Basic Hummus Recipe from Ottolenghi's Jerusalem

A sumptuous, tahini-rich recipe.

By
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a food writer, editor, and recipe developer who wrote the "Cook the Book" column for Serious Eats.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated March 20, 2024
An overhead view of three dishes of hummus in colorful plates, topped with pine nuts, fresh parsley, and lamb.

Serious Eats / Jonathan Lovekin

Why It Works

  • Starting with dried chickpeas gives this hummus a better texture and flavor.
  • Drizzling with olive oil and lemon juice to finish adds richness and brightness.

It is a testament to hummus that Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi would devote more pages (eight in total) to its preparation in Jerusalem: A Cookbook—more than any other recipe. Hummus is the topic of many food debates in Jerusalem, and every person seems to have their favorite preparation.

Why I picked this recipe: One of the most beloved (and contentious) dishes in Jerusalem, hummus is a must-cook recipe from this book.

What worked: This was hands-down the best hummus I've ever made or eaten. It was a dish I couldn't stop eating.

What didn't: Nothing. Perfect as written.

Suggested tweaks: Drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, you'll be in hummus bliss.

This recipe was originally published as part of the "Cook the Book" series. The recipe is reprinted with permission from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, copyright 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.

November 2012

Recipe Details

Basic Hummus Recipe from Ottolenghi's 'Jerusalem'

Prep 10 mins
Cook 40 mins
Active 15 mins
Soaking Time 12 hrs
Total 12 hrs 50 mins
Serves 6 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups/250 g dried chickpeas

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 6 1/2 cups/1.5 liters water

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/270 g light tahini paste

  • 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed

  • Salt

  • 6 1/2 tablespoons/100 ml ice-cold water

Directions

  1. The night before, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with cold water at least twice their volume. Leave to soak overnight.

  2. The next day, drain the chickpeas. Place a medium saucepan over high heat and add the drained chickpeas and baking soda. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cook, skimming off any foam and any skins that float to the surface. The chickpeas will need to cook between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the type and freshness, sometimes even longer. Once done, they should be very tender, breaking up easily when pressed between your thumb and finger, almost but not quite mushy.

  3. Drain the chickpeas. You should have roughly 3 2/3 cups (600g) now. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and process until you get a stiff paste. Then, with the machine still running, add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Finally, slowly drizzle in the iced water and allow it to mix for about 5 minutes, until you get a very smooth and creamy paste.

  4. Transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. If not using straightaway, refrigerate until needed. Make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.

Special Equipment

Food processor

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
429Calories
26gFat
37gCarbs
17gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories429
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g34%
Saturated Fat 4g18%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 673mg29%
Total Carbohydrate 37g14%
Dietary Fiber 7g26%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 6mg28%
Calcium 100mg8%
Iron 4mg21%
Potassium 525mg11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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