Authentic Creamy Hummus

Nutty, lemony and super creamy, this authentic hummus is my sister-in-law's Jordanian & Lebanese family recipe - so you know it's the real deal! 

Hummus used to be somewhat of a unique international item, but my-oh-my how it has EXPLODED over the past 10-15 years. And with good reason...it's nutty, it's lemony, it's creamy, it's packed with protein and fiber - making it a much healthier choice than a lot of the cheesy, fatty dips that often end up on buffet tables. I mean, not that things like buffalo chicken dip and reuben dip aren't delicious...but everything in moderation, right?

Middle Eastern food is my #1 favorite and is always on my request list when we come back to Michigan to visit. Side note - for those of you who live in the metro-Detroit area...you have no idea how good you have it with all of the amazing Middle Eastern restaurants to choose from. I was spoiled and didn't know it but make no mistake, you can't get it that good just anywhere - I've tried.

So imagine my delight when back in 2010, Pete's twin brother, Pat, started dating beautiful, sweet Delia, who I not only get along with very well, but who also happens to be Jordanian and Lebanese and makes ALL THE DELICIOUS FOODS. Delia, her mom Aida - and pretty much everyone in her family actually - are awesome cooks. We were home in Michigan a few weeks ago when Delia had their second baby (our nephew Roman!), and I commented to my brother-in-law that Delia's family is like a well-oiled machine at feeding and immediately cleaning up after huge groups of people. I swear they can throw a 20+ person party and barely bat an eye.

It's especially fitting that I am posting this recipe today, because today is Delia's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Thank you for being such a wonderful sister-in-law, an incredible mom to our sweet little niece and nephew, and an overall fantastic human. And thank you for sharing your amazing family recipe with me and letting me post it!

Delia and me on a Martin family vacation in Saugatuck in 2011, love you sis!

If you've never made hummus at home, you've got to give it a try! It's so easy and you can keep all the ingredients on hand and easily whip up a batch whenever you want. I've made homemade hummus in the past, and had always done it in the food processor. It was pretty good - but I was never able to get it as creamy as it is in the restaurants. Delia's secret to getting it super duper creamy is to make it in a blender! We both have a Ninja blender, which is a little different than the typical blenders I've used in the past because instead of having the blades fixed down at the bottom, the Ninja's blades are attached to a little removable stick that sits in the center of the pitcher, so it does a great job of blending everything in the pitcher at once instead of just what's at the bottom. Genius!

You can definitely still make it in a food processor if you aren't in love with your blender, but just make sure to really process the crap out of it to get it super smooth.

Another thing I thought was interesting when she shared the recipe with me, is that they don't put any olive oil IN the hummus, just on top after it's blended. Who knew!

Serve it with pita bread, pita chips, or cut up veggies.

Marvel at the creaminess...

Yummy noises await you!

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Authentic Creamy Hummus

Nutty, lemony and super creamy, this authentic hummus is my sister-in-law's Jordanian & Lebanese family recipe - so you know it's the real deal!

Course Appetizer, Dip

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 cups hummus

Ingredients

• 2 16 oz. cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• ¼ cup tahini
• 6 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Olive oil, for topping

Instructions

• Drain & discard about ⅓ of the liquid from each can of chickpeas and pour chickpeas & remaining liquid into a blender or food processor. Add lemon juice, garlic, and salt and blend to combine.
• Add tahini and blend well until totally smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender if needed (the smoother the better). Taste and add more salt if desired.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and top with olive oil before serving.

Notes

Delia and I prefer a blender over a food processor to get the hummus super creamy, we both have a Ninja blender and love it!

 

Adapted from Delia Martin & Aida Nasouri's family recipe