When I stop by the deli section at my local grocery store, I’m always finding a new brand of hummus. Baba Ganoush, Garlic Hummus, Roasted Pepper Hummus, Avocado Hummus…I could go on and on. Yesterday, I thought I’d pick up some of the Garlic Hummus. It looked super healthy, with garbanzos, a little tahini, and no added oil. But then I spotted the price–$5.99! Ouch! I can definitely make a plant-strong hummus cheaper than that!
So I went home and made 2 batches. I started with making this Heart-Smart Hummus. In less than 10 minutes, I had a quart of creamy hummus with just the right touch of garlic that we all love. This is a classic at our house. I use it often on top of veggie burgers, as a sandwich spread or a dip for raw vegetables. Sometimes I’ll add some to a pasta dish for a creamy sauce.
The possibilities are endless with hummus. It’s so easy to vary the color and spice. Today, I cooked up about 4 carrots and whizzed them into the hummus. It gave it such a golden color. I decided to add it to some whole grain pasta. It was so delicious! Sometimes I will add some pimientos or red bell pepper. I also like it with some cooked beets or chopped baby spinach. I could go on and on. The only thing stops you is your imagination!
This recipe is quick and easy to make in your blender. I used a Vitamix but you don’t need a high-speed blender to turn out creamy hummus. I start out by adding a 15 ounce can of garbanzos to the blender. Include the aquafaba (bean liquid) as well. Just dump it all in. Next add 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Whiz the 2 together until the beans begin to get creamy. Chop up a medium size clove of garlic (2 if you want a Garlic Hummus) and add to the mix. Continue processing until the hummus is nice and creamy. I add 2 tablespoons of tahini and 1/2 teaspoon of salt for the final touch. Adding the tahini at the end makes it easier for you to blend the beans to the right hummus consistency.
Spoon out the hummus into your chosen container. If serving right away, you might like to sprinkle some paprika on top and add a few sprigs of fresh parsley (like you see in the picture).
Heart-Smart Hummus
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can of garbanzos including the liquid
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 2 T tahini
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Blend the garbanzos and lemon juice in your blender until it starts to get creamy. Add in the chopped garlic and whiz until very smooth and creamy. Then add the remaining ingredients and process until it is very smooth.
This recipe will make about 2 cups of hummus. I prefer to double the recipe because we are hummus lovers here. The hummus can last approximately 7-10 days in your fridge in a tightly sealed container. But it never lasts that long here. It is gobbled up too fast!
