Levantine Hummus Plate (Printable)

Creamy blend of chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil with subtle spices and fresh parsley garnish.

# What You Need:

→ Chickpeas

01 - 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)

→ Tahini Mixture

02 - ⅓ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
03 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
04 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
05 - 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Seasonings

06 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
07 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)

→ Garnish

08 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - ½ teaspoon sweet paprika or sumac
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How-To Steps:

01 - Place chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, cold water, cumin, and salt into a food processor.
02 - Process until ultra-smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. If too thick, incorporate additional water one tablespoon at a time until desired texture is achieved.
03 - Taste and modify salt or lemon juice levels to preference.
04 - Transfer the mixture to a shallow serving dish, creating a swirl or central well using the back of a spoon.
05 - Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle paprika or sumac, then top with chopped parsley.
06 - Present immediately accompanied by pita, fresh vegetables, or as part of a mezze selection.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes with just a food processor and pure, recognizable ingredients.
  • The silky texture is impossibly luxurious for something so simple and affordable.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes you look like you know what you're doing, even on nights when you barely do.
02 -
  • If your hummus tastes chalky or bitter, you didn't blend long enough—keep going until it's impossibly smooth, or your tahini wasn't stirred well before measuring.
  • Cold water matters more than you'd think; room-temperature water makes the texture grainy, but cold water keeps everything silky and light.
03 -
  • Make hummus the day before serving; it actually tastes better after the flavors have settled together overnight in the refrigerator.
  • If your food processor is small, work in batches—overcrowding prevents the blades from doing their job, and you'll end up with texture instead of silk.
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