Quick Israeli-Style Hummus (Zahav Style)

Quick Israeli-Style Hummus. As a Philly girl, I am blessed with tons of Israeli cuisine & Michael Solomonov restaurants. Once you experience this hummus from a restaurant like award-winning Zahav, you will never want another hummus. And now you can have it whenever you want (instead of waiting a lifetime for a reservation). This recipe is easy, quick, a party favorite AND tastes like it’s has had beans soaking for 8hrs. This hummus is CREAMY, thick & fluffy. It’s a hummus cloud drowning in olive oil & I wouldn’t want you to experience anything short of magic.

Philly Style & Israeli Style

I broke this recipe up into three parts: the chickpeas, tahini base, hummus. These days, in Philly, Israeli style hummus is wildly popular thanks to Michael Solomonov who has studded Philadelphia with Israeli cuisine. Not only that, but he has given his famous, and mind-blowing, hummus recipe to any news source that would ask. And I read his cookbook, Israeli Soul, back to front when it first came out. His recipe is delicious, but it takes hours of hydrating, simmering, crushing garlic cloves, using a sieve. I took all of my favorite parts of this recipe & made it my own.

MAINLY: I stole the baking soda. Instead of just opening the can and dumping it in the food processor or painstakingly peeling off the skins, I boiled them for 10 minutes with baking soda. I learned through Michael Solomonov’s recipe, that baking soda breaks down the skins and gives us the creaminess of hummus we crave.

Home Cook’s Notes – Ingredients & Substitutions

Do I need baking soda?

Yes. This is a necessary component of this dish. It’s what shortens our cooking process and it also breaks down the skins so that we don’t have to peel them. 

Overcook Your Chickpeas 

It’s okay to overcook the chickpeas! No stress on the timer. Boil them with baking soda, strain them, and blend them. This yields such a fluffy smooth result. 

Ice Water & Fresh Lemon Juice 

Use fresh lemon juice in this recipe instead of that store bought bottle. It’s different, I promise. The cold ice water is also important. It makes the tahini seize up before becoming a fluffy. creamy cloud. 

Food Processor or Blender

A food processor and a blender both work great. A high powered blender, like a Vitamix with a blending stick will yield a nearly perfect result. But I’ve used a food processor many times and it is still incredibly smooth and fluffy. 

Tahini

A good tahini is important for this recipe. In some hummus recipes (say, a greek hummus) there is only a touch of tahini. But Israeli hummus has almost just as much tahini & makes it behave in a way that enhances hummus so much you won’t want to make a different style again.

From the Kitchen

Seasoning to Taste

VERY easy part of the recipe. Tahini brings added flavor, “fluffy-ness” and is a perfect base to add the chickpeas too. We blend it with ice water, lemon juice, & garlic. After that, add the broken down chickpeas & blend on high until it is creamy and fluffy.

Let’s talk seasoning! I try to never put an amount of salt in my recipes as I am sure you know. Salt to taste is such an amazing part of improving as a home cook. Add cumin in small increments (1/4 tsps) & salt to taste. You’ll know when it is perfect.

Toppings

My favorites: a ton of really good extra virgin olive oil swirled on top. Naan charred on a grill or cast iron pan is one of my favorite things on Earth, let alone with hummus. Extra za’atar – a blend of thyme, sesame seeds & sometimes oregano.

When you make this quick & easy Isareli-Style blender hummus, please let me know your thoughts. Once you make this recipe it becomes absolutely addicting/a perfect party trick – everyone is always so impressed because it is the best hummus they have had! Tag me on Instagram @quartersoulcrisis or comment below.