Lebanese Recipes – Lebanese Cooking Academy

Hummus Beiruti

Ḥummuṣ Bayrūtī

Hummus Beiruti begins with a smooth Lebanese hummus base, then adds the fresh, sharp character of parsley, tomato, sweet pepper, chili and cumin. The lesson focuses on balancing tahini, lemon and garlic while keeping the diced vegetables distinct rather than blending them into the purée.

Prep30 min

Cook0 min

DifficultyBeginner

YieldAbout 900 g

Know what you are cooking

Associated with Beirut and prepared more broadly in Lebanese homes and mezze kitchens. Recipes vary by household: some use tomato and sweet pepper, while others emphasize parsley, chili or cumin. These are variations within the same Lebanese preparation rather than fixed requirements.

Serve cold or cool as part of a mezze spread, with Lebanese flatbread and crisp vegetables. It is suitable for everyday meals, gatherings and restaurant mezze service.

By the end, you can:

Produce a smooth hummus using fully cooked chickpeas and cold water.
Balance tahini, lemon, garlic, salt and cumin without allowing one seasoning to dominate.
Dice and drain vegetables so they add freshness without making the hummus watery.
Fold garnishes into hummus without losing their color or texture.
Apply conservative refrigeration and service controls to a ready-to-eat mezze.

Method

Drain the vegetables

Place the diced tomato and sweet pepper in a sieve. Sprinkle with 1 g of the measured salt, toss gently and leave over a bowl while preparing the hummus. Pat dry before folding them in.

Look, smell, feelThe vegetables remain crisp and brightly colored, but excess juice collects beneath the sieve.SafetyUse a clean board and knife, and wash the vegetables under potable running water before cutting.

Start the tahini emulsion

Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, remaining 4 g salt and cumin to the food processor. Process for 1 minute, scrape the bowl, then process again until thick and pale.

Look, smell, feelThe mixture tightens at first and then becomes noticeably lighter and creamy, with no streaks of loose tahini.SafetyStop and unplug the machine before scraping near the blade.

Purée the chickpeas

Add the drained chickpeas and process for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, then continue processing while adding 100 ml ice-cold water gradually. Process until smooth; add up to 30 ml additional cold water only if needed.

Look, smell, feelThe hummus should be pale, glossy and soft enough to fall slowly from a spoon, without visible chickpea pieces or a watery edge.SafetyDo not insert utensils or fingers while the processor is running.

Check the balance

Taste with a clean spoon. The hummus should be distinctly lemony, gently garlicky and nutty, with cumin in the background. Avoid adding unmeasured salt before accounting for the salted vegetables.

Look, smell, feelNo single flavor overwhelms the chickpea and tahini; the finish is fresh rather than bitter or harsh.SafetyUse a fresh spoon for every taste to prevent cross-contamination.

Fold in the Beiruti additions

Reserve a small spoonful each of parsley, tomato, pepper and chili for garnish. Pat the drained vegetables dry. Fold the remainder, along with 15 ml olive oil, into the hummus using broad strokes. Do not process them.

Look, smell, feelGreen parsley and small vegetable dice remain visible and distinct throughout the creamy base.SafetyKeep the hummus refrigerated if it will not be served immediately.

Plate and rest

Spread the hummus in a shallow bowl and form a broad well with the back of a spoon. Scatter over the reserved vegetables, parsley and chili, then drizzle with the remaining 15 ml olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes before service.

Look, smell, feelThe hummus holds soft spoon marks, while the garnish looks fresh and does not release a pool of liquid.SafetyUse a clean serving vessel, cover against contamination and maintain refrigeration at 4°C or colder.

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Chef notes

For the smoothest result, use chickpeas cooked until very tender; a chickpea should crush to a paste between two fingers without a firm center.
Ice-cold water lightens the tahini emulsion and helps produce a soft texture without excessive oil.
The vegetables are folded in only after blending so their color, aroma and gentle crunch remain recognizable.
Fresh chili strength varies. Seeding reduces heat but does not remove it completely; wear gloves if handling a particularly hot chili.
Taste after chilling because cold service can mute lemon and salt slightly.

Common mistakes

Using firm chickpeas produces grainy hummus; simmer them until fully tender before beginning if necessary.
Adding all the water at once can make the hummus loose. Add it gradually and observe the texture.
Blending parsley and vegetables into the base creates a muddy color and removes their fresh texture.
Failing to seed and drain tomato can leave liquid around the plated hummus.
Too much cumin obscures the tahini and lemon; it should remain a supporting flavor.
Serving directly from a deep processor bowl hides the garnish and makes portioning difficult.

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Practical substitutions

If fresh hot chili is unavailable, use 1–2 g Lebanese-style ground red chili or Aleppo-type pepper, adjusting cautiously for heat.
Red or yellow sweet pepper may replace green sweet pepper, although the flavor will be sweeter.
Home-cooked chickpeas may replace canned chickpeas by equal drained weight; cook them until exceptionally tender.
If raw garlic is unusually strong, reduce it to 5 g rather than substituting garlic powder.
Tahini is essential to the characteristic dish and has no equivalent substitution that preserves the same identity.

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Plan and store

Make ahead: The plain hummus base may be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container. For best color and texture, prepare and fold in the parsley, tomato, pepper and chili within 2 hours of service.

Storage: Refrigerate promptly in a clean airtight container at 4°C or colder and use within 3 days. Do not treat lemon juice or garlic as preservation controls. Discard hummus left above refrigeration temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour in temperatures above 32°C, subject to stricter local health guidance.

Reheating: Do not reheat; this is a cold mezze. Remove only the amount needed and allow it to lose its refrigerator chill for no more than 15–20 minutes before serving.

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Plate and serve

Use a shallow ceramic bowl. Make a broad central well rather than a deep pool, distribute the colorful garnish across the surface and finish with a controlled ribbon of olive oil. Serve with Lebanese flatbread or cut vegetables; provide gluten-free accompaniments when required.