Description
This Quick Olive Hummus is a flavorful and creamy dip made by blending chickpeas with kalamata olives, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and a blend of spices. Perfect for a fast and nutritious snack or appetizer, it features tips for achieving an ultra-smooth texture and can be customized with varying spice levels and garnishes.
Ingredients
Hummus Base
- 2 cups chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
- 20 kalamata olives (or other olive variety)
- 1/4 cup tahini (optional. See notes for alternatives)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 2 good size lemons)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (omit for mild, increase for spicier)
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more if needed, omit if using canned or salted chickpeas)
- 1/2 cup olive oil (extra-virgin recommended. More for topping as desired)
Optional Garnishes
- Chopped cilantro or parsley
- Chopped olives
- Additional olive oil for drizzling
Optional for Super Creamy Texture
- Baking soda
Instructions
- Prepare Chickpeas: If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain thoroughly to reduce excess sodium and improve flavor. Optionally, peel the chickpeas to enhance the smoothness of your hummus.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the chickpeas, kalamata olives, tahini (if using), lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, and salt into a food processor or blender.
- Blend Ingredients: Pulse and blend all ingredients until smooth but not too finely pureed at first to integrate flavors.
- Add Olive Oil: Gradually blend in the olive oil, taking care not to over blend as olive oil can develop a bitter taste if processed excessively. Blend until the mixture is creamy and emulsified.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the hummus and add additional salt if necessary. If you are using kalamata olives and canned chickpeas, you might not need extra salt. Without canned olives, start with 1 teaspoon salt and increase as needed.
- Serve and Garnish: Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. If desired, top with chopped cilantro or parsley, extra chopped olives, and a drizzle of olive oil for added flavor and presentation.
- Optional Tips for Creaminess: For extra creamy hummus, you may add a pinch of baking soda to the chickpeas while cooking (if using dried) or while blending to soften them further, resulting in a super smooth texture.
Notes
- Peeling chickpeas is optional but helps achieve a smoother texture.
- If you don’t have tahini, try substituting with almond butter, cashew butter, or even Greek yogurt for a creamy consistency.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control the heat level to your preference.
- Using fresh lemons and extra-virgin olive oil enhances the freshness and flavor of the hummus.
- Rinsing canned chickpeas helps reduce sodium content and removes canning liquid flavor.
- Baking soda helps break down chickpea skins and yields a creamier hummus when cooking dried chickpeas.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dip
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
