Parsley Hummus Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Parsley Hummus Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 20 minutes
Rating
5(238)
Notes
Read community notes

I’m convinced that parsley, used so abundantly in the cuisines of Greece, Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa, is one reason those diets are so healthy. In addition to being an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K and a good source of iron and folate, it is rich in volatile oils (which give it its astringent flavor) and flavonoids. The volatile oils contain components that have been shown to inhibit the activity of harmful elements in the body, and studies have attributed antioxidant properties to the flavonoids, particularly luteolin. It’s important to pick the parsley leaves off the stems, because unlike the stems of cilantro, parsley stems are tough and should be discarded. The leaves reduce quite a bit in volume when you chop them, especially if you chop them fine. Two cups of parsley leaves will yield a little over ½ cup of finely chopped parsley. This hummus has a pale green hue and herbal overtones.

Featured in: No Parsley Left Behind

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have

    10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers.

    Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Print Options

    Include recipe photo

Advertisem*nt

Ingredients

Yield:2 cups

  • 2cups cooked chickpeas
  • 2large garlic cloves, peeled, cut in half, green shoots removed
  • 2cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼cup fresh lemon juice
  • ¼cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling if desired
  • 3tablespoons sesame tahini, stirred well if the oil has separated
  • Plain low-fat yogurt as needed

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. (Optional step): If you want to take the time to do this, remove the papery outer shells of the cooked chickpeas by gently squeezing them between your thumb and first two fingers. Discard the shells.

  2. Step

    2

    Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. Process until the garlic adheres to the sides of the bowl. Turn off the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chickpeas, parsley and salt to taste and process to a coarse purée. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

  3. Step

    3

    Turn on the machine and add the lemon juice and olive oil with the machine running. Add the tahini and process until the hummus is smooth. It should not be too thick or dry. If it is, thin out as desired with yogurt or water, or with the broth from the chickpeas if you cooked them. Season to taste with salt. Scrape out into a bowl or mound on a platter. Run a fork over the surface and drizzle with olive oil if desired. Serve with crudités or pita bread.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: This will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator and freezes well

Ratings

5

out of 5

238

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Harry Cleaver

This recipe is very similar to the one in the Moosewood Cookbook that I have used for years to the delight of my friends from the Eastern Mediterranean. I usually use cilantro instead of parsley, however, but I suspect the herb chosen is entirely a question of personal preference.

Elena

Delicious! I used one can of chickpeas, drained. I’m not one to measure everything, so I just used a whole fresh bundle of parsley, leaves only, and added salt and lemon juice to taste. I used less olive oil and more lemon juice. The result is lovely: light, creamy, and I’m betting will be even better tomorrow after the garlic has a chance to permeate the dip. Paired with homemade everything bagel chips. Yum! Will make again.

So Good!

Everyone thinks it's guacamole, and is then surprised (pleasantly.)

I thought it needed more lemon. Otherwise, perfect.

PAH

I love the preface notes about the value of parsley. I'm a chef who never uses parsley as garnish, but use it liberally in many preparations to provide a bright, fresh, "green" taste to savory dishes. Love this "bright" hummus.

Jbtomo

Made this just for myself; DH is not a fan of hummus in any shape or form. Nevertheless, he put a dollop on his plate, tasted it and then dug in, it was finished sooner than I expected and it wasn't 4 days. I added a lot more lemon juice to the mix.

Scott

THANK YOU!I've been getting big bunches of parsley in my CSA farm share this year and last, and I didn't know what to do with them--so many recipes that "feature" parsley use a few tablespoons. I love being able to use up the whole bunch at once, and for such a tasty recipe. I just made my fourth batch with this year's first bunch (three last year).

Scott

THANK YOU!I've been getting big bunches of parsley in my CSA farm share this year and last, and I didn't know what to do with them--so many recipes that "feature" parsley use a few tablespoons. I love being able to use up the whole bunch at once, and for such a tasty recipe. I just made my fourth batch with this year's first bunch (three last year).

Llynn

I put the garlic in a tablespoon of the oil and give it a quick cook in the microwave to soften it and gentle the bite before it goes in the mix.

Lauren

Delicious! I added a little water to thin it which seemed fine, instead of milk. Also I think it could use a little more lemon. Such a tasty way to use our overabundance of garden parsley!

Michele

Have made this twice, delicious both times. Note if your buying canned beans they amount of liquid really varies by brand. Needed two cans to come up to two cups with one and much less than that with another brand. Cadia. If I let it sit in the frig for a day or two I add more lemon.

Joyce

Stunningly lovely and tasty. I used garlic scapes from last week's gardeners' market and the overabundant parsley from my own garden. (Gosh, that parsley does spread.) It's dandy on crackers or with veggies, but tonight it will be on lamb/apple sausage with naan.

vicki

I LOVE this. Huge hit at a party. I, too, added more lemon and fresh dill...

tammy

Well this is the recipe that has finally taught me that you really can't use a blender in lieu of a food processor ... Tasty but never achieved "creamy" nor that beautiful color...

Elena

Delicious! I used one can of chickpeas, drained. I’m not one to measure everything, so I just used a whole fresh bundle of parsley, leaves only, and added salt and lemon juice to taste. I used less olive oil and more lemon juice. The result is lovely: light, creamy, and I’m betting will be even better tomorrow after the garlic has a chance to permeate the dip. Paired with homemade everything bagel chips. Yum! Will make again.

Horatio

This recipe produces incredibly delicious hummus. And you don't need to use a food processor. I used a very inexpensive four-blade blender.

Jbtomo

Made this just for myself; DH is not a fan of hummus in any shape or form. Nevertheless, he put a dollop on his plate, tasted it and then dug in, it was finished sooner than I expected and it wasn't 4 days. I added a lot more lemon juice to the mix.

PAH

I love the preface notes about the value of parsley. I'm a chef who never uses parsley as garnish, but use it liberally in many preparations to provide a bright, fresh, "green" taste to savory dishes. Love this "bright" hummus.

Bridget

We really enjoyed this - it’s a different and refreshing take on hummus. We played with the ingredient ratios a bit due to what we had lying around, but are already looking forward to making this again!

Harry Cleaver

This recipe is very similar to the one in the Moosewood Cookbook that I have used for years to the delight of my friends from the Eastern Mediterranean. I usually use cilantro instead of parsley, however, but I suspect the herb chosen is entirely a question of personal preference.

So Good!

Everyone thinks it's guacamole, and is then surprised (pleasantly.)

I thought it needed more lemon. Otherwise, perfect.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Parsley Hummus Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What to do with a lot of fresh parsley? ›

Treat it like any other leafy green and use it as a salad base — or mix it in with other lettuces to add a punch of flavor. You can also blitz it into a sauce, like chimichurri or pesto, stir it into a grain or bean salad, or throw it into a frittata.

What can you add to hummus to make it taste better? ›

Next, enhance the blank slate of flavor with a few squeezes of lemon juice, a sprinkling of garlic salt, a turn of freshly cracked pepper, a heavy-handed sprinkle of paprika, and a generous drizzle of your nicest olive oil. Bonus points if you have an herby olive oil on hand with a little color to it.

Why is my homemade hummus not creamy? ›

You might need more tahini, garlic, lemon and/or salt and very likely more chickpea water. Add a bit of each as you need, the recipe explains. "Blitz the hummus until very smooth, a few minutes at least. Don't worry about the hummus being too loose; it will thicken as it sits."

Is it better to make hummus with wet or dry chickpeas? ›

Dried chickpeas provide better flavor than canned. Overcooking the chickpeas in water with baking soda makes them easier to blend. Puréeing the chickpeas while they're still hot lets you use a blender instead of a food processor for smoother texture.

Can I freeze fresh parsley? ›

Although parsley can be frozen, it will definitely lose its vibrant texture when it's defrosted. Frozen parsley will work in any recipe that calls for this herb to be added towards the end of the cooking process, like in stews, pasta sauces or curries. It will not be appropriate for salads or other fresh preparations.

Can you freeze freshly picked parsley? ›

Parsley is one of the few herbs I rather store frozen rather than dried, as the taste is far superior. Parsley leaves can be chopped and stored in the freezer for months, allowing you to add a “fresh-from-the-garden” touch to dishes throughout the year.

Why does my homemade hummus taste weird? ›

Another cause might be that your lemon is a bit old, causing it to taste more bitter than sour. Lastly, if you've added too much garlic or just happened to used a particularly strong clove, it'll leave the hummus with a very pungent, raw taste.

What can I use instead of tahini in hummus? ›

If you feel adventurous, try replacing the tahini with an equal amount of peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, Greek yogurt, chopped roasted peppers, pitted olives, roasted beets, steamed sweet potato, avocado, or thawed frozen peas, to name just a few possibilities.

What do most people get wrong about making hummus? ›

5 Mistakes To Avoid When Making Hummus
  • Using canned chickpeas instead of dried. ...
  • Not using baking soda when cooking the beans. ...
  • Pureeing the chickpeas when they are cold. ...
  • Using less than stellar tahini. ...
  • Tossing in too much garlic.
May 1, 2019

Why is restaurant hummus so creamy? ›

Tahini is sesame butter, and to make creamy hummus, the secret is to first turn that into sesame cream! To do that, you need to emulsify the tahini in a water based liquid first. This will not happen if you just put everything into a food processor all at once!'

Why do you put baking soda in hummus? ›

Baking soda: Adding baking soda to the chickpeas helps make the legume easier to digest, softer, and makes them easy to peel. Don't skip this ingredient! Lemon juice: I never suggest using pre-bottled lemon juice, but I especially urge you not to in homemade hummus.

Is it cheaper to make your own hummus? ›

Hummus is cheaper and more delicious when it's homemade—and you don't need a recipe (or chickpeas!) to make it. All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. I've bought too many tubs of sub-par hummus and I've decided it's time to stop.

How long does homemade hummus last? ›

How long does homemade hummus last? It will stay fresh and creamy for up to 1 week in the fridge (but it's best within 4 days). You can prevent it from drying out by storing it in an airtight container with a light layer of extra virgin olive oil on top.

Why are jarred chickpeas better? ›

Nigella suggests using chickpeas drained from a jar, as they tend to be soft and easy to blend. Canned chickpeas can have a firmer and slightly more pebbly texture, which make it a bit more difficult to get a truly smooth texture.

Is it better to freeze or dry fresh parsley? ›

“We're all familiar with dried herbs that are available at the grocery store, but freezing them is a great way to preserve your homegrown herbs for use throughout the winter,” Brown said. “Freezing works well for herbs like parsley, dill, basil, chives, lemon balm, mint and tarragon.”

How do you preserve a bunch of parsley? ›

Treating the parsley much like a bunch of flowers will keep it fresh longer. Trim the stems slightly, and without washing place the bundle in a container filled with about 1 inch of water. Cover the container loosely with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.

How do you preserve and store fresh parsley? ›

Instructions
  1. Trim: Trim a little off the bottoms of the stems so they can take in more water.
  2. Water: Fill a jar or glass partially with water and set the parsley in so that an inch or two of the stems are submerged.
  3. Cover: Cover the jar of herbs loosely with a plastic bag.
  4. Store: Store in the fridge.

How long can fresh parsley last in the fridge? ›

If storing in the fridge, it's best to cover the leaves loosely with plastic bag – the produce bag from the grocery store or an open zip-top will do just fine. This will keep your parsley fresh up to a month, but I've had mine go well beyond that.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Neely Ledner

Last Updated:

Views: 6395

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (62 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Neely Ledner

Birthday: 1998-06-09

Address: 443 Barrows Terrace, New Jodyberg, CO 57462-5329

Phone: +2433516856029

Job: Central Legal Facilitator

Hobby: Backpacking, Jogging, Magic, Driving, Macrame, Embroidery, Foraging

Introduction: My name is Neely Ledner, I am a bright, determined, beautiful, adventurous, adventurous, spotless, calm person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.