If you love hummus, but not the price of a small container, this recipe is for you. With only a few simple ingredients, and a processor or blender, you can make delicious hummus at home. I’m finding this a great way to use some of the extra garbanzo beans I purchased when the shelter-in-place rules went into effect.
The biggest difference I’ve found between grocery store hummus and the homemade variety is the texture; my homemade always leaned toward the grainy side. I searched on Pinterest and found the guaranteed best method for creating smooth, silky hummus (because literally everyone on Pinterest makes claims like that). It involved heating the beans with a small amount of baking soda to loosen the skins so they could be removed. I love little tips like that! So I tried it. An hour and a half later:
Seriously. So we’re not doing that today. I dug deeper and tried a few other tricks, and I have some good news to share: the trick to making silky smooth hummus is heating the beans in their liquid before processing them, and having patience with the processing. Follow along, and you’ll be successful. This recipe makes about 2 cups of hummus; flavor variations are suggested at the end.
Ingredients & Tools:
1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, with minimal additives (ideally, just beans, water and salt)
2 Tbsp. tahini* (see note below)
1 to 2 cloves chopped fresh garlic (should measure about 1 Tbsp.)
2 to 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (if you have some of the premium stuff, this is a good recipe to use it!)
Juice of half a small lemon
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Food processor or blender (you need one or the other to make this)
Small saucepan for heating beans
Measuring cup with spout for drizzling liquid into processor
Citrus squeeze juicer (helpful, but not necessary)
*Notes
Tahini is essentially a paste made of ground sesame seeds. It has a mild nutty flavor and sticky texture, like a thin peanut butter. In a pinch, if you don’t have tahini, you could use a natural, unsweetened peanut butter as a substitute. But if you pick up tahini on your next essentials run, I promise I’ll help you use it!
Instructions:
Warm beans and liquid in small saucepan over medium-low, until simmering and heated through.
Drain beans, reserving the liquid in a measuring cup with pour spout.
Empty all the beans, tahini, chopped garlic and about 1 Tbsp. bean liquid into the processor bowl, and pulse 5 times for about 3 seconds each time. The mixture will be sticky and clumpy, but that’s OK.
Add another tablespoon of liquid and pulse 5 times again. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture down into the processor bowl, then replace the cover and turn on the processor to run continuously.
With the processor running, slowly drizzle 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil into the mixture (or more if you like a more intense olive oil flavor). Stop and scrape down again, and then process again, slowly streaming more of the warm bean liquid into the garbanzo mixture until you achieve the desired smoothness and consistency. Keep in mind the mixture will firm up a bit when chilled.
When you’ve reached the desired consistency, turn off processor, squeeze lemon juice into the hummus and pulse a few times to blend; add sea salt to taste. Transfer the mixture to a covered container and chill a few hours until ready to serve.
A food processor is one of the most helpful tools in my kitchen. And as you can see, the ingredients for making easy hummus at home are pretty basic. 
With minimal liquid, the processed bean mixture will look rough like this; it’s okay though, because you’re just getting started. 
A steady, slow drizzle is what you’re going for in this stage of mixing. You’ll do this with both the olive oil and the warm bean liquid. Keep watch as you go, and stop as needed to scrape down the hummus mixture from the sides of the bowl. 
I love these citrus squeezers; it’s the best way to extract the most juice without dropping seeds into your recipe. Here’s another tip: press and roll your lemon on the counter or cutting board before halving and squeezing. 
Perfectly smooth and delicious; remember that the hummus will firm up a bit in the refrigerator, so if it seems little thin, don’t worry.
Hummus is a healthful and versatile snack. Enjoy it as a dip with fresh cut vegetables, crackers or pita bread, and even as a sandwich spread in place of mayo. Below are some of our favorite hummus flavor variations. Each recipe begins the same as the simple recipe above; for smooth texture, add mix-ins earlier in the recipe. For more distinct chunks, add them later.
Hummus Flavor Variations
Artichoke and garlic
Use about 5 to 6 artichoke heart quarters with the base recipe; I usually do a rough chop on them before adding to the garbanzo mixture. If your artichoke hearts are marinated in oil and herbs, use less olive oil in the blending step of the recipe.
Roasted red pepper
Use amount equivalent to one bell pepper, either roasted at home or purchased. If they’re packed in oil, use less olive oil in the blending step of the recipe. I like to add sweet or hot smoked paprika for an extra flavor punch.
Sun-dried tomato
Use 5 or 6 pieces of tomato, rough chopped before adding. If they’re packed in oil, they’re good to go. If dried, plump them first in hot water or in the bean liquid you’ve drained. A little dried basil would be a nice complement to the flavor of the tomatoes.
Spinach
Sauté a generous handful of fresh spinach until fully wilted, or thaw (and squeeze dry) about 1/2 cup frozen spinach; add to bean mixture early to blend very smoothly.
Caramelized onion (slightly sweet)
Sauté a small onion in olive oil until very soft and golden in color; add to bean mixture at any point of the recipe (I like to add it later to retain some of the onion shapes).
Roasted beet (slightly sweet)
Purchase the roasted beets ready-to-go from the produce section. I usually buy them at Trader Joe’s, but have seen them in other stores as well. I don’t recommend canned beets because of the water content. About 3 small beets will be good; rough chop and add them early to the bean mixture. Finished hummus will be a lovely pink color.
White bean hummus
Use cannellini beans instead of garbanzos. Add fresh chopped or dried oregano; use slightly less bean liquid and oil. Cannellini beans have a creamy texture, and this hummus is very elegant and silky. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts just before serving.
Black bean hummus
Use black beans instead of garbanzos. I like to throw lots of spice into this one; think chili and cumin spices, maybe even a small can of roasted green chiles. Rather than lemon juice, use red wine vinegar.
Comfort du Jour 
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