Hummus Beiruti

Hummus Beiruti (Beirut-Style Hummus)

A bold, herbaceous Lebanese take on classic hummus, loaded with extra garlic, fresh parsley, lemon and cumin, and finished with whole chickpeas, olive oil and paprika.

Prep

15 min

Cook

90 min

Total

105 min

Serves

4 to 6 as a meze

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz / 1 cup) dried chickpeas, or 400 g (14 oz) canned, well-drained
• •1 tsp baking soda, only if using dried chickpeas
• •120 g (½ cup) tahini, well-stirred, good-quality Lebanese-style
• •60 ml (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons, plus more to taste
• •90 ml (⅓ cup) ice-cold water, more as needed for texture
• •3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed, plus 1 extra small clove for the Beiruti hit
• •30 g (1 cup loosely packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley, stems removed, finely chopped
• •1 tsp ground cumin, toasted in a dry pan for 30 seconds if possible
• •1 whole (1 small) green chilli, optional, seeded for less heat; or ¼ tsp cayenne
• •1 tsp fine sea salt, to taste
• •30 ml (2 Tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil, good Lebanese or other fruity EVOO, plus more to drizzle
• •1 pinch sweet paprika or extra cumin, for dusting

Steps

1. 1 Soak the dried chickpeas overnight in plenty of cold water with 1 tsp baking soda. Drain and rinse thoroughly the next day; the soda helps break them down into a creamy purée.
2. 2 Cook the soaked chickpeas in fresh unsalted water until very tender, 60–90 minutes. They should crush easily between thumb and finger with no resistance. Drain, reserving a little cooking water, and let cool slightly. (If using canned chickpeas, drain, rinse, and simmer 10 minutes in fresh water to soften, then drain.)
3. 3 Make the tahini base: blend the 3 garlic cloves with lemon juice and salt until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add the tahini and blend until thick. Slowly stream in the ice-cold water while blending until the sauce turns pale, light and pourable. This aeration is what gives Beiruti hummus its fluffy body.
4. 4 Add the warm chickpeas (and the extra garlic clove plus the green chilli if using) to the blender and pulse to a coarse, rustic purée — not a glass-smooth paste. Loosen with a splash of the reserved chickpea cooking water if needed.
5. 5 Fold in the finely chopped parsley and the toasted cumin by hand with a spatula so the herbs stay bright green rather than bruising in the blender. Taste and adjust salt and lemon.
6. 6 Spread the hummus on a wide plate using the back of a spoon to create shallow swirls. Top with a small handful of whole chickpeas, a generous pool of olive oil, and a dusting of sweet paprika or cumin.
7. 7 Serve immediately with warm pita. For food safety, do not leave the hummus at room temperature for more than 2 hours; refrigerate promptly in a sealed container for up to 3 days.