Melissa Clark’s Instant Pot Hummus (with Variations)
Instant Pot Hummus, the one recipe that keeps my Instant Pot on the counter (instead of under it). Melissa Clark's recipe results in a silky smooth hummus. Once you nail down the method, the variations you can do are endless.
I've been having quite a lot of fun playing around with different Instant Pot recipes over the past few months, but one recipe has emerged as a breakout - an Instant Pot Hummus. It's the one that keeps my Instant Pot on my counter instead of under it. It's the hummus from Melissa Clark's Dinner in an Instant. I find myself making it once or twice a week (no joke!). Because, who doesn't need nearly effortless containers of hummus in their refrigerator all week?
The recipe yields a silky, smooth hummus, and once you nail the method, the variations you can do are endless. I love to take it in different directions, and the version you see photographed here is fortified with a couple generous handfuls of spinach. I'll also including notes related to a few other favorite variations down below as well. Because, as much as I love classic, straight-forward hummus, I also like to make an herb version, a spinach hummus, there's a beet version, and (pictured here) berbere spiced hummus - maybe my favorite version yet?!. It goes on and on.
Melissa uses some interesting techniques here, and it results in a beautifully smooth, billowy hummus - without having to peel each individual chickpea! I think the biggest positive impact on the texture comes from making an ice watery paste with tahini, garlic, and lemon juice, and then working in the chickpeas from there.
Instant Pot Hummus Variations
Berbere Hummus (pictured above): The version pictured here is flared out with berbere, a spice blend typical to Ethiopia and Eritrea. I like the berbere recipe in Josef Centeno's Baco cookbook. But if you don't have it, google around for another version online. To make the berbere-accented hummus, add 1 tablespoon (or more to taste!) of berbere spice to the blender with the other ingredients. Also, sprinkle on top of the hummus, after drizzling with olive oil.
Beet Hummus: throw a small, peeled (yellow, orange, or red) beet or two into the pot long with the chickpeas, and proceed with recipe. Alternately, you can add the beet raw to the blender.
Herby Miso Hummus: Add a dollop of this wintery miso paste to the blender,
Turmeric-soaked Chickpeas with Yuzu and Black Pepper Hummus: I'll post my technique for these chickpeas soon (working on it!), I season that hummus with a generous splash of yuzu juice, you can find alongside Japanese ingredients on occasion in well-stocked grocery stores. Also, lots of freshly ground black pepper.
If you don't have an instant pot, you can still use these ideas, just start with cooked (canned will work) chickpeas. Also, for reference, this is the Instant Pot I used for this recipe: Instant Pot DUO Plus 6 Qt 9-in-1
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Melissa Clark's Instant Pot Hummus
Leftovers will last a week refrigerator. Also, again, if you don't have an Instant Pot, you can still use these ideas and technique, just start with cooked (canned will work) chickpeas - 3.5 - 4 cups of drained, canned beans.
- 8 ounces (1 1/4 cups) dried chickpeas
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/3 cup tahini
- Ice water, as needed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- As pictured: add 2 big handfuls of spinach, toasted pepitas and sesame seeds for serving
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Pour the chickpeas and 1 teaspoon of the salt into the pressure cooker / Instant Pot and add water to cover by 1 inch. Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow the recipe to naturally release. The chickpeas should be tender and soft. If not, cook at high pressure for another 5 minutes, then manually release the pressure. Drain the chickpeas.
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Meanwhile, place the lemon, garlic, cumin, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes without processing. Then add the tahini and process to combine; you'll end up with a thick paste. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and blend it in, and then continue adding ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, blending until tahini has thinned down to a sauce consistency.
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Add the drained chickpeas and the olive oil to the tahini and blend to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as necessary. If the hummus looks too thick (likely), add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just keep going until it thins to your liking. If you're making spinach hummus, go ahead and add the leaves now, and blend until smooth and integrated. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Then scrape the hummus into a serving dish and top it with a generous drizzle of olive oil and any additional toppings you like.
Adapted from Melissa Clark's Dinner in an Instant, . The Instant Pot I used for this recipe: Instant Pot DUO Plus 6 Qt 9-in-1
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Comments
Just got done making this with the Instant Pot method (used the turmeric soaked chickpeas) and blended in my Vitamix. Not sure what I did wrong because I followed it exactly, but my Vitamix started making scary noises. Once done it had the texture of dough or play-doh. It tastes ok but the texture is too gummy. I might try to salvage it and form into patties and fry them. Typically I make hummus without tahini and it’s always turned out ok. Oh well!
HS: Hi Amber, just keep thinning with more water until its thinner :)
The Berbere spice sounds interesting. When I look for it online, I find most mixes are made of pretty common ingredients like paprika, fenugreek, and chili powder, while the descriptions of this spice include a much wider variety of spices. What blend do you use??
HS: Hi Cathryn - yes, it can be quite an elaborate blend. I've been using the recipe from the Baco cookbook, and it's really nice.
My copy of Melissa Clark's book calls for 8 oz dried beans or 3 1/2 cups. The first time I made it I used 1/2 of a 16 oz bag of dried chickpeas. But yesterday i weighed the peas and used 8 oz (weight) or 3 1/2 cups. It was way off. Did not get tender and was under seasoned. How did you determine it should be 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas? Love the green humus--will be trying that! Thanks.
HS: Hi Gay, it will be updated in the next print edition, you want to use 1 1/2 cups of dried chickpeas (or I sometimes double the recipe)...
I have made great hummus about 100 times more often since I got an instant pot. I'm glad to have some new variations. My two standbys are carrot and chickpeas (just cook the carrots in with the chickpeas) with harissa and some lemon juice, and white beans with roasted red peppers and some Mama Lil's peppers. No tahini in either.
I'm curious how this fares in terms of clean-up in a vitamix vs food processor. Is this the sort of recipe that benefits from the ease of cleaning a food processor? Some hummus and nut butters get so trapped in my vitamix that it's worth it to me to lug out the fp, even though there are more components to clean.
HS: Hi Morgan, I feel like you get a better texture with the Vitamix...
Have you ever tried making chocolate hummus? I have and it's divine! Adding a little avocado takes it to another level. Tea biscuits are my favorite for spreading this atop.
I have made great hummus about 100 times more often since I got an instant pot. I'm glad to have some new variations. My two standbys are carrot and chickpeas (just cook the carrots in with the chickpeas) with harissa and some lemon juice, and white beans with roasted red peppers and some Mama Lil's peppers. No tahini in either.
Does Melissa say why ice water and what makes the consistency billowy even without peeling skins off?