In the Middle East, hummus is a polarizing topic. As Chef Yotam Ottolenghi's says, "Hummus is like a competitive sport. People really feel very strongly about their hummus and how it should be made." While many people believe they know the "right" way to make hummus, the truth is, there isn't just one way. What's not up for debate, however, is that freshly made hummus, served slightly warm and at the center of the table, is worth the extra effort. [__Jump to recipe__](yotam-ottolenghis-hummus-recipe#3nWwVNc5rcf4bgm24SFPiS).


Hummus Recipe: Yotam Ottolenghi’s Homemade Hummus 

Hummus is chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) blended together with tahini (a sesame paste), olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic into a smooth purée. You can eat hummus—which originated in the Middle East—as a dip or a spread, served often with bread like pita.

According to Chef Ottolenghi, hummus has evolved in recent years. "It used to [be you could] only have cooked chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice," he says. "Those were the ingredients. Now, [it's] a bit more forgiving. I've seen hummus with all sorts of things added to it, and I can live with that. My hummus [actually has] an addition of confit garlic." 

Here are a few tips to make Yotam's hummus: 

- __Opt for nontraditional ingredients__. You can incorporate different flavors, like [confit garlic](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/ottolenghis-confit-garlic-oil). "I don't think it's too much of a transgression because there is hummus and garlic," he says. "It's just that extra layer of flavor that goes into hummus." 
- __Soak your chickpeas__. Homemade hummus starts with cooking your own chickpeas. But before you can start cooking, you want to soak them in water and baking soda for twenty-four hours. "You really need to do this step. It's essential," he says. "That softens the skin [and] the water starts to penetrate the chickpea. For a really good hummus, you need a really soft chickpea. So the soaking is essential. You can't skip that stage." 
- __Use two types of tahini__. To make the perfect hummus, Yotam suggest using two types of tahini: tahini paste and [tahini sauce](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/yotam-ottolenghis-tahini-recipe). "Tahini is something that runs in the veins of the people in the Middle East," he says. "So you really have to have [tahini paste] to make your hummus really smooth and creamy. That's the essence of a good hummus. [I] spoon [tahini sauce] on top or drizzle it. If you look at it, you've got two types of tahini coming in. Once in the hummus to make it all nice and creamy and aerated and once in a pungent sauce that has garlic in it, salt, and lemon juice. Those different textures make this really, really special." 

Serve hummus as part of a mezze platter with bread and crudités. You can make plain hummus ahead of time, but cover it with plastic and gently press down on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. 

In the Middle East, hummus is a polarizing topic. As Chef Yotam Ottolenghi's says, "Hummus is like a competitive sport. People really feel very strongly about their hummus and how it should be made." While many people believe they know the "right" way to make hummus, the truth is, there isn't just one way. What's not up for debate, however, is that freshly made hummus, served slightly warm and at the center of the table, is worth the extra effort. [__Jump to recipe__](yotam-ottolenghis-hummus-recipe#3nWwVNc5rcf4bgm24SFPiS).


Hummus is chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) blended together with tahini (a sesame paste), olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic into a smooth purée. You can eat hummus—which originated in the Middle East—as a dip or a spread, served often with bread like pita.According to Chef Ottolenghi, hummus has evolved in recent years. &quot;It used to [be you could] only have cooked chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice,&quot; he says. &quot;Those were the ingredients. Now, [it&#39;s] a bit more forgiving. I&#39;ve seen hummus with all sorts of things added to it, and I can live with that. My hummus [actually has] an addition of confit garlic.&quot;

What Is Hummus? 

Here are a few tips to make Yotam&#39;s hummus: <ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Opt for nontraditional ingredients. You can incorporate different flavors, like <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/ottolenghis-confit-garlic-oil' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/ottolenghis-confit-garlic-oil","linkCopy":"confit garlic","category":null}'>confit garlic</a>. &quot;I don&#39;t think it&#39;s too much of a transgression because there is hummus and garlic,&quot; he says. &quot;It&#39;s just that extra layer of flavor that goes into hummus.&quot; </li><li class="">Soak your chickpeas. Homemade hummus starts with cooking your own chickpeas. But before you can start cooking, you want to soak them in water and baking soda for twenty-four hours. &quot;You really need to do this step. It&#39;s essential,&quot; he says. &quot;That softens the skin [and] the water starts to penetrate the chickpea. For a really good hummus, you need a really soft chickpea. So the soaking is essential. You can&#39;t skip that stage.&quot; </li><li class="">Use two types of tahini. To make the perfect hummus, Yotam suggest using two types of tahini: tahini paste and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/yotam-ottolenghis-tahini-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/yotam-ottolenghis-tahini-recipe","linkCopy":"tahini sauce","category":null}'>tahini sauce</a>. &quot;Tahini is something that runs in the veins of the people in the Middle East,&quot; he says. &quot;So you really have to have [tahini paste] to make your hummus really smooth and creamy. That&#39;s the essence of a good hummus. [I] spoon [tahini sauce] on top or drizzle it. If you look at it, you&#39;ve got two types of tahini coming in. Once in the hummus to make it all nice and creamy and aerated and once in a pungent sauce that has garlic in it, salt, and lemon juice. Those different textures make this really, really special.&quot; </li></ul>Serve hummus as part of a mezze platter with bread and crudités. You can make plain hummus ahead of time, but cover it with plastic and gently press down on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

How to Make Yotam Ottolenghi’s Hummus

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Homemade Hummus Recipe

In the Middle East, hummus is a polarizing topic. As Chef Yotam Ottolenghi&#39;s says, &quot;Hummus is like a competitive sport. People really feel very strongly about their hummus and how it should be made.&quot; While many people believe they know the &quot;right&quot; way to make hummus, the truth is, there isn&#39;t just one way. What&#39;s not up for debate, however, is that freshly made hummus, served slightly warm and at the center of the table, is worth the extra effort. <a href='yotam-ottolenghis-hummus-recipe#3nWwVNc5rcf4bgm24SFPiS' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"yotam-ottolenghis-hummus-recipe#3nWwVNc5rcf4bgm24SFPiS","linkCopy":"\u003cstrong class=\"mc-text--bold\"\u003eJump to recipe\u003c/strong\u003e","category":null}'>Jump to recipe</a>.

In the Middle East, hummus is a polarizing topic. As Chef Yotam Ottolenghi's says, "Hummus is like a competitive sport. People really feel very strongly about their hummus and how it should be made." While many people believe they know the "right" way to make hummus, the truth is, there isn't just one way. What's not up for debate, however, is that freshly made hummus, served slightly warm and at the center of the table, is worth the extra effort. Jump to recipe (yotam-ottolenghis-hummus-recipe#3nWwVNc5rcf4bgm24SFPiS).
