Summer Favorite Lemon & Dill Hummus

Among the many hummus flavors, lemon and dill are my favorites. On a hot summer day, this easy-to-make lemon-dill hummus makes a refreshing dip for cucumber, red/orange/yellow peppers, and celery or a great filling for a sandwich.

Hummus is such a versatile food that it has become a staple in my kitchen over the past few years. And when I use the word versatile, I truly mean it. You can make hummus in myriad flavors, each with its own distinct personality, and you can also use hummus on different (eating) occasions, each with a unique experience. Homemade hummus can also clear some space in your refrigerator by replacing more processed and calorie-dense ingredients such as mayonnaise. It pairs just as well with rainbow-colored vegetables for any healthy snack as with pita or crackers. You can also make hummus and veggie-loaded sandwiches.

Why do I go through the trouble of making hummus at home when I could easily buy it at the store? Well, homemade hummus is healthy and not packed with unnecessary oil.  I often don't use oil to make hummus at home.  Minimizing the consumption of oil (especially highly processed oils) is part of the Traffic Light Cook philosophy.  

Here is how to make it:

Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) are the main ingredient in hummus. You can use canned chickpeas, but home-prepared chickpeas yield better-tasting hummus. I usually cook chickpeas in a slow cooker over medium heat for about 6-8 hours or in a pressure cooker if in a hurry. In either case, I soak chickpeas overnight to soften them and eliminate phytates (more on this later). I make a big batch of chickpeas to cook 2-3 different chickpea recipes to save time.  But, if you find cooking chickpeas from scratch a big hassle (though it's not), go ahead and use canned chickpeas. When short on time, I use canned chickpeas as well.

Whether you cook chickpeas at home or use canned, please don't throw away the AQUAFABA, which looks like the not-so-appetizing liquid in the picture above. If you are looking for this term in the glossary of old cookbooks, please don't waste time. The term was coined in 2015 and refers to the gooey, viscous, congealed liquid left over after cooking beans and lentils. Aquafaba merits its discussion in a separate blog post; for now, the only takeaway is that the liquid left over after cooking chickpeas or in canned chickpeas is not to be thrown away.

Here is the trick to using canned chickpeas in making delicious hummus: boil them with the liquid they are packed with, then drain and save the liquid. Usually, I throw away the liquid from canned beans/legumes, but I need to make an exception when making hummus. Therefore, it is important to use canned chickpeas with low—or no-sodium. Whether you use home-cooked chickpeas or boil canned ones, bringing chickpeas to room temperature is super important before adding other ingredients. 

In addition to chickpeas, you also need lemon juice, fresh dill, white vinegar, fresh garlic, crushed red pepper, and aquafaba. To get the best flavor, it is important to use fresh dill and lemon. If you don't have dill, you can safely replace it with cilantro. You can also use a small amount of tahini to get a creamier hummus. I prefer using homemade tahini, but store-bought should be fine, too. Using tahini is completely optional.

Combine all ingredients except aquafaba in a food processor or blender and pulse until chickpeas are semi-crushed. Add aquafaba and continue to pulse/grind. Start with 2 tbsp of aquafaba and increase the amount until the hummus has a creamy but firm texture. If you want your hummus to be a bit runny, add more aquafaba. Enjoy!

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