With its creamy, nuttiness, Houmous is possibly the most versatile of dips. Simply by itself with some flatbread or raw vegetables, served alongside a lot of Middle Eastern dishes such as falafel, or in a tasty wrap with salad and grilled halloumi. With protein packed chickpeas as its base, it’s also healthy and gut-friendly: pre-biotics in the form of raw garlic; tahini packed with additional protein and healthy fats; immune boosting lemon juice; and finally extra virgin olive oil loaded in antioxidants. This quick creamy houmous is proof that simplicity can be deeply satisfying.
Chickpeas: protein-packed bullets
Chickpeas are nutritional champions that deserve a place in every kitchen. These humble legumes are packed with plant-based protein, making them excellent for vegetarians and anyone looking to reduce meat consumption. Rich in fiber, they support digestive health and help maintain stable blood sugar levels, keeping you satisfied longer.
Beyond protein and fiber, chickpeas provide essential minerals like iron, magnesium, and folate, plus they’re naturally low in fat and calories. Their versatility is unmatched—from creamy houmous to crispy roasted snacks, hearty curries to fresh salads. They’re also budget-friendly, shelf-stable, and environmentally sustainable, requiring less water and resources.
Canned vs dried chickpeas
Let me say at the outset, there is nothing wrong with canned chickpeas. They are still a great addition to your diet and a brilliant source of plant-protein. However, if you want to up your legume game, then going with dried chickpeas brings a lot of benefits, some of which are listed below:
- You can control the texture – cook longer for silkier houmous, or firmer in salads or add to curries and soups
- Add additional flavour at the outset – throw some aromatics into the pressure cooker to enhance the flavour
- Better digestion – the high heat and pressure are more effective at breaking down the lectins and the complex sugars. If you believe you have issues eating legumes, this could be a way of slowly reintroducing them into your diet.
- Cost-effective and sustainable – the price of dried chickpeas equates to more than half the cost of a can. And that’s not going for the fancy jarred varieties. And let’s not forget the sustainability factor.
Other chickpea recipes
Here you can find additional recipes from EatYourGreens containing healthy chickpeas:
- Moroccan chickpea and vegetable tagine
- Chicken, chickpea and sweet potato curry
- How to cook dried chickpeas – no soak recipe
I like my houmous to have a little hint of spice, but feel free to leave out the cayenne pepper if you want to keep it plain.
Quick Creamy Houmous
Equipment
- Blender or Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 400 g can of chickpeas or 110g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked – see below
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Firstly, if you are using dried chickpeas you will need to start this recipe the night before. Rinse the chickpeas to remove any dust and place in a large bowl with 2-3 times their volume in fresh cold water. Leave to soak overnight, or for 12 hours. Note: if I’m using dried chickpeas, and they are worth the effort, I do 2 or 3 times the amount I need as they freeze very well. See note below if you forgot, or don't have time to soak the chickpeas overnight.
- Next you want to place the soaked chickpeas in a good amount of water, bring to the boil, and simmer gently for 1 ½ hours. Or, if you have a pressure cooker this speeds up the timing greatly and would only take 12-15 minutes. Or if you're like me, and haven't planned on cooking chickpeas, you can even cook unsoaked chickpeas in the pressure cooker for 45 minutes in total with a slow 15 minutes release.
- To make the houmous, using your food processor or blender add in the tahini, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil, and blend for a minute. Scraping down the sides.
- Add in your peeled clove of garlic and ½ tsp salt and blend again for 30 seconds.
- Add in the chickpeas (either the can drained and rinsed or 240g of your soaked and cooked dried chickpeas) and blend for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides, add in the ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, and blend again.
- Check the consistency of the houmous, simply add water to reach the consistency required – you want it so it just drops off the spoon, but not so runny that it pours. Serve.
Notes
- If you don’t have the time, or forgot to soak your chickpeas overnight, simply use my how to cook dried chickpeas – no soak – recipe
- I like my houmous to have a little hint of spice, but feel free to leave out the cayenne pepper if you want to keep it plain.
