Easy Spicy Hummus

This Spicy Hummus recipe is easy to make, tastes amazing, and is done in under 5 minutes. It's time to start enjoying better hummus at home!

I am happy to report that I have finally worked hummus into my family's diet.

Now instead of ALWAYS reaching for a bag of chips (named something starting with "D"), they now snack on spicy hummus. Yes, they still eat chips, just not as often.

Hummus, as I explain below, is a far healthier option. Especially when you serve it with veggies or whole grain crackers (Crunchmaster is our favorite).

And with ~70% savings over the store bought stuff, you can't afford NOT to make this at home!

Yes, you read this correctly...
- It saves you money.
- It's a healthy snack.
- It tastes great!

Hmmm...why are you not making this right now?

Want more 'better than chips' recipes? Check out my Movie Theater Popcorn & Kettle Corn recipes or my Keto Ham Salad Spread.

Four reasons why this is the best spicy hummus recipe

1. It appeals to everybody's spice level

This recipe does not force you to make an entire bowl of spicy hummus. As we know, not everyone enjoys the same level of spice.

For this recipe, it is the spicy topping in the center of the hummus that brings the heat. Your guests can swipe as much or as little spice as they want, or skip it altogether.

2. The hummus by itself tastes great

This recipe delivers a great tasting hummus, without the spicy topping. It has a perfect balance of cumin, garlic and lemon.

3. It's flexible

Although this recipe delivers great-tasting hummus, everyone's taste buds are different. Some may want a bit more flavor or tang.

The recipe allows for this flexibility.

You will see the recipe has you stop a couple times in the blending stage to evaluate the taste.

This gives you a chance to add a bit more of this or that to enhance those flavors.

4. It's incredibly easy & fast

You literally add all the ingredients, at one time, into a food processor or blender and mix until smooth and creamy.

Then voilà! Your hummus is done in 3-4 minutes.

Tell your family there's a new snack in town, and it's called Spicy Hummus.

Another amazing middle eastern dish is our butter chicken recipe. It's so good we never order it out anymore!

How to make spicy hummus

Begin by assembling your ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
15.5 oz	Garbanzo Beans (canned)
¼ C	Tahini
3 Tbsp	Lemon Juice
3 Tbsp	Water
2 Tbsp	EV Olive Oil
1 clove	Garlic
1 tsp	Cumin
½ tsp	Salt
¼ C	Harissa (topping)

I have found that Ziyad Tahini is the creamiest and has the best flavor. Even Americas Test Kitchen agreed.

Want your hummus to have more of a Mexican flavor and serve it with tortilla chips? Just substitute the cumin for a teaspoon or two of my homemade taco seasoning.

Add the ingredients to your food processor

Drain and rinse your canned garbanzo beans and add them to the food processor (use the main s-blade attachment).

Then add all the other remaining ingredients. (EXCEPT the harissa: that's the spicy topping!)

You can use a blender if you don't have a food processor.

Mix for 1 minute on high

After a minute, scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate any ingredients that may have stuck to the edges.

Then mix again for another minute.

After 2 minutes of mixing

After a total of 2 minutes, it's time to evaluate a couple things:

First, how's the flavor?

Is the flavor how you like it? Great. Leave it alone.

If not, does it need a bit more salt?...cumin?...garlic?...lemon?

You get the picture...add a bit more of those ingredients to bring out more of their flavor.

Second, how's the thickness?

If you feel it is too thick and want it a bit looser, add another teaspoon of water.

After making these adjustments, mix it again on high for another minute.

Make a note of any changes so you can duplicate it for next time!

After 3 minutes of mixing

After a total of three minutes, you should be very close to done, if not done already.

But it's always good to do another taste and thickness test to ensure it is how you like it. If it's not, tweak it as necessary.

But there is one more evaluation to conduct, the texture test.

The texture test

The texture of hummus is determined by how well the garbanzo beans are blended.

We are evaluating the creaminess: how smooth and silky do you want the hummus?

It very likely the texture is good after these 3 minutes, but if you want it a bit creamier, let it blend another 30-60 seconds or more.

Once it passes YOUR flavor, thickness and texture tests, your hummus is done!

Transfer the hummus to a medium bowl. Now, it's on to the spicy topping!

I prefer to use a glass bowl that has a lid. This makes for easy storage when you are done snacking.

Add the spicy topping

Create a well in the center of the bowl using a spatula or spoon.

Then dollop in your harissa or any spicing topping you like. (See optional toppings below)

Harissa is a North African red pepper sauce made from red chilies, red peppers, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. It can be quite spicy!

Optional spicy toppings

Let your creativity fly here. Below are some popular spicy toppings you may want to consider.

• Chili garlic sauce
• Sriracha
• Cholula

Don't be scared to mix some of them together to find the perfect spice level and flavor that is custom to you.

What to serve with hummus

Our family's favorite 'scooping vessel' would be Crunchmaster crackers. They are whole grain, baked, and the flavor is just fantastic.

Below are some other choices.

ULTRA HEALTHY
Slices of carrots, celery, bell pepper, cucumber, and even apples.

STILL A BIT HEALTHY
Homemade Naan Bread, whole grain crackers, pita bread, pretzels.

NAUGHTY
Tortilla chips, Fritos, buttery crackers.

Is hummus healthy?

Yes!

The two big benefits of hummus are that it's high in both protein and fiber. Both due to the main ingredient, garbanzo beans.

Check out this Healthline article if you want to learn an additional 6 health benefits of hummus.

Hummus spice variations

Although we use cumin as the base spice, you can substitute or add in other spices to take the flavor a slightly different direction.

• Berbere is a fiery North African spice that will amp up the flavor even more.
• Adding in some taco seasoning will take this in a Mexican flavor direction. Add a salsa topping and serve with tortilla chips. Yum, yum!
• Hot curry powder also works well with hummus.

Alternatively, if you're not a fan of the spicy stuff, simply leave it out. Drizzle the hummus with some good quality extra-virgin olive oil before serving:

Be creative: take the flavors in the direction you most enjoy.

How to store hummus

Store your hummus in an airtight container with a lid or in a bowl tightly covered with plastic wrap.

It will last up to one week in your refrigerator.

That's it! I hope your family is crazy about this hummus. Happy snacking!

Stay safe, and stay well.

—Michelle