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Perfect Hummus

Name: Perfect Hummus
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 10 h 15 min
Cuisine: Other
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 cup dried); 1/4 cup tahini; 2 garlic cloves (or less to taste); 1/4 cup olive oil, extra-virgin (the pepperier and greener, the better); 2 lemons, zested and juiced; 1 tablespoon cumin; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne; kosher salt; black pepper, freshly ground; 1/2 cup water; 3 tablespoons parsley, freshly chopped (for garnish)

Perfect Hummus reads sourness 6.0, citrus 6.0 and nutty 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Other main, about 10 hr 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 3.9 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 1.6 / 10
Sour & Bright — 7.8 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 3.2 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.1 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 6.0 · Citrus 6.0 · Nutty 4.7 · Richness 4.5 · Salinity 3.6 · Allium 3.6 · Earthy 3.0 · Heat 2.8 · Umami 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Warm Spice 2.4 · Sweetness 1.5 · Bitterness 1.2 · Floral 0.8

What's in it (11)

2 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 cup dried)
1/4 cup tahini
2 garlic cloves (or less to taste)
1/4 cup olive oil, extra-virgin (the pepperier and greener, the better)
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons parsley, freshly chopped (for garnish)

Time & effort: about 10 hr 15 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 292.4 kcal, 14.9 g protein, 9.2 g fat, 38.6 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (4 steps)

Place about 1 cup (or just prep a whole bag) of dried chickpeas in a bowl and cover with water about 3 inches above the chickpeas. Soak in the fridge overnight or about 8-10 hours.
Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas and place in a pot. Cover with water about 3 inches above the chickpeas. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 1 hour or more, until tender. You can sub these two steps with cooked, canned chickpeas, but the flavor will not be as fresh and wonderful. In a pinch when I have to use canned, I love Trader Joe's chickpeas.
In a food processor, add 2 cups of cooked chickpeas, 1/4 cup tahini, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, the juice of 2 lemons, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, several pinches of salt, and some fresh ground pepper. Pulse until roughly chopped.
Turn the food processor to on and pour about 1/2 cup of water in a steady stream until the hummus is blended nicely. You may need to add a little more or less water to get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking. Garnish with parsley and lemon zest. Enjoy eating the real deal with pita or veggies!

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Egyptian Hummus — Egyptian
Revithia Soupa (Chickpea Soup) — Greek
Chicken Inasal (Bacolod Grilled Chicken) — Filipino
Hummus — Lebanese
Shawarma (Egyptian Style) — Egyptian

Keep reading: what sourness, citrus, nutty mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.