Hummus bi Tahini

About This Recipe

Hummus bi Tahini is Lebanon's most iconic mezze — a puree of chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice whipped until it is impossibly smooth, pale, and light enough to hold soft peaks. The secret is not the ingredients, which are humble, but the technique: long blending, ice water added gradually, and a generous hand with good sesame tahini. The result balances nutty richness against bright acidity and a gentle garlic warmth. In Lebanon it is served at room temperature, swirled onto a plate with a well of fruity olive oil at its center, scattered with paprika and toasted pine nuts, and scooped up with warm pita. It anchors every mezze table, from street stalls to wedding feasts, and every household swears its proportions are the correct ones.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 canschickpeas (400g each), drained
• 1/2 cuptahini
• 3 tbspfresh lemon juice
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 2 tbspice water
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1 pinchpaprika
• 2 tbsptoasted pine nuts

Instructions

1. 1

   Blend

   Drain the chickpeas, reserving a few whole ones for garnish, and process with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt for a full 2–3 minutes, scraping down the bowl twice. The mixture will look thick and pasty at first — keep going until it turns uniform.

   For ultra-smooth hummus, simmer canned chickpeas 10 minutes with a pinch of baking soda first; the skins slip off and dissolve.

2. 2

   Lighten

   With the processor running, drizzle in ice water one tablespoon at a time. The cold water emulsifies the tahini and visibly lightens the color from beige to almost ivory. Stop when the texture is fluffy and falls slowly off a spoon.

   Cold water, not warm — temperature is what makes tahini whip up pale and creamy instead of breaking.

3. 3

   Adjust

   Taste with a piece of bread rather than a spoon — that's how it will be eaten. Add lemon for brightness, salt for depth, or another spoonful of tahini if the chickpea flavor dominates. Let it rest 10 minutes so the garlic mellows.

4. 4

   Serve

   Spread the hummus onto a shallow plate using the back of a spoon, sweeping outward in a spiral to create a raised rim and central well. Pour olive oil into the well, dust the rim with paprika, and scatter pine nuts and reserved chickpeas on top.

   Serve at room temperature, never fridge-cold — chilling dulls both the tahini and the lemon.

Variations

• •

  Hummus with awarma: top with spiced minced lamb fried in pine nuts for the classic Beirut restaurant version.

• •

  Beet hummus: blend in a small roasted beet for a magenta mezze with earthy sweetness.

• •

  Hummus msabbaha style: leave the chickpeas mostly whole and fold them through a loose tahini-lemon sauce.

• •

  Spicy hummus: swirl in a spoonful of harissa or top with Aleppo pepper-infused oil.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days; the surface may dry slightly, so press plastic wrap directly onto it or refresh with a stir and a splash of lemon juice. Always bring back to room temperature before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions