What’s your happy place? For many, our minds drift to a deserted island with a hammock lazily strung between two palm trees laughing in the salty breeze.

Now, imagine that beach but the sand is creamy hummus, shells are pine nuts and spices, the sea comes in rolling waves of olive oil and drifting tangles of herbs. Your SUP board is a giant charred pita triangle.

That’s why you need to be making your own hummus. Yes it actually takes a bit of time but homemade hummus tastes eons better than any store bought hummus out there (yes- even better than Trader Joe’s Mediterranean Hummus). Let the process transport you to your beautiful private hummus island where the first swipe of your hummus is as refreshing and satisfying as diving into the ocean on a sticky hot summer day.

Homemade hummus is fluffier and creamier than any store bought hummus out there. There are some very delicious options now in stores but they are heavy in density and wetness. Making your own hummus is oftentimes healthier since you control everything that goes in. You can easily adjust for your own tastes as you go along. I like to make a normal base hummus then from there make other flavors in small batches.

Honestly though, all that isn’t what pushed me to make my own hummus. In America we are spoiled for choice with so many local and national hummus brands and flavors. Living in Barcelona, the stores typically only carried one brand with two uninspiring flavors. So, one day I had enough of sad hummus and started making my own. Now I’m currently back in America and although I have my hummus brands that I love, I much prefer my homemade hummus.

So without further ado, here is my basic go-to hummus recipe. Suggested variations at the bottom.

Ingredients:

Chickpeas (dried or jarred)

Lemon

Garlic

Tahini

Cumin

Extra virgin olive oil

Method:

If using jarred chickpeas, simply rinse in a colander and you’re set. If using dried chickpeas, soak overnight to two nights, changing the water every so often. To cook, boil and reduce to a simmer for at least an hour and a half. Some people swear by using a few teaspoons of baking soda in the boiling water to help break down the chickpeas, but I’ve yet to try that. Drain and cool. If you aren’t sure if they’re soft enough and cooked enough, chances are they’re not ready. They should be at least the softness of chickpeas you add in salads. So, just keep on cooking them! When making hummus, the softer the better. Depending on the type and size of chickpea, it could take up to 4 hours of simmering.

In a blender, blend about half a cup of good quality tahini with 2 cloves of garlic. Then add the juice of half a large lemon and blend some more. There should be almost as much juice as tahini so you might need more lemon.

~Lemon Tip!~ Pop the whole lemon in the microwave for ten seconds to really get the juices flowing. Before cutting, aggressively roll the lemon on the counter. You will squeeze out much more juice this way.

Now add in about a cup of the chickpeas and blend again with a teaspoon of cumin and about a 4 second drizzle of olive oil. If it’s too thick, add a bit of ice water and blend again. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Repeat until it has reached a creamy consistency with stiff peaks, adding ice water as needed. When serving, add some freshly cracked black pepper, flaky salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with your favorite chips, pitas, and dippable veggies! Hot toasty garlic naan from Trader Joe’s is a favorite of mine.

My favorite variations:

My Go-To Hummus: Top the hummus with fried walnuts and chickpeas, add a sprinkle of Za’atar seasoning over top.

Mediterranean Olive Hummus: Blend the hummus with chopped kalamata olives and one or two extra garlic cloves. Serve with additional kalamata olives chopped on top. Drizzle over olive oil and add salt and pepper.

Sun Dried Tomato Hummus: Blend the hummus with chopped sun dried tomatoes and a bit more lemon juice. Top with a little chopped fresh basil. Drizzle over olive oil and add salt and pepper.

Roasted Garlic Hummus: Blend the hummus with roasted garlic cloves. Drizzle over olive oil and add salt and pepper.

Mediterranean Herbs Hummus: Blend the hummus with more lemon juice, an extra clove or two of garlic, and chopped parsley and basil. On top, add freshly toasted pine nuts and more chopped herbs. Drizzle over olive oil and add salt and pepper.

Caponata Hummus: Over top, add chopped, roasted veggies: eggplant, red bell pepper, zucchini, cherry tomatoes. Finish with a few capers and shreds of fresh basil.

The Everything Hummus: Blend the hummus with several healthy grinds of Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning. It’s a mix of peppercorns, coarse salt, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, coriander seeds, dried garlic and dried onion. Drizzle olive oil on top and finish with more seasoning.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: Blend the hummus with the flesh of half a roasted red bell pepper. Be sure to remove the thin skin. Drizzle olive oil or chili oil on top and add salt and pepper.

Have fun and experiment with your favorite ingredients! Remember, you really can’t mess this up. You can always add a bit more garlic, oil, seasonings, whatever.