumin hummus lover either. It makes it taste Mexican to me.

"... if you can make it with dried beans instead of canned, you will get a much different flavor."

Better, in your opinion, or just different? I've made it both ways and don't recall tasting the difference. But I do prefer dried beans of all kinds to canned ones. I guess it's mainly for reasons of texture, which should not apply to pureed beans. Given your comment, I will pay more attention to differences in taste.

Jim

These recipes are great! I just made Hummus tonight with Fava Beans. Cooked the dried favas with 2 cloves garlic in the pot for about 45 minutes until soft. Mixed all the usual ingredients in my small food processor and served it with crisp toasted bagels - yup bagels. It was very good.

DL

A couple of observations I have about hoummus...
Add the tahini last because it thickens up a LOT and if your beans aren't mashed enough they may never be :-)
Hoummus without tahini just tastes wrong. My MIL buys a local brand made without tahini (making her own would be a cultural leap) and it's not nice.

Colleen, I have never tried hummus with peanut butter as Alton Brown makes it. It seems wrong to me too.

(A cultural leap! Grin!)

Here is a link that might be useful: Alton Brown's hummus recipe.

doucanoe, I have two recipes for cold noodles that use a tahini sauce. Susan Branch has a good one (Barnmom, I think the link may be in your clippings, private?) and the other one is from Feniger/Millikin.

I love eggplant hummus but I call it babaghanoush

Forgive me forum for I am neurotic....I can't open a can of garbanzos without dumping the contents into a colander and removing the 'skin' from each friggin' bean. Makes for a smoother hummus. And it bugs my DH heh heh

(Annie I can't believe you open a can of garbanzos instead of making your own?!?)

Jessy, my clippings are public. I'm confused. I removed them at one point and copied them to my computer to make room for more clippings but they have always been public. My cooking fantasies are an open book.

I call the eggplant version hummus not baba ganoush because it has garbanzo beans also, not just eggplant. Trader Joe's has an eggplant hummus I like a lot so I started making my own.

I can't believe you remove all the skins! I'll have to try that. I don't like kidney beans because of the tough skins. I saw fresh garbanzos in the grocery store the other day. Wonder how those would be in hummus. Raw they were like eating a firm fresh pea.

Dunno, when I searched for 'susan branch tahini sesame noodles' your clippings came up, but when I clicked on the link, it wasn't there. Gremlins.

Thanks for all the recipes folks.

I'm going to run them by Clive and have him pick one that appeals to him. I'll report back

I just made a recipe for a traditional hummus I found in the book Memories of a Lost Egypt - A Memoir with Recipes. It was the best hummus I'd ever tried. (Great read, too!)

Traditional Hummus

Cover 1 cup dried chickpeas with water and soak overnight. Drain and place in a sauce pan with 1/2 teaspoon salt and water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and reserve the water.

Place the chickpeas in a food processor with the juice of 2 lemons, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 2 or 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Process until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup tahini, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and salt & pepper. Process. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. (I first drizzled some good olive oil over the top before sprinkling with the parsley.) Serve with toasted pita. You can substitute one 16-ounce can of chickpeas for the dried. Yield: about 1-1/2 cups.

Source: Memories of a Lost Egypt - A Memoir with Recipes, copyright 1999

Lori

Here is a link that might be useful: All That Splatters - Hummus

Jessica, I did cook my own for quite a while, then Elery hit a sale and bought TWO CASES of garbanzo beans. Yup, that's 48 cans of garbanzos. He loves that I have a basement to store stuff, but I keep reminding him that eventually we're going to have to move it all out...

Annie

Jim, I rinse the beans several times during the cooking process, and this gets rid of a certain flavor that I don't like in the hummus. I can't get rid of that flavor by rinsing canned beans because they have spent so much time in their own liquid. In other garbanzo recipes I don't mind that flavor because they have so many spices. I suppose cumin might also mask that flavor (which is somewhat tinny or metallic to me), but I like to savor the more delicate flavor of the beans after they have been rinsed several times. Fortunately I can easily find fresh fava beans.

I've never made hummus with fava beans, but I've made other dishes with favas, and they definitely have to have the skins removed or peeled, which is rather time consuming. I often use favas when I make falafel.

Lars

Thanks Jessy. It never occurred to me that I might need to peel those friggin' things. I hope it doesn't bother me the next time my kid opens a can of them. I think he might hit me if I tell him he needs to peel them all. LOL I have a few neurotic hang ups when they are cooking things, but peelin' those beans ain't one of 'em!!!

Well I made Lori's version for himself and it was too lemony for him.

So I added more beans and it was too bland for him. So I gradually added in more garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, olive oil and Tahini. He says it is now perfect : )

Bottom line I think he would have loved Lori's recipe with a little less lemon but you can't take lemon out so now I have a huge bowl full of Hummus! Hope it keeps well! LOL

LOL Chase. Clive now has the never ending bowl of Hummus, I'm sure he'll enjoy all of it. I've never tried freezing it, but I'll bet you could. Some for now, some for later on!

Jim - I've just bought dry beans. I'll soak and cook per Lori's instructions and then tomorrow will prepare identical batches with those and a can of cooked. I'll let you know if I perceive a difference.

Jessy - I peel, too. Maybe not 100% but I do. Wondering if dried beans have skins on them when you reconstitute them? I guess I'll find out tomorrow!

Sharon - It sounded lemony to me, too, but I probably would like that. Just as a point of reference, here are Cook's Illustrated's proportions:

15oz can of beans, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic
3/4 t salt
pinch cayenne
3T lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 cup water

FOAS I await your results.

Sharon, I'm glad it finally ended up to Clive's liking!

Fortunately, hummus keeps for quite awhile. I use little deli-type plastic containers. It will last til it's gone! :D

Btw, were your lemons very large? If so, maybe you only needed one?? At any rate, now you know how to adjust it to your/ Clive's taste! Glad he liked it -

Lori

Lori I'm glad you brought that up - CI says it can be "refrigerated up to two days." I was wondering why such a short life expectancy. Perhaps that's just a "best by" date?

It's the whole "garlic in oil" thing, botulism, etc. why it doesn't last long.

OOPSSSS I forgot to mention that the dried Fava Beans that I use in my hummus come already skinned/peeled. I get an already peeled/skinned brand in the Latin American/Mexican/International aisle at Wally World.

DL

Well that was an interesting experiment. I made two batches of hummus using CI's ratios, one with a can of Goya chick peas and another with dried organic. The dried beans were soaked overnight and then boiled for about an hour until they had a similar consistency to the canned.

Let me start by saying that except for making hummus, I have no experience with chick peas. Having tasted them - and not particularly liking them - before while making hummus, I never had any desire to use them in any salad or other recipe. The dried, however, were a night and day difference! I could actually snack on these.

So I made my two batches, taking care to prepare them as identically as possible. (2.0 oz tahini, 8 grams of garlic, you get the idea!) The result? I can't decide. The two taste significantly different but I haven't named a winner yet. The batch made with dry carried over a mellow nutty flavor that the plain beans had. The batch with canned had a brighter, sharper and more acidic taste. Almost like I used more garlic and lemon in this one, which I didn't.

Well I'm full on hummus at this point so I figure I'll give it a rest and then re-taste later today to see if I still feel the same way. But one thing I learned for certain: I'll ONLY use dried chick peas in salads!

p.s. In the interest of time (I actually do work after all) I barely peeled any. I won't make that mistake again.

FOAS, what a scientist you are!

All of us owe you thanks for your careful experiment. I had made both versions, but some time ago and not for a side by side tasting; Your report, in addition to Lars' comments, is eye opening.

I've had the canned ones as a salad bar ingredient many times. Not bad, but now they won't be acceptable. i will need them made from the dried beans. I will have to bring my own stash to the salad bar in a baggy in my pocket.

Jim

LOL, Jim!

FWIW my wife took a taste test without knowing what the difference was, and she preferred the one with dried beans "hands down."

Well, looks like I'm late to contribute to sweetie Clive. So there's no point providing another recipe. But, they're all pretty similar. Sometimes I use canned chick peas, other times I'll use driedÂdepends on what I have on hand, at the time I crave this dip.

The only thing I do differently, however, is use roasted garlic instead of raw. To me, raw garlic (especially fall and winter garlic) is too pungent and over-powering in hummus.

Sol