The hummus recipe
for your table
Put the tahini and lemon juice in the food processor bowl and run it for a minute before adding the chickpeas. The tahini first becomes thick and seems to separate, then transforms into a smooth, light mixture. That’s the turning point you want; if you don’t reach it, the hummus will remain grainy later.
Add the drained chickpeas, finely crushed garlic, cumin, and salt, and run the machine. Scrape down the bowl a few times as you go, because whole chickpeas stick to the sides and would otherwise remain there.
Add the ice water spoonful by spoonful while the machine is running. Cold water makes the mixture airier and lighter in color; replace it with oil or room-temperature water and it will become denser and grayer instead.
Then let the machine run for at least three more minutes. It feels like a long time and it doesn’t sound like much, but those final minutes are exactly what makes the difference between grainy and creamy. Spoon the hummus into a shallow dish and use the rounded side of a spoon to make a well in the center.
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The story
Hummus belongs to the cuisines around the eastern Mediterranean, where it is eaten warm with bread rather than served as a cold dip straight from the refrigerator. Which country invented it is a debate in itself, and we won't settle it here; what remains the same everywhere is the foundation of chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic. It's striking how little that actually is. There is no spice blend and no trick, and that's precisely why every lapse shows: too little tahini is noticeable, too little patience in the machine can be felt, and hummus that's too cold tastes like nothing.
The right glass
To be honest: the dish hummus really belongs in, a wide, flat dish about twenty centimetres across that you swirl into a well with a spoon, isn't part of our range. The closest thing we have is the lowest and widest amuse dish, holding around 8 centilitres: in it, you can smooth the surface and make a well to hold the olive oil. For a drinks board with one portion per guest, choose the smaller ramequin, holding around 5 centilitres; it's intended for dipping sauces and sits neatly in a row beside the others. Thick glass helps with both, because hummus shouldn't be ice-cold, but it shouldn't be lukewarm either. You'll find more of these shapes among the La Rochère glasses.
La Rochère Ouessant Amuse Dish 8 cl (6 pieces)
La Rochère Sweet Ramequin 5 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 40,40.
The right tools
For hummus, besides the glass, you use a bar spoon to whisk the tahini smooth with the lemon juice and a fine strainer to drain the chickpeas and skim off the loosened skins. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 41,35.
What will you pour with it?
Hummus is earthy and tangy and full of sesame, so almost anything goes as long as it isn't heavy or woody. A fresh white wine or a dry rosé is the obvious choice, and a light red wine works too. For bubbles, go for crémant, and with sweet bites on the same board, choose moscato. On every drinks page, you'll find the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Blending in a roasted red pepper from a jar adds color and sweetness; be sure to drain it well, though, or the hummus will become thin. Adding a cooked beet makes it bright pink and slightly earthier, and it looks remarkably good in a small glass. Half a ripe avocado makes it creamier and greener, but then you should eat it the same day. If you like it spicy, stir in a spoonful of harissa instead of the cumin. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Take the hummus out of the refrigerator half an hour before serving, because when it's cold, you can barely taste the tahini and lemon. Spoon it into a shallow dish, use the rounded side of a spoon to make a well in the center, and pour a generous pool of olive oil into it. Sprinkle a few whole chickpeas and some paprika over the top, and serve warm pita bread alongside.
Good to know
Why ice water instead of regular water?
Cold water whips air into the mixture and keeps it there, making the hummus lighter in color and airier in texture. With room-temperature water, this happens much less, and using oil instead of water gives you a dense, greasy paste. A few spoonfuls are enough; add it little by little while the machine is running.
Why mix the tahini with the lemon juice first?
Tahini and lemon juice first become thick together and seem to separate, then transform into a smooth, pale emulsion. That turning point is the base into which everything else is incorporated. If you add everything to the bowl at once, the emulsion won't form and the hummus will remain grainy, no matter how long you blend it.
Do you need to remove the skins from the chickpeas?
For the smoothest hummus, yes, because those skins keep coming back as little flakes. It just takes time: rub them off with your hands in a bowl of water and skim them off with a sieve. If you cook the chickpeas yourself, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water; the skins will then practically come off by themselves. For a regular snack platter, it's honestly not necessary.
Dried chickpeas or from a jar?
Soaked and cooked yourself, they have a fuller flavour and you can cook them softer than chickpeas from a jar, and softer means smoother. In return, they require overnight soaking and an hour of cooking. Chickpeas from a jar work perfectly if you rinse them well and simmer them for a few more minutes so they are truly soft; no machine can make hard chickpeas smooth.
How long does hummus keep?
Covered in the refrigerator for three to four days. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over it to keep the surface from drying out and the top layer soft. It becomes somewhat firmer in the refrigerator; stir in a spoonful of water or lemon juice before serving and let it come to room temperature.
Frequently asked questions
Why isn't my hummus creamy?
Usually for two reasons. The tahini was not first whisked with the lemon juice, so there is no smooth base to incorporate the rest into, and the machine has not run long enough. After adding the ice water, let it run for at least another three minutes. If the chickpeas themselves are still firm, cook them longer first.
Do you need to remove the skins from the chickpeas?
Only if you want the smoothest possible version. The skins reappear as small flakes in the texture. Rub them off with your hands in a bowl of water and skim them off with a sieve, or add a teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water so they come loose. For everyday use, you can also leave them on.
Dried chickpeas or chickpeas from a jar?
Dried chickpeas have a fuller flavour and can be cooked until softer, which makes the hummus smoother, but they need to soak overnight and cook for about an hour. Chickpeas from a jar work well if you rinse them and simmer them for a few more minutes. What matters most is not where they come from, but whether they are truly soft.
Which dish do you use for hummus?
A low, wide dish in which you can smooth the surface and make a well for the olive oil. An amuse-bouche dish of around 8 centilitres comes closest; for one portion per guest on a snack board, use a ramekin of around 5 centilitres.
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