Pro Tips For Making The Creamiest Hummus At Home

Hummus is a simple dish consisting primarily of mashed chickpeas, tahini, oil, and lemon juice with a few seasonings. Yet, nevertheless, you could wind up paying over $5 for a small tub of it. If you have a daily hummus habit, this can add up, so you might want to consider making homemade hummus. Not only is it cheaper, but you can control the flavor and omit any unwanted additives. (This last one probably goes without saying unless you're a food chemist who stocks their pantry with preservatives.) How can you make sure that your DIY hummus is as creamy as the kind that comes out of a tub, though? The Takeout posed this question to CJ Jacobson, who competed on "Top Chef" back in the mid-tweens and is now involved in running the two Chicago restaurants Aba and Ēma. He feels very strongly that the best homemade hummus always begins with dried chickpeas.

So, if you start with rock-hard little legumes, how do you wind up with something soft and creamy? As Jacobson told The Takeout, you need to "Cook the chickpeas for a very long time." Which is to say, for about two hours. You want the garbanzos (yep, same bean) cooked way past al dente. According to Jacobson, the desired texture is "soft and mushy." He also recommends sprinkling baking soda into the cooking water to soften the skins. The softer the better, because if you want silky-smooth hummus, you're going to have to peel the peas.

Once your chickpeas are nice and mushy, don't pour off the water just yet. Instead, Jacobson suggested taking time to scoop out a small amount of the water before — and this is important — sticking it in the freezer to chill. Drain the cooked chickpeas and let them sit until they're cool enough to handle. If you're lucky, most of the skins will have fallen off as the chickpeas cook, but you'll need to peel off all the remaining bits. (You can outsource this task to any kitchen minions in your employ.)

The water can keep chilling as you make the hummus. Blend the tahini and lemon juice until the mixture is nice and fluffy, then add the oil along with garlic, salt, cumin, or any other seasonings you want. Mix in about half of the peeled garbanzos and puree them with the other ingredients, then finish with the rest of the chickpeas along with any other additions you're using to upgrade your hummus like pesto, cocoa powder, or roasted red peppers. Right at the end, blend in a few tablespoons of icy-cold chickpea water. This starchy liquid, which Jacobson notes is similar to pasta water, makes the hummus light and airy when whipped into the mix.