We’re sharing our gorgeous hummus recipe with you in this article.
As easy recipes go, hummus is right up there. So no need to buy it premade from the supermarket.
Hummus is a bit of a strange one. Lots of debate about where it originated for the first time (with the general ‘discussion’ being between various Middle Eastern countries).
And we always assumed it was Greek.
As for where Turkey fits into the equation, all we know is hummus is eaten in Turkey; particularly in the southeast.
In Fethiye, hummus has grown immensely in popularity.
We see it on the deli counters in supermarkets and on the odd menu in the meze section in local restaurants.
But it was certainly no regular feature in days gone by.
When we first moved here, some of our Turkish friends were not familiar with hummus at all.
If we invited them to our house for food, Barry would make hummus and we would have to explain what it is. And what hummus ingredients are.
All that has now changed with some local restaurants now taking things a step further, serving hummus as a hot meze with meat toppings.
We now do the same at home. So we’ve added the photo and instructions to the bottom of this article.
First, though; to the hummus recipe…
Our Easy Homemade Hummus Recipe
Actually, that title should read ‘Barry’s easy hummus recipe’.
But, well, we are a team and all that.
It’s one of our regulars when we have people round to our house for food. And Barry’s in charge of making it.
This version is really quick and easy. But it tastes fabulous – and the secret ingredient helps!
That secret addition – a key ingredient in our humble opinion – is a splash of the brine from the tin of chickpeas we use.
See, we did say a quick hummus recipe.
So quick, actually, that there’s absolutely no reason to buy supermarket varieties.
Your own homemade hummus is always going to taste so much better. And you know exactly what ingredients have gone into it.
In the UK, as with avocado and guacamole, people love their hummus. Back in 2013, it was even given the crown, Hummus Capital of Europe.
But there is so much reliance on the supermarket deli counter.
Personally, if I had only ever tasted supermarket bought hummus, I would think it was boring and bland.
Take 20 minutes out of your day to knock together your own homemade hummus recipe and you should well agree.
Get a bit of flavour going on in there! Cloves of garlic and fresh lemon.
Rustic Hummus Recipe
You might have noticed in the photo that Barry’s recipe for hummus has a bit of a rustic look.
That’s because we prefer it this way. So he mashes it by hand.
The flavours just seem to carry a bit more zing. And we enjoy the creamy texture.
If you want a more traditionally smooth hummus, you can use a blender to make a smooth and creamy hummus dip.
How To Serve Your Hummus…
Well, you can serve it however you like! Food is there to be enjoyed, isn’t it?
We serve it as part of our summer barbecue meze table.
This selection almost always includes a fiery Antep Ezmesi and a refreshing cacık made with smooth, thick süzme yoghurt.
Yoghurt dips and just plain yoghurt feature heavily in Turkish cuisine so there’s usually some other yoghurt concoctions around, too.
Of course, that includes a chilli yoghurt. But also a traditional haydari.
Mmm, warm fresh Turkish bread or pita bread, loads of turşu – hummus is so tasty when coupled with tangy pickled vegetables – and the rest of your meze selection.
A real foodie treat.
Just remember, if you’re having a barbecue or serving other Turkish creations, try not to get too carried away enjoying your hummus and getting too full!
Sıcak Humus – Hot Hummus Meze
And what of the hot hummus? If you’ve never tried it, we’re pretty convinced you’ll be a convert.
For our hot version, we like to make a hummus with a smooth texture. And a little less tahini.
You can keep the hummus meat-free if you like.
If you want to give yourself a more indulgent treat and move slightly away from the healthy eating plan, however, add some slices of Turkish sucuk or pastırma.
In the photo below, you can see we added pastırma.
It’s really quick and easy to do.
- Preheat your oven to a high heat – around 220 degrees Celsius – and then spoon your hummus into an oven-proof dish (we use a clay pot).
- Layer your pastırma (pastrami is a good substitute) or sucuk (salami is a good substitute) over the top of the hummus.
- Place on the middle shelf for 5-10 minutes until hot.
- Add some chilli flakes and a generous glug of olive oil (or butter if you’re being extra indulgent) to a small frying pan and heat gently until sizzling, stirring all the time.
- Remove your hot hummus from the oven, pour the chilli oil or butter over the top and then serve.
- Serve with fresh bread, of course.
- Dip your bread into the hummus dip. Happy days!
Hummus FAQs
Hummus is a dip made from chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. The chickpeas are crushed or blended with tahini paste; a paste made from sesame seeds.
We like to use lots of fresh lemon juice in our hummus. A couple of tablespoons of olive oil, one or two garlic cloves and ground cumin – and a secret ingredient – go in there, too.
That secret ingredient? Don’t discard the brine from your drained chickpeas. We’ll be adding a bit of that.
Your homemade hummus will last 3-4 days in the fridge, covered.
If you want to make a batch of hummus, you can freeze it if you store it in an airtight container. When you want to use it again, let it defrost until it reaches room temperature.
Our recipe is a quick hummus recipe so we use chickpeas straight from the tin. This still makes a great hummus and it means you can whip it up without much forethought.
If you want to go gourmet and spend extra time to make your perfect hummus, you can use dry chickpeas.
If you do this, you will need to soak them in cold water overnight. The following day, boil them until soft. This will take around 45 minutes.
Plunge the cooked chickpeas into water with ice cubes until you’re ready to make your hummus. This will prevent them from cooking further.
The great thing about this dish is you can take the basic hummus recipe and get creative with it.
Just a little bit of extra effort will add more colour and vibrancy to your table.
For hummus variations, you can add pickled or roasted beetroot to make a magenta-coloured paste.
For a warmer colour with a sweeter flavour, add some roasted red peppers.
Yes! For us, we’ll go out on a limb and say this is the best hummus recipe! See above for how to serve hot hummus. A plain hummus becomes an indulgent snack.
You can also use hummus to make a tasty crust for chicken. It’s really versatile so don’t be afraid to make a batch and experiment with it.
Let’s Make Hummus
Before all that, of course, you need to actually make your homemade hummus.
So, here’s our hummus recipe.
Tasty & Simple Hummus Recipe
Ingredients
- 800 grams tinned chickpeas drained (reserve around 50ml of the brine)
- 3 dessert spoons tahini
- 1 clove garlic peeled and crushed
- 1 large fresh lemon juiced
- 1 glug olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt & pepper to season
- chilli flakes to decorate
Instructions
- Add your chickpeas & reserved brine to a bowl and mash them together.
- Add the tahini, oil and lemon juice.
- Mix them together, thoroughly.
- Now add the garlic, cumin & cayenne pepper.
- Season with salt & pepper.
- Mix again and do a taste test.
- Add more tahini or lemon juice to suit your taste.
- Add to a bowl and sprinkle the top with chilli flakes.
- Serve as a hummus dip for a snack or as part of your meze table alongside other dishes.
Notes
- If you are using dried chickpeas, steep them in water overnight and then boil for around 1 hour before allowing to cool.
- Our recipe is a quick hummus recipe and the tinned variety works well.
- When drained, an 800g tin of chickpeas weighs around 400g.
- If you are in Turkey, tinned chickpeas are haşlanmış nohut. Tahini is called tahin.
- Calories per serving are approximate, depending on the amount of ingredients you use.
Nutrition
- Chickpeas are a staple in Turkish cuisine. If you’re like us and are a big fan of this healthy legume, check out our other best recipes featuring chickpeas.
- Right up there with our favourites has got to be homemade falafel!
- Our classic hummus recipe is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. If you’re looking for other dishes to go with it, check out our list of Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Afiyet Olsun!
Dr. Jake
Wednesday 26th of January 2022
From Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. I crush by hand and then add a few chopped FRESH green chilies (it is Santa Fe after all) and then some crushed small pieces of bacon (I know this is probably difficult to do in Middle eastern countries.) Other than that my recipe pretty much follows yours.
Turkey's For Life
Thursday 27th of January 2022
Hi Dr. Jake. thanks for the comment and the 5 star rating! :) Much appreciated. Nothing wrong with fresh chillies in your hummus. We love them. :) And yes, all beef, here, but sure we'd experiment with pork and chorizo if we were elsewhere. :)
Karen Phillips
Sunday 2nd of October 2011
Hummus - total favourite, next to the much loved tandir which, lets face it, is a bit of a faff to make. Hummus is quick comfort food. Loving the cunning secret ingredient.
Karen
Turkey's For Life
Friday 10th of December 2010
I think it's origins are a cloudy issue Sophie :) Hummus is eaten in Turkey but it's not really popular in this area. A few places lay claim to it.
Sophie
Thursday 9th of December 2010
I adore hummus. (I always thought of it as Lebanese :). Thanks for the recipe! Looks yummy!
Turkey's For Life
Sunday 3rd of October 2010
Dennis, it's lovely with cumin in - just not too much, otherwise it spoils your hummus.
Kim, there seems to be a hummus fashion going on at the moment. I've seen a few recipes this week, all slightly different. Nice to have little additions. :)