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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Menu / Appetizers + Snacks + Bites / Black Hummus

    Black Hummus

    Dec 9, 2019 · 14 Comments

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    Please meet hummus’ richer, nuttier, and more intensely flavored cousin… black tahini hummus!!!

    black hummus with pomegranate arils, flaky sea salt, sumac and olive oil

    Apparently, I’m on a personal mission to see just how many variations on hummus I can make! And apparently… it’s a whole lot! I’ve already declared that if it’s a root veggie, it can be a hummus flavor. If it’s a squash variety, it can be a hummus flavor. And now I’m saying… if it’s a sesame seed color… it can be a hummus flavor!

    Why this Black Hummus Recipe Works?

    • Quick & easy! Simply blend all ingredients together in a blender. That’s it!
    • Ultra-smooth and creamy hummus! From using almost equal parts tahini to garbanzo beans.
    • Fun black twist to the classic hummus! Thanks to using black tahini, made from black sesame seeds.

    Just look at this beautiful bowl of luxuriously creamy black food…

    side of shot of black hummus in a black bowl

    This black hummus falls in that sweet magical intersection of low maintenance and highly impressive looking, making it as perfect for an entertaining appetizer as for healthy weekday snacking. And there’s so much fun to be had with the topping possibilities!

    Some topping ideas for ya are: pomegranate seeds, parsley or other herbs, nuts and seeds, za’atar, sumac, flakey sea salt, other spices, and olive oil.

    What is Black Tahini?

    Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. Tahini is generally made from hull-removed white sesame seeds. Black sesame seeds are simply white sesame seeds who hulls have not yet been removed – that’s what makes them black.

    Their flavor is darker, nuttier and toastier. They’re white sesame seeds more pungent, slightly bitter and more intense black cousin.

    Black tahini on a black spoon on a black slate

    How to Make Black Hummus

    • Place all ingredients, aside from the olive oil, in a blender and puree.
    • With the motor running, slowly drizzle the olive oil in.
    • Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. That’s it! All done!

    Usually I make my hummus in a food processor, but the thickness and stickiness of the black tahini pureed much better in my high-powered blender, a Vitamix. Depending on how strong your machine is, you may need to finish whisking in olive oil and water by hand, 1 tablespoon at a time until your desired consistency is reached.

    I used the same exact ingredients as I do for my hummus, except I added a touch of honey to offset any bitterness from the black tahini.

    Cooks Tips

    Black tahini can be store/online bought, but if you’d like to make your own from black sesame seeds, I support ya going for it!

    • If you have a blender, now is the time to use it! If you don’t, a food processor or lots and lots and lots of elbow grease will work too.
    • If using store bought black tahini, go for the organic kind.
    • Using dried chickpeas will create an even better flavor than canned but take more time. I *highly* suggest ya try with dried chickpeas sometime.
    • Get playful with toppings options.
    • Leftover hummus will keep in the fridge a week. 
    • Hummus will thicken up in the fridge, dilute with 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time until you get your perfect consistency again.

    bowl of black hummus, overhead shot, bowl is centered in frame on a black background

    Stoked on hummus??? I got YA!

    Check out all my hummus-licious varieties: roasted beet hummus, carrot hummus, butternut squash hummus, easy 7 layer hummus dip, hummus with spiced lamb and last def not least, plain (aka original) hummus.

    Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with #wavesinthekitchen. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and all sorts of awesome adventures!

    Let’s make waves in the kitchen!

    black hummus with pomegranate arils, flaky sea salt, sumac and olive oil
    Print Recipe
    4.75 from 4 votes

    Black Hummus

    Please meet hummus’ richer, nuttier, and more intensely flavored cousin… black tahini hummus!!!
    Prep Time8 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Californian, Middle Eastern
    Servings: 8
    Author: Daniela Gerson

    Ingredients

    • 1 can chickpeas drained
    • 2/3 cups black tahini
    • Zest and Juice of 2 Lemons or 3 ~ you want about 1/3 cup of lemon juice
    • 2 garlic cloves chopped
    • 1/3 cup olive oil
    • 1.5 teaspoons of honey
    • 1 teaspoon cumin or more to taste
    • 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
    • 1 handful of chopped parsley or other herbs za’atar, sumac, pomegranate arils, nuts or seeds as topping + a swirl of EVOO

    Instructions

    • Combine the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, honey, cumin, and salt in the high-powered blender.
    • With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth.
    • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin or salt as needed. I like mine extra garlicky and lemony!
    • Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with desired toppings and a swirl of extra virgin olive oil, alongside pita chips or crudites for dipping.

    Notes

    • If you have a blender, now is the time to use it! If you don’t, a food processor or lots and lots and lots of elbow grease will work too.
    • If using store bought black tahini, go for the organic kind.
    • Using dried chickpeas will create an even better flavor than canned but take more time. I *highly* suggest ya try with dried chickpeas sometime.
    • Get playful with toppings options.
    • Leftover hummus will keep in the fridge a week. 
    • Hummus will thicken up in the fridge, dilute with 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time until you get your perfect consistency again.
    « Roasted Beet & Blood Orange Salad
    Sugared Cranberries »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacqueline Gerson says

      December 14, 2019 at 4:41 pm

      5 stars
      This is so elegant looking, easy to make and delicious to taste.
      Love it, love it , love it 👍👍👍

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        December 18, 2019 at 12:18 pm

        Thank you so much Jacqueline!!! I think you've had pretty much every other kind of hummus I make and I'm so excited to make this one for ya soon too!

        Reply
    2. Tim says

      December 25, 2019 at 3:34 pm

      If you want darker colors use desi chick peas.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        December 28, 2019 at 11:00 am

        Thanks for the feedback Tim! Yes I'm def planning on making this with desi chick peas sometime :).

        Reply
    3. Carrie says

      May 01, 2020 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      Honey in hummus?! So excited to try this!

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        May 25, 2020 at 4:28 pm

        Thank ya so much Carrie! Yes the black tahini can be a touch bitter so the touch of honey is to offset the bitterness :). What did ya think of it? Would love to hear :)!

        Reply
    4. Jo jones says

      May 13, 2020 at 6:26 am

      5 stars
      Was soo intriged when I saw cans of black chickpeas at my local health food store I bought a can. With a search I found a few recipes for black tahini, and was impressed by yours. Ta da! Bosh bong.. delicious. Thank you for this. My niece will love it also.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        May 25, 2020 at 4:27 pm

        Awesome so stoked to hear that!!! And I'm a bit envious that ya found black chickpeas! Did you use black tahini too or regular? What brand were the chickpeas? I wanna find them too :). And stoked to hear your niece is a black hummus fan too! I'm all about hummus variations... prob why I have 7 hummus recipes on my blog... ;-).

        Reply
    5. Ruchira says

      January 28, 2021 at 2:52 am

      4 stars
      I wanted to try making hummus and was looking for sesame seeds, couldn't find the white, so bought the black instead. Having made hummus with blackish small dots all over it, I decided to call it Black Hummus! Then having googled Black Hummus afterwards, I ended up on your site to realize it's actually a thing! For a second I even thought Black Hummus was my own invention! 😀

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        March 16, 2021 at 11:20 am

        Hehehe love this! Thanks so much for sharing Ruchira! And yes black hummus is a thang :). Did ya grind the black sesame seeds into tahini?

        Reply
      • Ron says

        April 13, 2022 at 5:13 am

        Hahahaha.. this so so lit a happy time!

        Reply
        • Daniela Gerson says

          April 19, 2022 at 12:02 pm

          Hehehe Ron... super stoked to hear that! Am a big time hummus lover and appreciate the feedback :).

          Reply
    6. Conor says

      November 29, 2021 at 2:20 pm

      Rancho Gordo (out of Cali) sells Black Garbanzos online and black hummus is what I searched first - will try!

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        December 08, 2021 at 9:44 am

        I ADORE rancho gordo! Used to live near the SF Ferry building and would check their shop out all the time. Amazing beans! So stoked to hear you're gonna try this Conor + lemme know how it goes :).

        Reply

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    I’m on a mission to help people see how sexy vegetables are—by sourcing the most colorful produce imaginable from local farm markets and emphasizing the beauty of real food in utterly enchanting food photography.
    Welcome to Waves in the Kitchen! I’ll be sharing delicious recipes, sprinkled with surf adventures, inspiring ya to live a more healthful plant filled life, filled with joy and gratitude.
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