Are you looking for a simple and delicious homemade hummus recipe that can be whipped up in no time? Look no further! With just one can of garbanzo beans, you can create a creamy and flavorful hummus that will elevate your snacking game. Whether you’re entertaining guests or simply craving a healthy treat for yourself, this quick and easy recipe is sure to become a staple in your kitchen and a basic excellent dish for guests.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

To make this quick and easy homemade hummus, you’ll only need a handful of simple ingredients:

1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tahini, a sesame-based ingredient.  (optional??) Perhaps an essential ingredient for extra credit and for even better flavor enhancement.  Start with one or two tablespoons. You can easily add more after tasting. If you do, again be cautious to not over-blend the hummus.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (bottled works, 1/2 large juicy lemon or a whole small lemon). I like lemon
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional to some)
1/2 teaspoon salt (not necessary and not to my taste). The salt is certainly not needed if you are dipping with salty chips. Tostitos for example.
2-4 tablespoons water, as needed, is classic, but not for me. I do NOT recommend adding any water. Instead, as needed, I add more EVOO extra virgin olive oil during prep if more liquid is needed. I don’t float more oil on top. Food floating in oil is, to me, gross in appearance. And what do you do with the first oily scoops?? Surely not eat it!

Super Secret Tip! Taste each ingredient before adding it. Garlic can be weaker or stronger. Lemons can have more or less lemon flavor. Tahini can vary. And perhaps most important, ingredients can go bad! Avoid ruining a batch because the EVOO has gone rancid. Not only an you taste for flavor and freshness, you can adjust the mixture for stronger or weaker ingredients. If you don’t like an ingredient, you likely won’t like the hummus when you’re done.

Optional toppings: drizzle of olive oil, (not for me), sprinkle of paprika, or a handful of pine nuts (love it! adds visual interest and great flavor). I suspect that some fresh parsley on top is another great addition for color and flavor. My mother (incorrectly) taught us that paprika was for color and not for flavor. I have learned that in fact is provides both color and a wonderful flavor for a sprinkling on top. I would use it for the color alone! I suspect that Mom liked the taste and did not want to deal with us, the kids, dealing with a new taste. OR she really believed that it was for color only. Mom was NOT a great cook. For Cuz Steve she only prepared burned pot roast. Her crepes and her stuffed cabbage were excellent.

Instructions:

1. Prep the garbanzo beans by draining and rinsing them thoroughly under cold water.

2. In a food processor, combine the garbanzo beans, minced garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and salt. I prefer to not over-process it. I like some texture. That means only seconds in a food processor. I use a powerful immersion blender in a tall glass cylinder to prevent coating the kitchen in the mix. I have not used tahini, and I certainly will in my next batch. This is a basic hummus ingredient and I have no good reason for not having used it beyond simple ignorance.

The first time I cooked a chicken recipe with garlic, the recipe called for a clove of garlic. I did not know that a “clove” was on of the individual sections of the fresh garlic. Yup. I used an entire bulb of garlic. Amazingly, while I did not repeat the “error,” the chicken recipe came out great! If not a touch too much garlic.

3. Blend the ingredients until smooth, but for me not too smooth, and use a soft spatula to scrape down the sides of the processor as needed. If the hummus is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil at a time until you reach your desired consistency. That means mere seconds in the processor. If it still has chunks, a few more seconds is plenty! You cannot go backwards, and I am not shooting for a sour cream consistency. Since the beans are relatively soft, a manual classic potato masher works fine! No power or power tools are necessary. It takes longer to wash the food processor than it does to manually squash the bean combo. You may need to stir the squished results to mix in the ingredients rather than over-smoothing the mix. That’s another reason to start with a little less EVOO than called for. Adding more is trivially easy. One way to tell if you need more extra virgin olive oil is how the mixture acts during the blending. It should blend pretty easily. If it is too stiff, you’ll know when you blend it. Please avoid whipping it if I’m invited to dinner!

4. Once the hummus reaches the perfect creamy texture, transfer it to a serving dish.You’ll need the spatula again.  If desired, drizzle with olive oil, (NOT ME), sprinkle with paprika, or add a handful of pine nuts for an extra touch of flavor and visual appeal.

Ways to Enjoy Your Homemade Hummus:

Now that you have your delicious homemade hummus in minutes with very few ingredients, it’s time to savor it in various ways:

1. Dip and Spread: Serve the hummus with a colorful array of fresh vegetables including celery, warm pita bread, or crunchy pita chips. It also makes a delightful spread for sandwiches and wraps. Tostitos are great, but salty and they break with the dipping & scooping. Pita is wonderful.

2. Hummus Bowls: Create nourishing and satisfying hummus bowls by layering the hummus with toppings like chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and a sprinkle of feta cheese. While adding a little extra prep, this is a great presentation, and the feta is a favorite Greek slant.

3. Flavorful Dishes: Use the hummus as a flavorful accompaniment to grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or as a creamy dressing for salads. While this is recommended, it is not for me. I prefer raw veggies, and do not prefer it with beef, or on salads. Next to salads works great!

With this quick and easy homemade hummus recipe, you can elevate your snacking and dining experiences with minimal effort. The creamy texture and rich flavors of this hummus will impress your taste buds and leave you craving for more. So, grab a can of garbanzo beans and get ready to enjoy the delightful simplicity of homemade hummus! One excellent chef friend prefers Goya garbanzo, while I get great results with store-brand beans. The “fancier” beans have perhaps more flavor.

I estimate that this recipe yield hummus for about 6 servings unless I’m the one eating it. Keep in mind that I can eat a can of garbanzo beans with salt and pepper in one snack-sitting. It store well in a sealed container in the ‘fridge for days

Once the hummus is done, let it sit for at least 10-20 minutes to let the flavors meld. It works as an appetizer, as a side for a Greek plate, or as a side for salads, and for so many other things.

How To Fix Mistakes!

Too much lemon? Not possible for me! Too much garlic? That’s tricky. I just eat it. Too much olive oil? Be more careful next time. Consider opening a second can of garbanzo beans and adding more of the other ingredients as needed. Of course add more lemon juice. While I have not been a fan of bottled lemon juice, I have used it in hummus and it worked fine. Too much salt? You should have left out the salt and used salty chips for dipping, or serve the salt (pink Himalayan is a great choice) in a small dish on the side to be passed around.

While adding more of any ingredient is easy, taking out some of an ingredient is quite difficult. It’s like splitting the atoms instead of simply adding fewer atoms to the mix to begin with.

Prep Time! Set out the ingredients, follow the recipe, and it takes about 5-10 minutes plus time to let the flavors meld. You can host AND make hummus!

Lenny Lensworth Frieling

Shared Knowledge Is Power!

Leonard Frieling Pen Of Justice

• Multi-published and syndicated blogger and author.
• University lectures at University. of Colorado, Boulder, Denver University Law School, Univ. of New Mexico, Las Vegas NM, and many other schools at all levels. Numerous lectures for the NORML Legal Committee
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