11 August 2018

Best Ever Hummus


Having been vegan for 4 years now and veggie for 8 before that, I'm no stranger to hummus, I've eaten a lot of hummus over the years and that's why I don't use the term best ever hummus lightly. This hummus is smooth as can be, flavourful, topped with smoky paprika and pine nuts and the perfect medium for whatever you want to serve it up with...pita bread, pita chips, falafel, olives, grilled veg or even some veggie sticks. You only need a handful of ingredients for this recipe and the end result is incredible!


There are a few store-bought premium brands of hummus that I love, but they also come with a premium price, this recipe is so much cheaper, even more delicious and produces 4-5x as much hummus. It's great for a party or BBQ, I made some recently and it got eaten up so quickly, by vegans and non-vegans alike, with so many comments about how delicious and smooth it was, so grab that blender or food processor and get going - every vegan needs a staple hummus recipe! 


The key to a smooth hummus is making it a little looser than a typical store-bought one, it's way more traditional like this and makes a huge difference to the end result. I added the aquafaba from a can of unsalted chickpeas when blending and if you're serving the next day, you can add a little more liquid as it will firm up in the fridge. 


I also used garlic oil in this recipe, it adds a mellower garlic flavour, than the sometimes very harsh raw garlic. So, blitz up some chickpeas, garlic oil, whole tahini, lemon juice, aquafaba and salt, then smooth out and sprinkle over some smoked paprika, parsley and toasted pine nuts for a truly incredible hummus!



Best Ever Hummus | Yield: 3-4 cups | Time: 5-10 minutes 

You'll need

  • Blender/food processor (I used a nutribullet)
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Serving bowl
  • Small frying pan

Ingredients

Hummus:
  • 2.5 cups cooked chickpeas (~2 cans, if canned, use unsalted)
  • 1/4-1/2 cup aquafaba (chickpea water)
  • 2 heaped tbsp whole tahini
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp garlic oil (or 1 clove garlic + oil)
  • 1 tsp salt

To garnish:

  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • Olive oil
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
Other serving suggestions:
  • Za'atar
  • Roasted chickpeas
  • Harissa paste
  • Pomegranate seeds 
  • Sundried tomatoes
  • Olives 
  • Chipotle chili salsa

Method

  1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan on a medium heat until golden brown - keep a close eye on them and keep moving them around to ensure they don't burn. Once toasted, remove from the heat and place to one side.
  2. Add all the ingredients to the blender, starting with 1/4 cup of aquafaba, blitz until smooth and add more aquafaba to loosen if required - if you're serving the next day, it will firm up a bit in the fridge.
  3. Transfer into a wide bowl and make a well in the centre, pour the pine nuts into the well and garnish with the smoked paprika and parsley as shown in the pictures. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil, serve up and enjoy! 
Cassidy xx