Rainbow Veggie Hummus

A long overdue recipe for “Perfect” Hummus loaded up with beautiful garden veggies. Adaptable, easy and can be made in 10 minutes.  Make this with canned or dried chickpeas. Vegan, creamy and authentic! 

I know what you’re thinking. Your hummus is already perfect. 🙂 And guess what? It totally is!  That’s why, until now I’ve never posted a recipe for basic hummus on the blog, because I know how amazingly perfect your hummus already is!

We each have our own idea of what makes the best hummus – there are so many variables, so many preferences. It is very personal!

To me, the best hummus is ultra-creamy, loaded with tahini –I want to taste that tahini or I’m just not satisfied!  I like an extra kick of garlic, and I’m liberal with salt and lemon.  I love to finish it with flaky salt,  olive oil,  sumac and zaatar and then sprinkle the heck out of it with fresh herbs.

But this is what pleases my palate- the way I grew up eating it, so it speaks to me.

And I get it, your version may be totally different and that is OK. That’s the amazing thing about hummus. You can make it exactly how you like it. No rules here. EVER.

So I’m NOT going to try to change you, or your already perfect hummus today,  just present you with some ideas. 🙂

This hummus recipe (yes, of course, I’ll share my idea of “perfect hummus”) is more about how to make it pretty with a few catering tips on how to really bump up the flavor. Because I know you like that sort of thing. So take what you want from this and make it your own.

You can even “zhuzh-up” your favorite brand of store-bought hummus with some of these tricks, I won’t judge or tell!

Basic Hummus Ingredients:

Here are the ingredients for basic authentic Hummus.  (See the recipe card for specific measurements)

• chickpeas (or sub any bean!) dried, or canned
• tahini paste
• lemon juice
• garlic
• cumin (or coriander)
• olive oil (optional, but good)
• salt
• pepper (white pepper is delicious here)

 Ways to Elevate Hummus:

And here is what you can add to make your hummus spectacular! (just pick 1 or 2)

• preserved lemons (1-2 tablespoons blended in)
• olive brine or caper brine (1-2 teaspoons blended in)
• smoked paprika (1/2 teaspoon for smoky flavor)
• zaatar, sumac or Dukkah, sprinkled over top or blended in
• zhoug – garnish or blended in (1-2 tablespoons)
• gremolata – garnish or blended in ( 1-2 tablespoons)
• harissa paste – garnish or blended in ( 1-2 tablespoons)
• Romesco Sauce – garnish or blended in
• Preserved Lemon Gremolata ( 1-2 tablespoons, overtop)
• Chimichurri Sauce (garnish)
• Yogurt or Labneh  ( 1-2 tablespoons blended in) for extra creamy
• Tender herbs- parsley, mint, dill, basil – sprinkled overtop or blended in
• toasted pinenuts – garnish
• Sundried tomatoes- overtop or blended in
• toasted sesame seeds– garnish
• marinated or warm roasted tomatoes- garnish
• warm olives-create a well and pile it in the middle
• fresh rainbow veggies – (carrots, cucs, radishes, snap peas, jicama, celery, tomatoes, etc)
• warm ratatouille– garnish- pile it overtop.
• marinated feta cubes (or baby mozzarella balls)
• Marinated Fava beans 
• Marinated Veggies
• kalamata olives or jumbo Caperberries 

How to Make the BEST Hummus:

Here is a basic overview of how to make Creamy Authentic Hummus  (Detailed instructions are provided in the recipe box below!).

BLEND HUMMUS: Place lemon juice, garlic cloves, tahini paste olive oil and water in a food processor– whip this up until creamy. Then add the salt, pepper, cumin, chickpeas and blend until really really smooth. Add more cold water, a tablespoon at a time until it is the consistency you like and blend the heck out of this! Blend for at least a full minute or two!

PLATTER: Spoon the ultra-creamy hummus into a wide shallow bowl or onto a plate or platter, creating a “well” for the olive oil (or other sauces) with the back of your spoon.

Add your toppings: If using garden veggies, peel the carrots, prep other veggies, cutting all into small bite-sized “crudites”  and arrange like the photos, tucking into the hummus -0r just play around with this and do your own thing.

Drizzle with olive oil. Scatter with fresh herbs. Sprinkle with spices- sumac, zaatar or dukkah!

Remember to create that “well” for the olive oil!

Here below is my “basic” hummus garnish. Olive oil, sumac, zaatar and herbs. Simply served with pita bread.

But more often I’ll often play with what I have on hand.

Today it was these lovely farmers market veggies, cut into bite-sized pieces or crudites.

Just start tucking them it- perhaps find your own style. Play around with this- it is fun!

Sprinkle the hummus with fresh herbs, and zaatar spice.

And there you have it. Creamy authentic hummus, made in about 10 minutes. So easy, so much fun. Such a beautiful way to serve up the bounty of veggies we have during the summer months!

More Favorite Dip Recipes:

• Tandoori Hummus 
• Labneh Recipe
• Lemony Artichoke White Bean Dip
• Authentic Baba Ganoush
• Smokey Harissa Red Pepper Dip 
• Muhammara Dip 
• Epic Tzatziki 
• Killer Guac 

Rainbow Veggie Hummus

★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews

• Author: Sylvia Fountaine| Feasting at Home
• Prep Time: 10
• Total Time: 10
• Yield: 2 cups
• Category: appetizers, vegan, dip
• Method: blended
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

How to make the BEST Hummus! This authentic hummus recipe is light and creamy and so easy to make! Use canned or dried chickpeas and serve it up with fresh garden veggies or a plethora of optional additions. Vegan, GF.

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Ingredients

BASIC HUMMUS INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 –3/4 cup tahini paste (See notes. Make sure it tastes fresh, not bitter or rancid.)
• 2–3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water, more to desired consistency
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper (I love white pepper here, up to you)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (1/2 cup dried chickpeas, cooked- see notes)

Optional Additions: (Just pick one or two! keep it simple!) 

• preserved lemons (1-2 tablespoons blended in)
• olive brine or caper brine (1-2 teaspoons blended in)
• smoked paprika (1/2 teaspoon for smoky flavor)
• zaatar or sumac -sprinkled over top or blended in
• zhoug – garnish or blended in (1-2 tablespoons)
• gremolata – garnish or blended in ( 1-2 tablespoons)
• harissa paste – garnish or blended in ( 1-2 tablespoons)
• Romesco Sauce – garnish or blended in
• Meyer Lemon Gremolata ( 1-2 tablespoons, overtop)
• Chimichurri Sauce (garnish)
• Yogurt or Labneh  ( 1-2 tablespoons blended in) for extra creamy
• Tender herbs- parsley, mint, dill, basil – sprinkled overtop or blended in
• toasted pinenuts – garnish
• toasted sesame seeds– garnish
• marinated or warm roasted tomatoes- garnish
• warm olives-create a well and pile it in the middle
• fresh garden veggies – (carrots, cucs, radishes, snap peas, jicama, celery, tomatoes, etc)
• warm ratatouille– garnish- pile it overtop.
• marinated feta cubes ( or baby mozzarella balls)
• Marinated Fava beans 
• Marinated Veggies
• kalamata olives or jumbo Caperberries

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Instructions

BLEND HUMMUS: Place lemon juice, garlic cloves, tahini paste olive oil and water in a food processor– whip this up until creamy. Then add the salt, pepper, cumin, chickpeas and blend until really really smooth. Add more cold water, a tablespoon at a time until it is the consistency you like and blend the heck out of this! Blend for at least a full minute or two! Taste, adjust salt and lemon. Add any additions you like.

PLATTER: Spoon the ultra-creamy hummus into a wide shallow bowl or onto a plate or platter, creating a “well” for the olive oil (or other sauces) with the back of your spoon.

Add your toppings: If using garden veggies, peel the carrots, prep other veggies, cutting all into small bite-sized “crudites”  and arrange like the photos, tucking into the hummus -0r just play around with this and do your own thing.

Drizzle with olive oil. Scatter with fresh herbs. Sprinkle with spices.

Voila!

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Notes

If using dried chickpeas, soak 1/2 cup chickpeas in cold water (for 8-24 hours), then cook them in salted water until tender. Cool, then follow instructions. I always make a double batch if going with dried chickpeas and cook these ahead.

Tahini Paste. In winter I use 3/4  cup tahini for a richer, creamier version. In summer, I use a 1/2 cup. Most recipes out there call for a 1/4 cup- do as you like. I prefer hummus that is “heavier” on the tahini, because I love the taste of it and this is how I grew up eating it. Truly authentic.  If you go with a 1/4 cup tahini- you will most likely need less garlic and less water. Taste as you go. 🙂

A TIP on Sauces: Sometimes like in the photos above, I’ll “loosen up” a sauce (like harissa paste, gremolata, or zhoug, etc) by adding extra olive oil to it. Then I’ll put it in a squeezy bottle and drizzle it around the hummus. An extra burst of flavor!

Keywords: hummus recipe, the best hummus recipe, creamy hummus, how to make hummus, authentic hummus, authentic Hummus recipe

Hey, I'm Sylvia! Professional chef, former restaurant owner and caterer, here is where I share hundreds of seasonal, globally-inspired, VEGGIE-DRIVEN recipes.Let's start cooking together! Subscribe to my latest recipes and get my free, PLANT-BASED RECIPE GUIDE.

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