Silky Hummus with Toasted Pine Nuts
Creamy homemade hummus blended with tahini and lemon, finished with a drizzle of olive oil and toasted pine nuts for crunch.
Every Lebanese and Levantine table seems to have its own hummus opinion — more tahini here, extra lemon there — but the basics stay the same: well-cooked chickpeas, good tahini, and enough ice water blended in to get that restaurant-style silkiness instead of a grainy paste. This batch finishes with a few spoonfuls of toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil for crunch and richness.
Chickpeas and tahini both bring fiber and plant protein to the bowl, and because the recipe skips the extra butter or cream some versions use, it stays a naturally gluten-free, plant-based dip that fits easily within a Mediterranean-style diet. Serve it with raw vegetables, warm pita, or as a spread under grilled chicken or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed — about 1.5 cups
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil — 1 for blending, 1 for drizzle
- 3-4 tbsp ice water — to thin
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
- 1 pinch paprika and chopped parsley — for garnish
These ingredients are common at Middle Eastern grocers; a well-stocked international supermarket usually carries them too.
Instructions
- 1In a food processor, blend tahini and lemon juice for 1 minute until pale and creamy.
- 2Add chickpeas, garlic, cumin, salt, and 1 tbsp olive oil; blend 2 minutes, scraping down the sides.
- 3With the machine running, drizzle in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until light and smooth.
- 4Spread onto a plate, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and top with toasted pine nuts, paprika, and parsley.