Levantine Hummus Plate (Printable)

Smooth blend of chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil with Middle Eastern spices and fresh parsley.

# What You Need:

→ Chickpeas

01 - 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)

→ Tahini Mixture

02 - ⅓ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
03 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
04 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
05 - 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Seasonings

06 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
07 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)

→ Garnish

08 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - ½ teaspoon sweet paprika or sumac
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How-To:

01 - Place chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, cold water, ground cumin, and salt into a food processor.
02 - Process until ultra-smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides. If too thick, add additional water one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
03 - Taste the blend and adjust salt or lemon juice as needed to balance flavors.
04 - Transfer the spread to a shallow serving dish and create a swirl or well in the center using the back of a spoon.
05 - Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the surface, sprinkle with paprika or sumac, and scatter chopped parsley on top.
06 - Present immediately alongside pita bread, fresh vegetables, or as part of a mezze selection.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes 15 minutes and tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • You control the texture and flavor, so it's never chalky or too garlicky like store-bought versions.
  • One batch feeds a crowd and disappears faster than you'd think.
02 -
  • Peeling the cooked chickpeas before blending changes everything—the skins make it grainy, and removing them takes the texture to genuinely smooth.
  • Tahini can seize or separate depending on temperature; cold water helps keep things emulsified and prevents lumps from forming.
  • Taste as you go because lemon juice and salt can sneak up on you, and fixing it after means starting over.
03 -
  • If your hummus splits or looks broken, add a tablespoon of ice water and blend again—this usually brings it back together.
  • The night before serving, bring your tahini to room temperature so it's easier to work with and blends more smoothly into the chickpeas.
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