Emulsifier Free Spicy Harissa Hummus
Creamy, smoky, and just the right amount of fiery, this hummus is the kind of dip that makes a whole spread feel effortless. The harissa is made entirely from scratch — dried chiles toasted in a skillet, then blended with smoked paprika, coriander, caraway, and turmeric — so you know exactly what's going into it, with zero mystery additives. That matters more than it might seem, because store-bought harissa and commercial hummus are both notorious for sneaking in emulsifiers like mono- and diglycerides or lecithin to extend shelf life and improve texture. Here, the silky consistency comes entirely from technique: processing the tahini and lemon juice until pale and thick before the chickpeas go in, then streaming in reserved chickpea liquid to get that ultra-smooth, creamy finish. Every single ingredient is a whole food or a pure spice, which is exactly what makes this approach work so cleanly. Swirled together in a wide bowl with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a scatter of sesame seeds, it looks stunning on a table and tastes even better than it looks.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the hummus
- 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
For the harissa
- 3 dried red chiles (such as guajillo or new mexico), stems and seeds removed
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground caraway
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the dried chiles in a small skillet over medium heat and toast, turning once, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 10 minutes until softened. Drain and pat dry.
- 2
Transfer the soaked chiles to the food processor along with the smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground caraway, ground turmeric, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp salt. Process until a coarse paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed, about 30 seconds. Transfer the harissa paste to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor bowl.
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