Levantine Hummus Plate (Printer view)

Creamy chickpea blend with tahini, lemon, and olive oil, perfect for an authentic Levantine appetizer.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chickpeas

01 - 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)

→ Tahini Mixture

02 - ⅓ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
03 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
04 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
05 - 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Seasonings

06 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
07 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)

→ Garnish

08 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - ½ teaspoon sweet paprika or sumac
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Place chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, cold water, cumin, and salt into a food processor.
02 - Process the mixture until ultra-smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed. Add additional water one tablespoon at a time if the texture is too thick.
03 - Taste and modify salt or lemon juice levels to suit preference.
04 - Spoon the spread into a shallow serving dish and use the back of a spoon to craft a swirl or well in the center.
05 - Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle paprika or sumac over the top, and scatter chopped parsley for finish.
06 - Present immediately alongside warm pita bread, fresh vegetables, or as part of a mezze platter.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but takes just 15 minutes, which means you'll actually make it on a Tuesday night.
  • Once you nail the technique, you realize how much better fresh hummus is than anything store-bought.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes you feel generous when you serve it, even though you barely did any real cooking.
02 -
  • If your hummus is grainy instead of silky, you either didn't blend it long enough, used cold chickpeas straight from the fridge, or your tahini was old; blend longer first, then check your ingredients.
  • The amount of water changes based on humidity, how wet your chickpeas are, and which brand of tahini you use, so always add it slowly and taste as you go.
  • Hummus tastes better the next day after the flavors settle, but that's also when it thickens; stir in a bit of water and lemon juice when you serve it again.
03 -
  • If you like heat, add a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper to the processor; it blends in evenly and won't create hot spots.
  • For extra-smooth hummus, take the five minutes to rub the papery skin off each chickpea before blending; your texture will thank you.
  • Keep your serving dish in the fridge until you're ready to use it, then transfer the warm hummus into the cold dish; it helps set the drizzle pattern beautifully.
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