Do you believe in love at first bite? That instant when everything else fades and one taste takes over your world? For me, a single spoonful can feel like a full-on romance: the pulse quickens, the senses narrow, and all that exists is the flavor in front of you. On a recent trip to Portland, OR, I found that exact feeling at Tusk, the buzzy restaurant on E Burnside. The place has a soft, dusky palette and vibrant, unexpected details — a larger-than-life Keith Richards print above the bar that had me swooning — but it was their hummus that really captured me.
On my first visit the creamy, airy hummus stopped me in my tracks. I returned less than a week later because I couldn’t get it out of my head. After sampling nearly every dish on the menu, I couldn’t help but tell anyone who would listen about the flavors: the bright salads, the fluffy pita, the nutty dukkah, and that unforgettable hummus served with pillowy pita that was anything but flat.
The original recipe comes from Tusk’s executive chef Sam Smith, and it was featured in Bon Appétit. I’ve adapted his version here, leaning into more lemon for brightness and finishing with a drizzle of spicy chile oil, fresh parsley, and toasted nigella seeds for texture. A powerful food processor and a few technique tips are the secret to getting that light, silky texture — the addition of ice-cold water to the tahini and a slow stream of olive oil while processing help whip the hummus into an airy base.
This recipe uses dried chickpeas that are soaked overnight and then simmered with smashed garlic, a dried chile, and a bay leaf to infuse flavor. Reserving some of the cooking liquid is essential: it lets you thin the hummus to the ideal pourable consistency after processing. Grated garlic is allowed to sit in lemon juice briefly to mellow, tahini and ice water are processed until smooth, then oil is added slowly to emulsify. Finally, the chickpeas and cumin are pulsed until the mixture is very smooth and nearly pourable — it will firm up as it cools.
Serve the hummus on a shallow plate and create a decorative swirl using a spoon and a gentle spin of the plate; finish with a spoonful of hot chile oil, chopped parsley, and a sprinkle of nigella seeds for contrast. I like to present it with steaming homemade pita bread and briny Castelvetrano olives. The result is a snack or starter that feels elevated but is straightforward to make.
This creamy, dreamy hummus keeps well and can be made up to a week in advance; simply chill and bring to room temperature before serving. If you visit Portland, consider stopping by Tusk for the original inspiration — and if you stay home, this adapted version will get you dangerously close to that love-at-first-bite feeling.
Recipe
Creamy Dreamy Hummus
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- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups
Description
This creamy, airy hummus is flavorful with minimal ingredients. The silky-smooth texture is achieved with a few simple technique tricks and yields a light, spreadable dip perfect for entertaining or a weeknight snack.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dried chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 garlic cloves (2 smashed, 1 finely grated)
- 1 dried red chile (such as chile de árbol)
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup tahini
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1–2 tablespoons nigella seeds (or sesame seeds)
- Spicy chile oil, to taste
Instructions
- Combine chickpeas and baking soda in a medium bowl. Cover with cold water by 2 inches and let soak 8–12 hours.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place in a large saucepan with the 2 smashed garlic cloves, dried chile, and bay leaf. Cover with cold water by 2 inches, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently, skimming foam occasionally, until chickpeas are falling apart, 35–45 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the garlic, chile, and bay leaf.
- In a food processor, combine grated garlic, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Let sit for about 5 minutes to mellow the garlic. Add tahini and ½ cup ice water and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Season with another ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add the cooked chickpeas and cumin, and process until the hummus is very smooth, light, and creamy — at least 2 minutes. It should be loose and nearly pourable; it will firm as it cools. If too thick, thin with reserved chickpea cooking liquid a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and additional lemon juice if needed.
- To serve, spread the hummus on a plate and create a swirl. Drizzle with hot chile oil, sprinkle with chopped parsley and nigella seeds, and serve with warm pita and olives.
Notes
* This version is adapted from Sam Smith’s hummus recipe from Tusk as shared in Bon Appétit.
* See the swirl technique above for plating tips.
* Serve with fresh-baked pita bread for best results.
* Hummus can be made up to a week ahead; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
