Go Back
Print Recipe

Creamiest Hummus with Israeli Salad

The creamiest hummus is so easy with my tips and tricks. Fast and easy it's great for wraps, sandwiches, appetizer dip or right off your spoon! With a quick Israeli-style salad on top it can be a super healthy meal!
Prep Time20 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Appetizer, lunch, Snack
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: appetizer, dip, hummus, vegan
Servings: 8
Author: Kiki Simpson, Healthy Sexy Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 lemon juiced, plus more to taste
  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas (or chana dal) cooked and cooled, save cooking water - see notes* If using canned, you will need 2 14oz cans.
  • ½ cup tahini
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2-3 tablespoons chilled chickpea cooking water or ice cubes
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda optional, see cooking chickpeas instructions

Israeli Salad

  • ½ pound tomatoes, diced I used cherry tomatoes.
  • ½ pound English or Persian cucumbers seeds scooped out and diced
  • ¼ cup onion, diced small
  • ⅓ cup parsley and/or mint chopped fine
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste

Garnishes, suggested

  • 1 teaspoon ground sumac optional - may use paprika
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

For Cooking Chickpeas

  • If using Chana Dal, place 1.5 cups of dry dal in either a pot or in a pressure cooker and add enough water to cover plus 2 inches. Optional to add a bay leaf and ½ teaspoon baking soda. Cook until very soft. Drain in a colander over a bowl to reserve cooking water. Chill or set aside to cool. Chill about ¼ cup of cooking water.
  • If using canned chickpeas, dump entire contents of 2 cans into a pot and simmer, adding more water if needed, for about 10-15 minutes or until very soft. Drain in a colander over a bowl to reserve cooking water. Chill or set aside to cool. Chill about ¼ cup of cooking water.
  • If using whole dried chickpeas, soak the chickpeas in a large bowl of water with ½ teaspoon baking soda stirred in for several hours or overnight. Rinse and add to a pot or in a pressure cooker and add enough water to cover plus 2 inches. Optional to add a bay leaf. Cook until very soft. Drain in a colander over a bowl to reserve cooking water. Chill or set aside to cool. Chill about ¼ cup of cooking water.

For Hummus

  • Smash garlic cloves and remove skins. Smash and grind to almost a paste with the salt using your knife and a cutting board. Add to the lemon juice in a small bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Make Israeli Salad while chickpeas cool.
  • Add cooled chickpeas, tahini, garlic/salt/lemon mixture, cumin, and paprika to a food processor (or blender) and process until well blended. If too thick, add chilled chickpea cooking water, a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. If grainy, add an ice cube or two and continue processing until smooth. This will take about a minute with chana dal or up to 5 minutes when using whole chickpeas.
  • Taste and adjust salt, lemon or spices as desired.
  • Serve by placing into a shallow bowl or platter and smoothing the top with a spoon to get some canals. Drizzle with a good extra virgin olive oil, top with a generous amount of Israeli salad and then garnish with sumac and parsley, if using.

For Israeli Salad

  • Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl and set aside, stirring occasionally, until serving.