Sylvie's Easy Hummus Recipe 

➤ by Sylvie Fulson

This easy hummus recipe, aka Kichererbsen-Paste, is so good and so quick to make. However, you may be asking yourself, “Why is there a hummus recipe on a German recipe site?” Well, hummus is so versatile, it goes great with just about anything, including German food!

Oma says:

• Although hummus may not be in my German upbringing, after Sylvie introduced it to me, I now like to use it, particularly as a dip for fresh veggies.
• Hummus makes a great substitute for crème fraîche or Greek yogurt in the traditional Flammkuchen (Tarte Flambée). Delicious, and, now it’s a vegan Flammkuchen when topped with caramelized onions.
• If you’re feeling adventuresome, when you’re having a schnitzel in a crusty Brötchen (German roll), add a dollop of hummus and some lettuce. Lecker!
• Next time you’re in Germany, why not attend the annual Hummus Festival in Berlin and discover new ways to use hummus in your kitchen!

What is hummus and what does it taste like?

Hummus, which is an Arabic word for chickpeas, originated in the Middle East. It can be used as a dip or spread, and in savory dishes. I often use it as a side dish. At its most basic, it is made of chickpeas blended with tahini (sesame seed paste), garlic, lemon juice, and salt. 

Hummus can potentially be too tangy, or garlicky, or even bitter (because of the tahini). The trick is to balance out the ingredients so that the overall taste is subtle, without one ingredient standing out more than another.

My homemade easy hummus recipe is wonderfully creamy and rich, and tastes slightly tangy with just a hint of garlic. I love it so much I will often eat it with a spoon straight out of the bowl!

But everyone’s tastes are different and it’s so great that hummus is such a forgiving recipe. You can play around with the amount of each ingredient and keep tweaking until you get it to taste just the way you like it. 

Is hummus good or bad for you?

Hummus is very good for you. Chickpeas are very high in fibre, a great source of protein, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Although tahini is high in fat, it is also a great source of fibre and protein and is high in calcium and iron.

A lot, if not most, of hummus recipes call for olive oil. It’s a commonly held belief that olive oil promotes health. But more information is coming out that the opposite might be true. I don’t know if it’s safe to say one way or the other, but as for my family, we decided to cut oil out of our cooking and baking a few years ago, which is why my recipe does not call for it.

Healthy or not, olive oil is high in fat and calories. By omitting the oil and keeping the tahini to a minimal amount, hummus is a delicious and healthy low-fat treat!

BUT, if you enjoy olive oil and think you might like it in this easy hummus recipe, by all means add in a couple of tablespoons, and/or drizzle a little bit on top to serve.

What is the best way to make hummus from scratch?

There are three ways to make hummus from scratch: you can use a food processor, a blender, or mash the chickpeas and mix the ingredients by hand. My preferred method is using the food processor.

Admittedly, I haven’t tried using my blender, and mixing it by hand is out of the question when I have perfectly functioning equipment to do it for me! ;)

Hummus can be as smooth or as textured as you like. Depending on the quality of your kitchen equipment, a blender would likely yield the smoothest result, especially if you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix. Doing it by hand would result in a more textured hummus. 

Actually, now that I think about it, a chunkier version would be amazing as a spread on toast or sandwiches. I just might have to try making it by hand one of these days!

To make my easy hummus recipe in a food processor, start by adding in the chickpeas and a little bit of aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas).

Then add tahini, salt, and a small clove of garlic. (Or more, to taste!)

Add in some nutritional yeast, if desired, and lemon juice.

Process, adding more aquafaba, or water, to gain desired consistency.

Stop to scrape down sides when necessary and continue processing until the hummus is as smooth as you like. The longer you process, the smoother it will be.

Pour the hummus into a bowl or container and enjoy! As you can see, I like my hummus nice and thick. It makes a wonderful sandwich spread!  

What can you add to plain hummus?

 The wonderful thing about this easy hummus recipe is that it is so easily customizable. You can add a wide variety of herbs, spices, and vegetables, which not only add to the deliciousness but make it even more nutritious.

Not only do herbs and spices add more flavor, they are nutritional powerhouses rich in antioxidants. What’s not to love?!

To make it seem more like a German recipe, try adding some of the herbs and spices typically used in German cooking, such as parsley, thyme, celery seeds, dill, paprika, or chives, to name a few.

Or try adding roasted asparagus, carrots, squash, turnips, or leeks to this easy hummus recipe. I bet adding roasted carrots and parsley would be absolutely delicious!

How do you eat hummus?

Let me count the ways! Seriously, there are so many ways to eat hummus. Here are a few ideas to get you started using this easy hummus recipe:

1. Spread it on your favorite bread. It would taste amazing on Oma’s Artisan Bread!
2. Make a hummus sandwich with your favorite toppings. Mine would be lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado. Or make it German with mustard and sauerkraut!
3. Make a hummus wrap. I love a roasted-sweet-potato-and-hummus wrap with avocado and spinach. Instead of sweet potatoes and avocado, try roasted carrots and sauerkraut to give it a German twist.
4. Use it as a condiment on your sandwiches or burgers.
5. Use it as a dip for raw veggies, crackers, and tortilla chips.
6. If you love sweet and savory combinations, it also makes a great dip for apple slices.
7. Eat it with fresh, warm pita wedges.
8. Add water to your hummus, and adjust seasonings to taste, to make a delicious salad dressing.
9. Use it as a creamy sauce over your favorite vegetables.
10. Use it as a pasta sauce instead of a cream sauce.
11. Make a hummus soup. Yep, it’s a thing!
12. Add hummus to your mashed potatoes for extra flavor.
13. Spread it on a pizza dough, tortilla, or pita instead of pizza sauce and add your favorite toppings for a delicious hummus pizza.
14. Create a German Buddha bowl! It might look something like this: a big dollop of hummus at the center of a bowl or high-rimmed plate, surrounded by rice and/or roasted potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers or cucumber salad, your favorite greens, sauerkraut, cooked lentils, and drizzled with a mustard dressing. It’s essentially a mix-and-match of your favorite foods. The possibilities are endless!

And of course, you can always eat it by the spoonful!

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