by: Sylvie Fulson / Copy Editor, Copywriter, Plant-Based Cook, Wife, Mom
This easy hummus recipe, aka Kichererbsenpaste, is so good and so quick to make. However, you may be asking yourself, “Why is there a hummus recipe on a German recipe site?”
Well, hummus is so versatile, it goes great with just about anything, including German food!
Hummus, which is an Arabic word for chickpeas, originated in the Middle East. It can be used as a dip or spread, and in savory dishes. I often use it as a side dish. A basic hummus recipe consists of chickpeas blended with tahini paste (made from sesame seeds), fresh garlic, fresh lemon juice, and salt.
Hummus can potentially be too tangy, or garlicky, or even bitter (you don't want too much tahini). The trick is to balance out the ingredients so that the overall taste is subtle, without one ingredient standing out more than another.
My creamy hummus recipe is wonderfully delicious, and tastes slightly tangy with just a hint of garlic. I love it so much I will often eat it with a spoon straight out of the bowl!
But everyone’s tastes are different and it’s so great that hummus is such a forgiving recipe. You can play around with the amount of each ingredient and keep tweaking until you get it to taste just the way you like it.
Hummus is very good for you. Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) are very high in dietary fiber, a great source of protein, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Although tahini is high in fat, it is also a great source of fiber and protein and is high in calcium and iron.
A lot, if not most, of hummus recipes call for extra virgin olive oil. It’s a commonly held belief that olive oil promotes health. But more information is coming out that the opposite might be true.
I don’t know if it’s safe to say one way or the other, but as for my family, we decided to cut oil out of our cooking and baking a few years ago, which is why my recipe does not call for it.
Healthy or not, olive oil is high in fat and calories. By omitting the oil and keeping the tahini to a minimal amount, hummus is a delicious and healthy low-fat treat!
BUT, if you enjoy olive oil and think you might like it in this delicious homemade hummus, by all means add in a couple of tablespoons and/or drizzle a little olive oil on top to serve.
Of course you can always buy hummus from the grocery store, but why when you can make your very own homemade hummus with simple ingredients that tastes so much better than any store-bought kind?
There are three ways to make hummus from scratch: you can use a food processor, a blender, or mash the chickpeas and mix the ingredients by hand. My preferred method is using the food processor.
Admittedly, I haven’t tried using my blender, and mixing it by hand is out of the question when I have perfectly functioning equipment to do it for me! ;)
Hummus can be as smooth or as textured as you like. Depending on the quality of your kitchen equipment, a blender would likely yield a smoother hummus, especially if you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix. Doing it by hand would result in a more textured hummus.
Actually, now that I think about it, a chunkier version would be amazing as a spread on toast or sandwiches. I just might have to try making it by hand one of these days!
To make my easy homemade hummus recipe, start by adding the chickpeas and a little bit of aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) to the bowl of a food processor.
Then add tahini, salt, and a small clove of garlic. (Or more, to taste!)
Add in some nutritional yeast, if desired, and fresh lemon juice. (I juice a whole bunch of lemons at once and freeze the juice in ice cube trays. That way I always have lemon juice on hand whenever a recipe calls for it. In this case, no need to thaw!)
Process, adding more aquafaba or a little water if necessary, for a nice creamy texture.
Stop to scrape down sides when necessary and continue processing until the hummus is as smooth as you like. The longer you let the food processor run, the smoother your hummus will be.
Pour the hummus into a serving bowl and enjoy! As you can see, I like my hummus nice and thick. It makes a wonderful sandwich spread!
This is my favorite hummus recipe, and the wonderful thing about it is it's so easy to add different flavors to it. You can add a wide variety of herbs, spices, and vegetables, which not only add to the deliciousness but make it even more nutritious.
Not only do herbs and spices add a lot of flavor, they are nutritional powerhouses rich in antioxidants. What’s not to love?!
To make it seem more like a German recipe, try adding some of the herbs and spices typically used in German cooking, such as parsley, thyme, celery seeds, dill, paprika, or chives, to name a few.
Or try adding roasted asparagus, carrots, squash, turnips, or leeks; I bet adding roasted carrots and parsley would be absolutely delicious!
Let me count the ways! Seriously, there are so many ways to eat hummus. Here are a few ideas to get you started using this easy hummus recipe:
And of course, you can always eat it by the spoonful!
This easy hummus recipe, aka Kichererbsenpaste, is so good and so quick to make. However, you may be asking yourself, “Why is there a hummus recipe on a German recipe site?”
Well, hummus is so versatile, it goes great with just about anything, including German food!
Prep Time
15 minutes |
Cook Time
none |
Total Time15 minutes |
Makes about 4 - 5 cups
FOOD PROCESSOR
BLENDER
BY HAND
* * * * *
Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com
Need that “all’s good with the world” feeling? Comfort food will do that. Get your copy of Oma's German favorites in her Comfort Foods e-Cookbook.
Take a peek at all Oma's eCookbooks. They make sharing your German heritage a delicious adventure!
Leave a comment about this recipe or ask a question?
Pop right over to my private Facebook group, the Kaffeeklatschers. You'll find thousands of German foodies, all eager to help and to talk about all things German, especially these yummy foods.
Meet with us around Oma's table, pull up a chair, grab a coffee and a piece of Apfelstrudel, and enjoy the visit.
* * * * *
For the full recipe, scroll up ...
"For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
Romans 14:17 (NLT)