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Why It Works
- Blanching the garlic scapes helps them break down in the blender.
- Puréeing the chickpeas while hot produces a smooth hummus.
If you have a bunch of garlic scapes in your fridge or you’re curious about how to use those curly green shoots at the farmers market, hummus is one of many ways you can enjoy these garlicky greens while they’re in season. This recipe adds garlic scapes to the mix to yield a smooth hummus with a mellow garlic flavor and a faint green hue.
Although this hummus is essentially a play on Kenji’s version, I had to figure out how to best incorporate garlic scapes into the hummus. Could I simply toss them in the blender and hope for the best or did they need to be blanched first? I found that hummus made with unblanched scrapes had a more pungent garlic flavor but the scapes themselves refused to completely break down in the blender, leaving behind small fibrous bits. Scapes that were blanched in boiling water, on the other hand, melded seamlessly into the hummus to deliver subtle notes of garlic. That said, I prefer my hummus smooth so I call for blanching the scapes before adding them to the blender.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
The rest of the recipe aligns closely with Kenji’s version. It starts by soaking dried chickpeas overnight with baking soda and salt, then draining the chickpeas and cooking them in a pot with aromatics until they are literally falling apart. At this point, I transfer the still-hot chickpeas, along with a carrot and the blanched scapes, to a high-powered blender and process until smooth. To finish, I whisk in tahini sauce and salt to taste. Once the hummus has cooled to room temperature, you can serve it up however you typically like your hummus―drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with za’atar, or topped with finely chopped herbs.
August 2022
The 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Silky, Garlicky Hummus
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1/2 pound dried chickpeas (1 generous cup; 225 g)
2 teaspoons (12 g) baking sodadivided
3 tablespoons (27 g) Diamond Crystal kosher saltdivided, plus more to taste; if using table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight
1 small yellow onion (6 ounces; 170 g), peeled and halved
1 small stalk celery (2 ounces; 55 g)
1 small carrotpeeled (2 ounces; 55 g)
2 bay leaves
5 medium garlic scrapeswoody ends trimmed and scapes cut into roughly 1-inch lengths (about 70 g)
1 1/2 cups (360 g) tahini sauce with garlic and lemon
Extra-virgin olive oilfor serving
In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 2 tablespoons salt. cover with 6 cups (1.4L) cold water, stir to dissolve salt and baking soda, and let stand at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse beans thoroughly.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
In a Dutch oven, combine drained chickpeas, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaves, and remaining 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 tablespoon salt. Add 6 cups (1.4L) water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover partially with lid, and cook until chickpeas are completely tender, to the point of falling apart, about 2 hours. Check on chickpeas occasionally and top up with more water if necessary; they should be completely submerged at all times.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, prepare an ice bath. In a medium pot of boiling water, blanch garlic scapes until just tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, transfer scapes to ice bath to chill. Once chilled, drain scapes and set aside.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Using tongs, discard onion, celery, and bay leaves. Transfer chickpeas, carrot, and blanched scapes to a high-powered blender (see note) with 1 cup (235ml) cooking liquid. Cover blender, taking out the central insert on the blender lid.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Place a folded kitchen towel over the hole in the center of the lid to allow steam to escape. Holding the towel down firmly, turn the blender to the lowest possible speed and slowly increase speed to high. If the mixture becomes too thick to blend, add cooking liquid, 1/4 cup (60ml) at a time, until a very smooth, thick, and spreadable purée forms, always starting the blender on low speed before increasing to high. If your blender comes with a push-stick for thick purées, use it. Continue blending until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer 1 cup cooking liquid to an airtight container and refrigerate.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Transfer hot chickpea mixture to a large bowl. Whisk in tahini sauce and season with salt to taste. Transfer to a sealed container and allow to cool to room temperature. It should thicken up until it can hold its shape when spooned onto a plate. If purée is too thick, add reserved cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until hummus reaches desired consistency.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
To serve, spread hummus on a wide, shallow plate and drizzle with olive oil.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Special Equipment
blender
Notes
A food processor can be used in place of the blender, though it won’t produce hummus that is quite as smooth.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Hummus can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
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