Easy Beet Hummus Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Why doesn't my homemade hummus taste good? ›

Another cause might be that your lemon is a bit old, causing it to taste more bitter than sour. Lastly, if you've added too much garlic or just happened to used a particularly strong clove, it'll leave the hummus with a very pungent, raw taste.

You might need more tahini, garlic, lemon and/or salt and very likely more chickpea water. Add a bit of each as you need, the recipe explains. "Blitz the hummus until very smooth, a few minutes at least. Don't worry about the hummus being too loose; it will thicken as it sits."

Freshness: The Homemade Advantage

By using freshly cooked chickpeas, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and top-notch tahini, you're guaranteed a hummus that bursts with flavor. On the other hand, store-bought hummus, while convenient, often lacks the same level of freshness.

Using ice cold water lightens the color of tahini, creating a hummus that is light and fresh looking. We recommend adding the ice water before adding in the cooked chickpeas.

Does hummus need tahini? You bet! In fact, tahini is one of hummus' main ingredients, along with chickpeas and olive oil. That's why our favorite dip can be so rich and delicious—in hummus, tahini adds smoothness to the texture, as well as a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.

Tip for extra CREAMY hummus

Add enough liquid! Compared to other hummus recipes, I use little tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice and olive oil. I want the hummus to taste like chickpeas and not like sesame or slightly bitter due to adding too much olive oil or lemon juice. Ergo, I add enough water.

Dried chickpeas provide better flavor than canned. Overcooking the chickpeas in water with baking soda makes them easier to blend. Puréeing the chickpeas while they're still hot lets you use a blender instead of a food processor for smoother texture.

Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are always superior to garlic powder, and it's especially true in homemade hummus! Baking soda: Adding baking soda to the chickpeas helps make the legume easier to digest, softer, and makes them easy to peel. Don't skip this ingredient!

Peanut Butter – We use peanut butter instead of tahini because it has a similar texture and nuttiness to it. Feel free to swap it out for almond butter, but note that you may need to add more liquid if it is on the denser side. Smooth peanut butter would be preferred, but chunky also works great!

Is it cheaper to make hummus or buy hummus? ›

Hummus is cheaper and more delicious when it's homemade—and you don't need a recipe (or chickpeas!) to make it.

Hummus can cause food poisoning if it is kept too long and at too high an ambient temperature.

You're Not Using Enough/The Right Tahini

The one ingredient that gives hummus its undeniable richness, depth of flavor, and subtle nuttiness is tahini. This means that the final product depends on the amount of tahini that you add and the brand of tahini that you're using.

Adding water to homemade hummus instead of using lemon juice can help achieve a smoother texture and milder flavor. Restaurants often use lemon juice for both flavor and preservation.

Add Some Nice Spice

Spices like paprika, cayenne pepper and sumac all lend a marvelous layer of nuance to a classic hummus dip. Seasoning your hummus with spices is perfect when you want to supercharge your hummus dishes with flavor. This trick also works with making canned soup taste better.

Ground cumin and salt: Both improve the flavor of our hummus, and the cumin adds a little extra richness and spice. In our video, I sprinkle Za'atar seasoning on top for serving, which I love!

While opened and homemade hummus can last up to seven days, it does not mean it will. You will definitely notice that the hummus is spoiled when you see mold growing on it. The less obvious may be that the hummus offers an unpleasant, off-odor and sour smell. This hummus may also taste sour if you decide to try it.

Tip: you can't overmix hummus, so be patient and stand there, thinking about things. It's called mindfulness, and I'm pretty sure that only applies to hummus. Then we like to serve it with za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend that usually has dried thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds.