Spanish Hummus

Two clay tapas dishes filled with hummus with pine nuts and paprika.

5 from 2 votes

This easy Spanish hummus recipe is topped with toasted pine nuts, smokey Spanish paprika, spicy olive oil, and sea salt flakes. Impressive and delicious!

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Appetizer, Tapa, Tapas/ Starter

Cuisine: Spanish

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 233.25kcal

Author: Lauren Aloise

Ingredients

For the Hummus

1½ cups chickpeas drained and rinsed
⅓ cup tahini (sesame paste)
4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon lemon juice (always freshly squeezed)
2 cloves garlic peeled
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
5 tablespoon cold water (more or less depending on preference -- I prefer this amount)

Topping

¼ cup pine nuts toasted (optional - but brings out their flavor)
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil the best quality you can find
smoked Spanish paprika to taste (pimentón de La Vera)
sea salt flakes to taste (such as Maldon salt)

Instructions

Add the wet ingredients into your blender (tahini, olive oil, half of the water, and lemon juice) and then on top add the chickpeas, garlic cloves, and spices.
Start blending slowly, until you are able to get to the highest speed. Blend on high for about 30 seconds, adding more water if you need to.
Stop when your hummus is as creamy as you wish, and taste for salt, cumin, and garlic. Adjust if necessary. Remember you will add a bit more salt with the topping.
Plate the hummus and on top add a couple of tablespoons of pine nuts, a healthy drizzle (about 2 tbsp) of olive oil, a dusting of paprika, and sea salt flakes. Enjoy with bread, crackers, or raw veggies.

Notes

Ingredient substitutions:

Tahini: I think it's essential but you can omit if you must! It will still be tasty.
Spices: You can omit the cumin if you wish, but it definitely adds lots of Spanish flavor. And the Spanish paprika on top is a must for the true smokey Spanish flavor.
Pine Nuts: I love topping my hummus with toasted pine nuts, but almonds, pistachios and even walnuts or hazelnuts would work too.

Notes:

Garbanzos: Some people cook their chickpeas from scratch for hummus, but I haven't found it to make a big difference if you are buying a good enough canned/jarred variety. I also don't peel my chickpeas -- that is just too much work! Luckily, using a high power blender (like a Vitamix) means creamy hummus every time.
Garlic: Start with two cloves and if you need more garlic flavor, just add more.
Water: This is a very important and often overlooked ingredient in hummus. Adding cold water to the puree will allow it to become as smooth and creamy as you can imagine. Add the water slowly until you get the texture you want.
Storing Hummus: It can keep in the fridge for three days. You can also freeze it for up to three months.

Nutrition