Yes, it’s that good. I’ve been making hummus from scratch for years and years, never using a recipe and never measuring ingredients. Me and hummus, we’ve come to a certain understanding, the understanding that no matter what I dump into that food processor that it will come out tasting amazing.

Or should I say perfect….

OK, now that my hummus ego has let loose all over this post, I’ll say that it is my perfect hummus recipe, exactly the way I like hummus. Consider it your basic recipe (of course I’ll provide variations) and alter it to make it your perfect hummus recipe.

Perfect Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 15-oz can organic chick peas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup tahini (it’s great with any brand, roasted or raw)
• 1-2 cloves raw garlic
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• water to taste

Dump the chick peas and garlic into the food processor and run until chopped. Add tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil. Blend until smooth. Slowly add water as the processor is running until you reach your desired consistency. One thing to remember: if you refrigerate before serving, the olive oil will cause the hummus to thicken, so add just a little more water than you’d like if you’re not serving the hummus right away.

For serving, I like to spoon the hummus into a shallow dish, sprinkle with paprika and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped fresh parsley and Kalamata olives. Pita is the traditional accompaniment, but I like raw veggies (carrots, snap peas, broccoli, red pepper) and rice crackers (gluten-free).

Variations

• Roasted Garlic Hummus: Roast 2-4 cloves of garlic and omit the raw.
• Black Bean Hummus: Use black beans instead of chick peas and add a dash of cumin and some chopped cilantro.
• Substitute 2 – 3 tablespoons of flavored vinegar for a different taste … try raspberry, champagne, or herbed.
• Blend in any fresh herb, about 2 -4 tablespoons.

Obviously, I like my hummus lemony with just enough garlic. If even one clove of raw garlic is too much for you, try mincing the garlic and microwaving it in a bit of olive oil for 30 seconds. It takes the edge off.

How do you like your hummus? Share your favorite recipe or serving suggestion with us.

UPDATE: I tried it and I’m hooked. Don’t use water in your hummus recipe — use the gooey can juices as Bob recommended in the comments. Or you could always just add more lemon, as I seem to be doing there days.