Homemade hummus is a rock star snack recipe. This popular Middle Eastern Spicy Garlic Hummus is made with just a handful of simple ingredients but delivers huge flavor the whole party will love.
Hummus is so easy to make, and with a few simple tips and tricks, this homemade version is far better than the tubs of store-bought dip in your local market.
This recipe is kicked up with loads of garlic, cayenne pepper and a spicy, smoky garlic oil. As written, the recipe delivers a medium to hot level of spice...and metric tons of flavor.
Feel free to adjust based on your heat tolerance and love of garlic!
Ingredients for this recipe:
Before we get to the step by step directions, a few notes about the ingredients:
Chickpeas: the recipe calls for 2 cans of chickpeas, but you can start with dried garbanzos, as well. Directions included in the notes section of the recipe card.
Fresh lemon juice: squeezing your own lemons brings a level of acidity and brightness that you just can't get in the little bottle. So grab a few lemons, if you can!
Spices: cayenne pepper brings all the heat to this dish. A previous version of this recipe used fresh jalapeños for spice, but they are hard to come by in Portugal, and the level of heat varies. So cayenne is my choice for reliable spice...and it's always in my spice drawer, so no need for a special trip to the market. Substitute a fresh jalapeño or Serrano, if you'd like. Smoked paprika is the second important spice and brings a balancing smokiness to this spicy, garlicky dip. Omit if needed.
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions:
1. Blend all ingredients
Combine drained chickpeas, 6 cloves garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt, 1 teaspoon cayenne and ice cubes in a food processor. (Ice cubes create a fluffier texture in our hummus that's irresistible! Only use if your food processor or blender can manage crushing up the cubes. If not, skip the ice and plan to add a bit more water and olive oil). Pulse until smooth.
2. Add liquid
Add 2 tablespoons water and ¼ cup olive oil. Continue blending until smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning and texture, adding salt for flavor or a bit more water for a creamier texture.
3. Make garlic oil
To make the spicy garlic oil, in a small skillet, combine 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 crushed garlic cloves. Cook over medium heat until garlic is softened and fragrant, but not burning - about 3-4 minutes.
Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika with a pinch of salt. Bloom the spices for about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
4. Plate hummus
Scoop creamy hummus into a serving bowl or dish and use a spoon to create dips and wells to hold our garlic oil. Then drizzle spicy garlic oil over your serving plate of hummus.
5. Serve and enjoy
Serve the creamy hummus with fresh vegetables, pita chips, Shawarma Salmon Wraps or Falafel Gyros.
Looking for more delicious dip recipes?
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
You have a lot of options to add heat into this classic hummus recipe, and most of them are pantry staples. Cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or hot smoked paprika all add a little kick. Chipotle pepper in adobo would be delicious mixed directly into the hummus and add an extra kick of heat and an even more smoky flavor to the dip, as would a teaspoon of jarred hot sauce. And if you have red chili peppers like Fresno's or even sriracha, these will add both color and spice.
How to spice up store-bought hummus?
Add grated fresh garlic, or, if you are out of fresh garlic, garlic powder can be used. Fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of tahini will always improve store-bought hummus. A sprinkle of ground cumin and coriander are a great option for adding flavor to a bland hummus. Everything but the Bagel Seasoning would add a lot of flavor and texture to the creamy dip, especially as a topping.
Ensuring your beans are room temperature or a little warm when you start mixing the hummus can help create a smoother dip. Cold beans will be a little tough. Removing the skins on garbanzos can also smooth out the hummus. Finally, making sure you have enough tahini and then using ice cubes to create a fluffy texture will give you the creamiest hummus.
Fresh veggies like carrots, red bell peppers, celery sticks and radishes make this delicious hummus into one of the lighter sides you can offer as a dinner party appetizer. It's also a great choice as a supporting cast for a full Middle Eastern dinner spread, including Shawarma Salmon, Falafel Gyros, Jerusalem Salad and Middle Eastern Yellow Rice.
To store, transfer spicy garlic hummus to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It is not recommended that hummus be frozen.
Spicy Garlic Hummus Recipe
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
Who needs store bought hummus when you can whip up this amazing spicy garlic hummus in your own kitchen?
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, (about 3 ½ cups)
- 6 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4-5 ice cubes
- 2-3 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
For spicy garlic oil topping:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Combine drained chickpeas, 6 cloves garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt, 1 teaspoon cayenne and ice cubes in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
- Add 2 tablespoons water and ¼ cup olive oil. Continue blending until smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning and texture, adding salt for flavor or a bit more water for a creamier texture.
- To make the spicy garlic oil, in a small skillet, combine 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 crushed garlic cloves. Cook over medium heat until garlic is softened and fragrant, but not burning - about 3-4 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika with a pinch of salt. Bloom the spices for about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Scoop creamy hummus into a serving bowl or dish and use a spoon to create dips and wells to hold our garlic oil. Then drizzle spicy garlic oil over your serving plate of hummus.
- Serve hummus with fresh vegetables, pita chips, Shawarma Salmon or Falafel Gyros.
Notes
If starting with dried chickpeas, soak about ¾ cup dry garbanzo beans with a teaspoon of baking soda in water overnight. When preparing to boil the chickpeas, drain the beans and add them to a large pot of water with another teaspoon of baking soda (which softens the skins and gives us a creamier dish). Bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45-60 minutes, until the beans are tender. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the beans and make hummus starting at Step 1 in the recipe card.
- Prep Time: 15
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
[…] your heart with joy, save some of the garbanzo beans from your falafel fixings. Whip up a batch of Spicy Garlic Hummus and shmear a few tablespoons on your falafel pita. Then pile it high with crispy chickpea patties […]