Black Chickpea Hummus (using Canned Chickpeas)

Name: Black Chickpea Hummus (using canned black chickpeas)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 (14-ounce) can of black chickpeas, drained and lightly rinsed (400g); 1 teaspoon baking soda(5g); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (30g); 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed, (plus more to taste) (30g); 3 tablespoons black sesame paste (or regular tahini) (30g); 1 to 2 drops of toasted sesame oil, (optional but recommended); 1 medium garlic clove, middle shoot removed (3 to 5g); 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (or sea salt) (6g); 2 1/2 tablespoons ice-cold water (plus more as needed) (40g)

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This black chickpea hummus is delicious and ready in 15 minutes! Italian canned chickpeas from Puglia and black sesame paste form the base of this beautifully dark, smooth, and creamy black hummus. It tastes just as good as regular hummus but is a bit more striking and dramatic-looking.

black chickpea hummus with a pool of extra virgin olive oil in the middle surrounded by pan-seared veggies, huge Italian green olives with pits and sun-dried cherry tomates

I created this recipe to close out my "Go Gray in May for Brain Cancer Research". It's healthy and tasty. Plus, I had plenty of black sesame paste left over from making black sesame triple coconut cream pie recently, and this was a great way to use it.

This hummus also makes a really fun, healthy Halloween side dish and pairs perfectly with my skillet naan bread or my Greek pitas (recipe coming soon)!

Jump to:

The Difference Between Black Chickpeas and Regular Chickpeas
Black Chickpea Hummus Ingredients
How to Make Black Chickpea Hummus (using canned chickpeas)
Black Chickpea Hummus Step-By-Step Photos
Tips for a Completely Smooth Hummus (without removing the shells)
What to Serve With Black Chickpea Hummus
FAQs
More Easy Starters & Dip Recipes
📖 Recipe
How to Make a Completely Smooth Hummus (without needing to remove the shells)

black chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor with olive oil, salt, black sesame paste, lemon juice and garlic

regular chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor with olive oil, salt, black sesame paste, lemon juice and garlic

The Difference Between Black Chickpeas and Regular Chickpeas

There are two popular varieties of chickpeas: one from India and one from Italy. Here are what separates them

Color. Regular chickpeas are white to light cream or tan-colored, and black chickpeas (aka Desi or ceci neri) are brown to black in color.
Size. Black chickpeas tend to be smaller than regular chickpeas. And between the two different types of black chickpeas (the Indian variety and the Italian variety from Puglia), the Italian black chickpea (ceci neri - pronounced "chetchy nairy") is larger than the Indian variety and usually a bit darker too.
Shape. Black chickpeas are more irregular in shape and can even resemble dried corn kernels.
Flavor. Black chickpeas have a slightly nuttier flavor than regular chickpeas, but that's really about the only discernible difference in flavor.
Nutritional value. Black chickpeas have higher fiber content and more iron than regular chickpeas, but they share a similar protein and carbohydrate content.

Black Chickpea Hummus Ingredients

Feel free to substitute dried cooked black chickpeas for the canned chickpeas in this recipe.

black chickpeas
baking soda
extra virgin olive oil
lemon juice
black sesame paste (or regular tahini)
toasted sesame oil (optional but recommended)
garlic
salt
ice-cold water

How to Make Black Chickpea Hummus (using canned chickpeas)

When making hummus, I like to create a garlic paste with a couple of pinches of salt. will incorporate better into the hummus without leaving small garlic pieces in an otherwise smooth hummus. You don't have to do this if you're short on time, or using a Vitamix to blend the hummus, but I think it's worth the extra 15 seconds to do it otherwise.

Warm up the chickpeas.
Make the garlic paste or use a garlic press.
Purée the hummus.
Adjust the hummus for taste and texture. Serve with raw or pan-seared veggies, pita bread, naan bread, or on a Mezza platter with pickled vegetables.

Find the full recipe instructions in the recipe card.

Black Chickpea Hummus Step-By-Step Photos

black sesame paste, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt in a food processor

Tips for a Completely Smooth Hummus (without removing the shells)

Below are some easy techniques to ensure the hummus you make will be smooth and fluffy like your favorite restaurant.

Add baking soda to the water when you reheat the canned chickpeas. If you're using dried chickpeas, soak them with ½ teaspoon of baking soda and then cook them with ½ teaspoon of baking soda. This helps soften the shells so you don't have to remove them.
Add the drained and rinsed canned chickpeas to a small pot, add enough water to cover them, add baking soda, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 4 to 7 minutes until the beans are heated through and the skins have softened.
Add ice-cold water to the chickpeas as they're being processed in the food processor or blender with all of the other ingredients (Do not use room temperature water, hot water, or chickpea cooking water. Just use ice-cold H²O.

What to Serve With Black Chickpea Hummus

stack of beautiful fluffy naan bread with the sun beating down on it highlighting the soft texture and the darker blisters from cooking it in a cast-iron pan where the bubbles made contact with the heat

perfectly golden brown purple cauliflower steaks covered with toasty sesame seeds

Perfectly golden brown sauteed carrot slices glistening with olive oil on a white platter.

closeup pan-seared caramelized and golden brown zucchini slices on a white platter and a sprig of crispy rosemary on top

Large Greek salad piled high on a serving platter and sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese.

a mezze platter filled with italian burrata, 2 kinds of prosciutto, pan-seared zucchini, fresh mozzarella slices, olives, and sweet sliced grape tomatoes, basil leaves all drizzled with Maldon sea salt and ready to be eaten

A good greek pita or naan bread goes really well with hummus, but so do vegetables and salad. Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy this easy dip.

Fluffy Cast-Iron Skillet Naan Bread
Pan-Seared Purple Cauliflower Sesame Steaks
Perfect Pan-Seared Sweet Carrots
Perfect Pan-Seared Zucchini
Greek Salad
Burrata, Mozzarella, Prosciutto, and Grilled Zucchini Platter

FAQs

Where does hummus come from, and is hummus Greek or Middle Eastern?

The first recorded history of hummus in a form similar to how we eat it today dates back to the 13th century in Cairo, Egypt, where there were abundant chickpea crops. And although the Greeks and the Israelis also lay claim to having invented the dish, the word hummus means chickpea in Arabic. No one can be sure of the origin of hummus but historians agree that it's likely a carryover dish and cooking technique dating back to the Ottoman Empire, shared between Egypt and Greece.

Is hummus considered hummus if you use a bean other than chickpeas?

As you know, "hummus" means chickpeas in Arabic, but that doesn't mean you can't substitute other beans and still call it hummus or a hummus-style dip. You can substitute black-eyed peas, white beans, black beans, yellow lentils, fava beans, etc. for chickpeas in hummus recipes. Just know that the amount of bean to liquid ratio may change depending on what type of bean you use to replace chickpeas.

Can you freeze hummus?

Yes, you can definitely freeze hummus! It's as easy as portioning it into batches (I prefer smaller 2-4 person serving size portions otherwise it can take forever to defrost a larger "brick" of frozen hummus). Be sure to leave room in the container so that as the hummus freezes, it can expand without pushing out of the container. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight and give it a good stir to re-incorporate any liquid that may have separated during the defrosting period.