Classic Garlic and lemon Hummus -

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This quick and easy Classic Garlic and Lemon Hummus takes mere minutes to make the creamiest, smoothest hummus ever! It’s made with chickpeas, fresh lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and olive oil, with cumin and salt for seasoning and is healthy, vegan, and packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Enjoy it as a snack with whole wheat pita bread or veggies, as a spread on sandwiches or a base for chicken salad!

One of the reason I love about making homemade hummus is that most all of the ingredients can be found in your pantry, making this an easy impromptu dip to make for parties, game day, or a regular delicious weeknight dinner.

What is hummus?

Hummus is a dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic.It is popular in the Middle East and Mediterranean, as well as in Middle Eastern cuisine around the globe. [WIKI]

Everyone has their own unique twist on it.And I always prefer using whole-food fat sources over oils in the recipe.

Traditional hummus recipes call for lots of olive oil – often 1/4 cup plus more drizzled on top when serving. Comparitavely I’ve used just 1 Tbsp… that’s 25% the original amount!
So how do I achieve the same creaminess? I’d prefer to use more tahini as the fat source given that it’s made from whole sesame seeds ground into a seed butter. This also means added fiber, and added flavour.

It’s simple to make – with 7 basic ingredients transform into delicious homemade hummus.You probably have most of these things in your pantry. It’s lusciously smooth, with a bright lemon flavor and a little kick from garlic. Whether you enjoy it with fresh veggies, slather it on a sandwich, or scoop it up with wedges of pita, I hope you love it as much as I do!

I used a food processor to make this, but if you don’t have one, you can use a blender. The trick to making it smooth and creamy is to slowly drizzle the liquids in while the machine is running, helping to emulsify it.

You will need:

Chickpeas: You can use canned chickpeas or can cook from scratch until slightly soften and loosen up the skins.
Tahini: This gives the most prominent flavor in hummus.
Garlic: This recipe calls for two cloves, but feel free to double that if you would like more garlicky flavor.
Lemon juice: Fresh, please!
Ground cumin: I absolutely love the added flavor of some cumin in hummus.
Olive oil: We will incorporate some into the hummus itself, and then drizzle extra on top for serving.
Salt: I always use fine sea salt.
Cold water: This is another game-changing ingredient when it comes to the texture of your hummus. If it’s too thick and not smoothing out, just add in some more water.

Then, of course, there are the toppings. For a classic batch of hummus, I recommend drizzling some olive oil on top of the dip, and then sprinkling it with either ground cumin or paprika, plus maybe a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley.

To make this hummus recipe, simply:

Puree the first seven ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Tahini, cold water, olive oil, cumin, salt, garlic and lemon.
Add in the chickpeas.
Puree for 3-4 minutes, or until smooth. Just keep it going and going until the hummus is nice and smooth, pausing once or twice to scrape the sides down. If the hummus seems too thick, feel free to add in an extra tablespoon or two of water too.
Give the hummus a taste, and add in extra salt, cumin and/or lemon juice if needed.
Transfer it to a serving bowl, add on any toppings that you would like, and enjoy!!

Once you have hummus on hand in the fridge, you’ll find a thousand ways to use it. Here are a few suggestions:

Spread on crackers or rice cakes as a quick snack
Enjoy it as a dip for carrots, celery, and other sliced veggies
Stir in water to thin it to a drizzle-able consistency. Then, use it as a salad dressing for your favorite fresh and roasted veggies!
Served on the side of nourish bowls
Mixed into pasta: similarly, just thin the hummus out with some water, and it can be used as a sauce for hot noodles or cold pasta salads
Slather it onto cute crostini to serve as an appetizer.
Put it at the center of your next crudité board, or serve it as part of a Mediterranean mezze platter
Add it to your next sandwich or wrap! I love it on these chickpea shawarma wraps, these veggie wraps, or this “club” sandwich.

Of course, it’s also good on its own with lots of pita.

Not only is hummus delicious, but it is also versatile, packed with nutrients and has been linked to many impressive health and nutritional benefits:

Hummus provides a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. It is also a great plant-based source of protein, which makes it a nutritious option for vegans and vegetarians.
Hummus contains chickpeas, olive oil and sesame seeds (tahini), which are proven to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Hummus is a great source of fiber, which can help keep you regular. Additionally, chickpea fiber may promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria, which produce butyrate — a type of fatty acid that helps nourish cells in the gut.
Hummus has a low glycemic index, which means it slowly releases sugar into the bloodstream. This is also aided by the resistant starch, fat and protein it contains.
Hummus contains chickpeas and olive oil — two ingredients that may reduce risk factors, and thus overall risk, for heart disease.
Hummus is a great source of fiber and protein, which may promote weight loss. Surveys have shown that people who consume chickpeas or hummus regularly are less likely to be obese, plus have a lower BMI and smaller waist circumference.
Hummus is naturally gluten-, dairy- and nut-free, which makes it an excellent choice for people with certain allergies and intolerances. However, people who are sensitive to FODMAPs or allergic to sesame seeds should limit or avoid it.
Hummus is nutritious, versatile and very easy to add to your diet

Lets see how to make this creamy and healthy classic hummus at home,