No party is complete without one good craveable dish of dip that seems to vanish off the table before anything else. There may be more colorful foods, or more eye-catching snacks, but put down an unassuming beige bowl of whipped veggies and people will forget their manners and keep coming back for “just a little more.” Such is the power of hummus.
What Ingredients are in Hummus?
A staple of Middle Eastern cuisine, this simple dish of chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil is a crowd-pleasing appetizer and all-around classic snack. Paired with a tray of cut veggies and some warm pita bread, offering up the right hummus could mean you run the risk of your guests being too full to make it to the main course.
The basic ingredients of an easy hummus form a pretty short list. Like any blank canvas, though, this base provides innumerable opportunities to play and invent new favorites. Regardless of what direction you take your hummus, it is probably going to start with the following basic ingredients:
- chickpeas
- garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- lemon juice
- tahini
- cayenne pepper
The Secret to a Great Hummus Recipe
If you are going to set out to create a legendary osso buco or barbacoa, you know you are setting yourself up for a long, delicate, intensive process of culinary fiddling. These nuanced dishes demand technique, equipment, time, and attention to detail.
A hummus recipe, on the other hand, can seem straightforward and deceptively simple. The short ingredient list and relatively brief total time to prepare it can hide a host of little secrets that make the difference between a simple bowl of lemony, mushy chickpeas, and a proper hummus that is requested time and again.
In many creative arts, there is a phrase that “simple is hard.” Absolutely nailing the preparation becomes essential in an easy recipe when there are few ingredients on the list. Taking a good hummus recipe and turning it into something people will talk about long after the party means exactingly selected, perfectly prepared ingredients.
The best hummus begins with properly cooked chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans). In this case, “properly cooked” may actually mean over-cooking them. Many of the best hummus recipes will include a little baking soda to the cooking water to help break down the chickpeas further and speed the transition from dry chickpeas to a perfect, mushy texture. Getting that texture will create the base for a delicious creamy hummus with a light, inviting texture just begging to be scooped up on a pita chip.
Small changes can make a big difference in the final outcome of hummus. Garlic, for instance, can radically influence the final flavor depending on how it is prepared and included. You might like the bright, aromatic bite of fresh garlic, but roasting your garlic cloves before including them can add a darker, nuttier flavor while mellowing out some of the distinct garlic zing. If you don't want to go that far, briefly soaking minced garlic in lemon juice can tame the flavor and make your garlic a little less pungent without altogether changing the flavor.
Is Grocery Store Hummus as Good as Homemade Hummus?
Not everyone has the time to toast their own sesame seeds for their tahini or skin an entire can of chickpeas. So, what do you do when you don't have time to fiddle with a batch of homemade hummus? Thankfully, this is one dish that can be artfully prepared commercially as well as at home.
Just because it came from the grocery store doesn't mean it will go unnoticed among other appetizers at a party or hiding in the fridge at home. Once a bowl of this Middle Eastern treat is topped with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a dash of paprika, no one is likely to stand around asking if this was the best hummus recipe possible. They will simply grab a handful of pita chips and dig into this tempting, naturally dairy-free snack.
The delicacy is in the details with “simple” dishes, and this works to many of our customers’ advantage at Silva. Commercial preparation allows you to fine-tune every step of the process, right down to the cut size of the ingredients going into the final mix. Homemade hummus recipes rely on the deft use of a food processor, but we offer several standard sizes—and even custom cuts—of our vegetables, including red bell peppers, tomato, jalapeno peppers (red or green), and spinach.
Are you looking for the perfect purée to create a light, creamy texture to your dip where the individual ingredients melt away into the background? Our powdered vegetables and spices are just the thing. But what about a thicker, more rustic dish with that perfect mouthfeel where each of the ingredients from chickpeas to the roasted garlic can be spotted with subtle hints of texture and color.
Spices are the lifeblood of simple dishes. This is why we work tirelessly at Silva to ensure you have the best possible ingredients to integrate into your products. Our black pepper and paprika are sourced from the best producers around the world and processed with care to make sure they are ready to bring your products to life. We go beyond the basics with our full list of products like fennel, parsley, chives, red pepper, and cilantro so you have the flexibility to create a unique line of products customers will come back for again and again. We even offer options like chipotle peppers if you are looking to break your hummus free from its Mediterranean roots and give it a more New World feel.
From a classic, easy hummus to more ambitious varieties, Silva has the ingredients you need to create delectable products to fit any taste. From powdered vegetables added for color and nutrition to a smooth mix or larger custom cut sizes to give your hummus a hearty vibe, our field to finish promise means whatever your final creation will be, our quality ingredients will ensure the texture and flavor you and your customers demand.
As you are lining up your next hummus recipe, whether it is for commercial applications or headed for grocery store shelves, request a sample of our products or talk to a member of our customer relationship team to see what Silva can do for you.