Israeli Hummus (Zahav Style) - 20 Minute Blender | CookOS

Quick Israeli-Style Hummus (Zahav Style)

Name: Israeli Hummus (Zahav Style) - 20 Minute Blender
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Israeili
Ingredients: 15.5 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas); ½ tsp baking soda; 3 tbs ice water; ⅓ cup tahini; 1 garlic clove; juice of 1/2 lemon; kosher salt (to taste); ground cumin (to taste); serve with: naan, za'atar spice, & extra virgin olive oil (for serving)

This Israeli-style hummus uses baking soda to break down chickpea skins for ultra-creamy texture and delivers restaurant-quality results in 20 minutes with basic blender equipment.

🌍Israeili 🏷️Blender hummus 🏷️Creamy 🏷️Food processor 🏷️Israeli-style 🏷️Smooth

About·Privacy·Terms

🏷️Zahav hummus

Quick Israeli-Style Hummus (Zahav Style)

Total

25 min

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$19–$31

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Homecooksnotes

Ingredients

15.5 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
½ tsp baking soda
3 tbs ice water
⅓ cup tahini
1 garlic clove
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt (to taste)
ground cumin (to taste)
serve with: naan, za'atar spice, & extra virgin olive oil (for serving)

9 Ingredients

Delivery in as fast as one hour.^*

Prices vary by store

^*Service fees apply. Instacart^® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.

Instructions

1
Boil Chickpeas: drain one can of chickpeas and add them to a small saucepan on the stove. Fill the can with water. Dump water into the saucepan with chickpeas. Add baking soda. Bring water & chickpeas to boil. Once boiling, turn heat to medium low and let chickpeas simmer for 12 minutes until falling apart & skins falling off. Drain in a colander.
2
While chickpeas simmer, make tahini base: add tahini, 3tbs ice water, lemon juice and small garlic clove to a food processor. Blend on high. It will be watery at first, and then become light and fluffy. Scrape down sides and bottom as needed. About 1-2 minutes. Add 1 more tbs cold water if needed to get blades moving.
3
Finish Hummus: Add drained, broken down chickpeas to tahini base. Turn on food processor and process for 2-5 minutes until super fluffy & creamy. Stop to scrape sides and bottom as needed. Add salt & cumin to taste (I use about 1 & 1/2tsp salt).
4
Serve: serve hummus at room temp with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil & sprinkle of za'atar spice. Serve with toasted naan or your favorite pita chips. Store in airtight container with a plastic wrap lightly pressed against top layer of hummus for 3-4 days.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Warm the tahini slightly before blending—cold tahini can seize and create graininess; room temperature or briefly warmed tahini blends into silk.
Use ice water, not room temperature—the cold helps emulsify the mixture and keeps the hummus airy and light during blending.
Blend in two stages: chickpeas + baking soda + ice water first until smooth, then add tahini and garlic to avoid overworking the tahini.
Taste and adjust lemon and salt last; add in small increments as both intensify after the hummus sits for an hour.

Substitutions

Canned chickpeas → frozen cooked chickpeas (thaw first, drain well)
Lemon juice → lime juice or white wine vinegar (adjust quantity; lime is stronger)
Kosher salt → sea salt (use the same weight, adjust to taste)

Storage & make-ahead

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, covered with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent drying.

Equipment

blender or food processor · measuring spoons and cups

Common Questions

Why add baking soda to hummus?

Baking soda raises the pH and breaks down the outer layer of chickpea skins, resulting in an exceptionally smooth, creamy texture that's characteristic of Israeli-style hummus.

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

Yes, but soak and cook them until very tender first. The Zahav method works best with fully softened chickpeas; canned are convenient and yield consistent results.

What's the difference between Israeli and regular hummus?

Israeli hummus emphasizes extreme creaminess with a higher tahini-to-chickpea ratio and often uses the baking soda trick. It's served in a shallow bowl with olive oil and spices on top.