We know hummus isn’t always the most exciting option, but this version? It’s light…creamy…and impossibly smooth. Best of all, the steps required to make the most delicious black bean hummus you’ll ever eat are shockingly simple!
How to Make the World’s Dreamiest Black Bean Hummus
When putting this recipe together, we looked closely at chef Michael Solomonov’s famous recipe which has been lauded by sources including Bon Appétit and the New York Times. We found that Solomonov relies on surprising ingredient to create the signature, ultra-smooth texture of his hummus: baking soda. Solomonov acutally uses baking soda at two points in the process, first, while soaking the chickpeas, and second, while boiling them.
We borrowed this method for our black bean hummus, and ended up with a batch of hummus so delicious, we licked the spoon. Twice. To make our spoon-lickingly good black bean hummus, you will need…
- 1 cup dried black beans
- 2 teaspoons baking soda, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- ⅓ cup (or more) fresh lemon juice
- ⅔ cup tahini
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Optional: a dash of cayenne pepper
How to Make the Best Black Bean Hummus, Ever
Scoop the black beans into a medium bowl, add 1 teaspoon baking soda, and fill with cold water until the beans are submerged in at least two inches of water.
- Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours, then drain and rinse.
- Place the soaked beans into a large saucepan, add the second teaspoon of baking soda, and submerge the beans in at least 4 inches of cold water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, partially cover, and cook at a vigorous simmer until the beans are so tender, they begin to fall apart—this should take 45 minutes to an hour.
- Drain the beans and set aside.
- Add the garlic, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt to the food processor and process until coarsely puréed. Let the mixture sit 10 minutes to mellow the garlic.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing the solids into the mesh to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.- Pour the liquid into the food processor, add the tahini, and pulse to combine.
- With the processor running, add ¼ cup of ice water—just one tablespoon at a time—to the bowl of the food processor. At this point, the mixture should be pale, somewhat thick, and very, very smooth.
- Add the drained black beans and cumin and process until completely smooth. This may take up to two minutes, and it will be entirely worth your time.
- Once the mixture is fluffy and oh-so-creamy, taste for seasonings, and add more salty, lemon juice, and/or cumin if desired.
- If you enjoy spice, top with a dash of cayenne pepper just before serving.
