Real Deal Hummus + Quick Chopped Salad

Ingredients

• Hummus
• 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight with ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup raw tahini
• 1–2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
• 1–3 garlic cloves
• 2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ½–1 tsp salt, to taste
• ½ tsp ground cumin (optional)
• ¼–½ cup cold water or ice water, for blending
• —
• Quick Chopped Salad
• 3 Persian cucumbers (or 1 large English), diced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced (drain if juicy)
• ¼–½ small red onion or 3–4 green onions, chopped
• ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2–3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt + pepper, to taste

Method

1. Hummus: drain, rinse, and simmer the chickpeas 45–60 minutes until very soft (the baking soda helps them cook faster). Drain and cool.
2. Add chickpeas (save a few for garnish), tahini, lemon, garlic, olive oil, cumin, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend 1–2 minutes until super creamy, scraping the sides as needed. Add cold water until silky smooth.
3. Spread on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, and top with paprika, parsley, and reserved chickpeas.
4. Salad: dice cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Taste, adjust, and serve immediately alongside the hummus.