A few weeks ago I went to a friend’s bridal shower where we all pitched in to provide a handsome spread of food and drink. I was on wine and smoothie duty and my friend Lisa made the hummus.
I’ll be honest: I was expecting another standard hummus that was good but didn’t taste as good as restaurant-style.
What I wasn’t expecting was to eat some of the best hummus of my life. For reals. Ready for this recipe? I’m SO excited to share it with you!
But before we share the secrets, let’s give hummus the credit it deserves!
Origins of Hummus
Like many foods, the exact origin of hummus is debated. But it’s believed that the first recipes appeared in 13th century cookbooks (source).
Hummus is an Arabic word that simply means “chickpeas.” And chickpeas have been grown in the Middle East and India for thousands of years.
Hummus bi tahini (but often just referred to as “hummus”) is made with chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and lemon. It’s a common dish in Turkish, Lebanese, Syrian, and Egyptian cuisine, among others. And it’s now gained popularity throughout the world.
Our microwave version is not traditional as it uses canned chickpeas instead of cooking them on the stovetop from dried.
Those looking for a deeper dive into the history of hummus can find more information here and here.
How to Make This Easy Hummus Recipe
Now, back to this incredible hummus from the baby shower story…
A few bites in when my mind finally wrapped around what my mouth was tasting, I turned to Lisa and asked how she made it.
Lisa: “Well, I started with a can of chickpeas and microwaved it with garlic…”
Me: “Wait, why microwave?”
Lisa: “Hey, I don’t know these things, this is just how it’s done.”
Me: “OK, KEEP GOING.”
She explained it was a recipe from her brother- and sister-in-law who were both amazing cooks and caterers on the side.
The concept is to cook the garlic cloves in with the chickpeas (liquid and all) so it gets SUPER creamy and takes on a extra garlicky flavor. It also seems to meld all of the flavors together a bit more to give it an ultra luxurious finish.
Microwave before and after. See the difference? It may seem subtle, but the flavor/texture pay off is MAJOR.
The other kicker? 1/2 cup tahini. HALF CUP. Just trust me. Best hummus ever.
Once your chickpeas and garlic are microwaved, add straight to a food processor or blender with your tahini, lemon juice, sea salt and a bit of olive oil. Then whirl until creamy and smooth and prepare yourself for the most insanely delicious hummus of yo life.
Though this hummus comes together in 5 minutes, it’s going to be hot! So, I recommend making it ahead of time and refrigerating it so it gets even more thick and the flavors can meld together.
I don’t know how a refrigerator can make this dip taste 13x better, but it just does. Trust me.
You guys are going to LOVE this hummus! It’s
Ridiculously creamy
Rich
Thick
Perfectly seasoned
Savory
Smooth
Slightly lemony
Garlicky
Highly shareable
& Absolutely perfect
Serve with pita bread and/or chips, veggies, or just a spoon. Seriously, I would just eat this with a spoon. Make this now!
Easy 5-Minute Microwave Hummus
6-ingredient hummus that comes together in 5 minutes and is magically transformed into the best hummus thanks to the MICROWAVE! Trust me. It’s the best hummus I’ve ever made at home! Print SAVE SAVED
from votes Prep Time 1 minute Cook Time 4 minutes Total Time 5 minutes Servings 8Course Appetizer, Side, SnackCuisine Gluten-Free, Mediterranean-Inspired, Middle Eastern-Inspired, Vegan
Prevent your screen from going dark
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric1 15-ounce can chickpeas (NOT drained)2-4 cloves garlic (depending on how garlicky you prefer it)1/2 cup tahini2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice3/4-1 tsp sea salt (depending on how salty you prefer it)1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Microwave undrained chickpeas and whole garlic cloves in a mixing bowl for 4-5 minutes.NOTE: Reserve 1/2 of the chickpea liquid to add in as needed while blending. Add the other 1/2 of the chickpea liquid with the chickpeas and garlic to a blender or food processor and process with lemon juice, salt and tahini. Stream in olive oil while mixing.Process until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed. Add more of the reserved chickpea liquid as needed for creamier texture. Taste and adjust seasonings as you prefer. I found 3/4 tsp of salt to be the perfect amount (amount as original recipe is written // refer to the lower end of range if altering batch size).Garnish with a little more olive oil and paprika, and serve with veggies, crackers and pita. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or more. It tastes even better refrigerated, as it has time to thicken up and develop in flavor.
Notes
*Recipe created by Rebekah and Justin Hubbard, and shared by my lovely friend, Lisa.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 157 Carbohydrates: 12.9 g Protein: 5.2 g Fat: 10 g Saturated Fat: 1.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 239 mg Fiber: 1.4 g Sugar: 2.7 g