Emulsifier Free Spicy Harissa Hummus

Total time15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time0 min

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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Ingredients

6 servings

For the hummus

2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
Goya Peas Chick Garbanzos Can - 15.5 Oz Bush's Reduced Sodium Garbanzo Beans - 16 Oz S&W Beans Garbanzo - 15.5 Oz Hanover Beans Garbanzo - 15.5 Oz O Organics Organic Beans Garbanzo - 15 Oz
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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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