You might have read this title and wondered: what is hummus? Many enthusiasts will tell you that hummus is one of the greatest foods ever. It has Mediterranean origins, but it has become popular in a variety of countries. It’s a popular dip, typically made with chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans), and hummus spreads are great on sandwiches or as snacks. You can add a variety of ingredients to it and customize it to your tastes. Here is an easy hummus recipe for you to follow. You can also find other easy hummus recipes on the web that use other ingredients if you want to get adventurous.
The Easy Hummus Recipe:
1 can of garbanzo beans
2-3 tablespoons of tahini
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 lemon (cut in half to squeeze into your hummus)
Salt, pepper, and other spices to taste
Other ingredients as desired
For most recipes with hummus, you’ll want to use a blender or food processor. Since chickpeas can gum up a blender’s blades, you may want to use a bit of water in order to allow the chickpeas to blend easily. Start with these in the blender or food processor first, and then gradually add the other ingredients.
You can alter the amount of tahini, olive oil, and other ingredients based on your taste. If you don’t have tahini, which is a sesame seed paste, you can cheat and use a smaller amount of peanut butter or another nut butter instead. Lemon adds flavor to your hummus by making it sweet, but depending on what other ingredients you may want to add, you can eliminate if you wish. Be sure to serve your hummus chilled, as this is the way it tastes best!
The fun part is choosing which extra ingredients you’d like to add if you want something more customized. In order to make a spicy hummus dip, for instance, you might add hot peppers like chipotle. You can also use more sweet or savory ingredients, such as roasted garlic, roasted red peppers, or sun-dried tomatoes, as these are all popular options. For a more non-traditional hummus, try making a southwest-inspired spread using black beans instead of chickpeas and add spices like cilantro and cumin.
Hummus can be eaten with a variety of other foods. On sandwiches, it will go well with any bread. As a dip, you can eat it with slices of pita bread or with crackers and chips. Hummus is perfect for any party or event and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Be sure to include this easy to make, natural, healthy, and low-calorie food in your diet!