Avocado Hummus

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What is Hummus?

Hummus (also spelled as “humus”, “houmous” and “hommus”) is the arabic word for chickpeas.

Hummus is a delicious and flavoursome spread or dip usually made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini, lemon and spices. It is commonly eaten in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

In many restaurants across the Middle East, hummus is generally made from scratch and served fresh on the same day. Unlike how the westerners serve hummus as an appetizer, hummus is generally served at breakfast, lunch or dinner as a part of a main or a side dish.

My avocado hummus recipe is incredibly creamy, smooth, and fluffy and packed with a rich, nutty, and lemony flavor. It’s like guacamole and hummus in one, but even better!

Can I use this recipe to make regular Hummus?

Absolutely, just skip the avocado and reduce the amount of water needed and you’ll get an incredible and smooth hummus.

Can I use this recipe to make other hummus flavours?

Yes, you can! Simply substitute the avocado with any ingredient of your choice. Some popular options include beetroot, red peppers, caramelised onions, jalapeños and pesto sauce.

Why should I make hummus at home?

Many supermarkets around the globe now offer hummus, however they fail to deliver the authentic taste and texture of the traditional hummus. Hummus from supermarkets are usually cold, which make them stiff and gloppy. Furthermore, since the hummus is cold, you don’t get to taste the rich flavour of the spices and the nutty richness of the chickpeas. Also, making hummus from scratch means that you can customise it to any flavour of your choice such as beetroot, caramelised onions, jalapeños, pumpkin and more.

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas?

Yes, you can! Using fresh chickpeas takes much more time, hence I generally prefer using canned chickpeas. However, using fresh chickpeas works incredibly well if you cook it correctly.

Why do we need to use ice-cold water?

The ice-cold water is truly the secret behind the smooth and creamy texture of hummus. Using room temperature water will not give you that fluffy, pillowy, and whipped consistency.

What is the secret behind the creamy and smooth texture?

Apart from using ice-cold water, another secret to get the hummus smooth and creamy is to boil the chickpeas with some baking soda (even if you are using canned chickpeas) if you have some extra time in hand. Furthermore, once you’re done boiling them, ensure to remove the skins of each of the chickpeas. If you boil them with a teaspoon of baking soda, the chickpea skin will come off much more quickly and easily.

Can I use store bought tahini?

Absolutely! You can use store bought tahini if you prefer, however make sure to use one from a good quality brand. Since tahini is a primary ingredient for this recipe, you need to use a generous quantity of it to enhance the taste of the hummus and bring it all together.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that some brands use unhulled sesame seeds (with the exterior covering intact), which results in a more bitter tahini. Hence, I always prefer using tahini made from hulled sesame seeds to prevent your hummus from tasting bitter.

Do I need to add garlic in the recipe?

Garlic adds flavour to the hummus. If you don’t like the flavour of garlic, you can reduce it to 1 clove and if you like the taste of garlic, feel free to increase it to 3-4 cloves.

How should I top my hummus?

I prefer topping my hummus with some olive oil, chickpeas, slices of lemon, parsley and chilli powder. However, you can top it as you like. Some other combinations include paprika powder, za’atar, toasted sesame seeds, sumac or dukkah.

How do I serve the Hummus?

The best way to serve the hummus would be at room temperature with some warm pita bread or as a spread for your falafel wrap. However, there is no right or wrong way of serving hummus and there are many other ways of doing so. You can serve the hummus as a dip for your carrot sticks, tortilla chips or crisps. You can slather it on top of your sandwich as a spread. You can serve it as a part of your salad or with some grilled vegetables.

Can I make the avocado hummus in advance and store it?

Avocados have a short shelf-life once ripe and opened, hence this hummus will turn brown if you prepare it in advance. Having said that, you can still prepare this hummus in advance without using avocado. However, remember to add a few tablespoons of olive oil on the top before storing it in the fridge to prevent it from drying out. The hummus should last for a couple of days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Ensure to bring the hummus to room temperature before serving.

You can also freeze the hummus using an airtight container. However, you’ll lose the creamy texture by doing so. If you do plan on freezing the hummus, ensure to thaw it in the fridge a day before consuming it.

Can I warm the hummus?

I’m not fond of warm hummus but if you like, you can! Place your hummus in a saucepan along with a few teaspoons of water. Continuously stir the hummus until warm. Alternatively, you can also use a microwave too!

Any substitute for the ingredients mentioned?

There are not many substitutes to make hummus however,

You can use dried chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas. This will however take much longer.
You can use a good quality store bought tahini instead of making it from scratch.
You can use virgin olive oil instead of extra virgin olive oil too! If you can’t find olive oil anywhere then, do ahead with regular sunflower or vegetable oil. Otherwise, please stick with olive oil to get the best flavour!
You can also use roasted cumin powder instead of roasted cumin seeds to make this hummus.