How to Make Fermented Hummus

As if hummus couldn’t become any more of a delicious source of healthy fats, making it out of fermented garbanzo beans takes this dish to an entirely new dimension of powerful flavor and nutrient density.

When I was in college, I worked in a Mediterranean restaurant. I can almost smell the red onions and grilled lamb wafting from the kitchen now. But my favorite thing on the menu the entire four years I worked there was, and still is, the hummus. Since then, I’ve encountered probably hundreds of different variations of this standard, Middle Eastern dip.

However, not once did I ever experience a fermented hummus. That is until I made my own. Making regular hummus at home was simple, so I needed to know how lacto-fermentation could further enhance the humble garbanzo bean.

Why you should ferment your garbanzo beans

Lacto-fermentation uses salt and water to preserve and transform foods into something extremely gut healthy and delicious. So not only do you get something that makes all your food taste amazing, but you get a superfood simply by making a brine and waiting a few days. Check this article out if you want to learn a little more about the process.

The flavor is outstanding. You know when you’re eating a bag of your favorite chips, and you just can’t stop eating? I’ve found that fermentation makes regular produce just as hard to put down, but adds an incredible layer of nutrition to every food.

Finally, fermentation is first and foremost a preservation technique. Depending on how it’s stored, it will last at least several months if not years. It’s a great way to avoid food waste and build up a well-stocked pantry!

THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS WHICH MEANS I MAKE A SMALL COMMISSION AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.

Tools you may need to make it

Glass jars are best practice when fermenting food. Glass is the optimal material to use for fermentation as metal and plastic negatively react to the acidic environment formed during the process. If you want to learn more, this article breaks it down in depth.

For fermentation, it’s always safer to weigh out your ingredients when adding the salt. For that I use a food scale.

Once the garbanzo beans have been fermented and cooked, they’ll need to be pureed to turn them into hummus. A food processor is the standard kitchen appliance to get the job done. If you don’t have one but you have an immersion blender that will work just as well!

• glass mason jar
• food scale
• food processor
• immersion blender

Making fermented hummus

Soak the chickpeas

Start by soaking the chickpeas in water overnight. Even though this recipe only calls for half of the bag, I like to soak and ferment all the garbanzo beans. Fermented foods last a long time, so reserving half makes the next batch of hummus easier, and it will get to ferment even more until then!

Using a large bowl, pour all the chickpeas in and fill with enough cold water to give the garbanzo beans enough room to at least double in size. You can’t add too much water. This is what garbanzo beans look like after about 15 hours of soaking:

Ferment the soaked garbanzo beans

This part is easy, but it does require a little calculation. I put the soaked chickpeas in a glass jar filled with a brine of water and salt. The salt is what’s important. Weigh out the contents inside the jar (garbanzo beans + water), and figure 2% of that weight. For example, if the water and beans measure to 800g, you’ll add 16g of salt. And don’t let perfectionism drive you crazy with this number. Just aim for between 2-3% of salt. It will be ok!

I will put a lid on the jar and shake a few times to get the salt to dissolve in the water, but it’s important to leave the lid off while fermenting. I like to secure a coffee filter with a rubber band around the top, but you can loosely cover any other way you like.

Place the jar in a dark, undisturbed place, and let it sit for 3-5 days. Afterwards, I find that the brine has a sour smell similar to that of yogurt. I also usually see white, murky bubbles that have formed at the top as shown below. This is perfectly normal.

Cook the fermented chickpeas

Although I strain the chickpeas out of the fermented brine, I don’t let it go down the sink. Keep the brine, and set it aside. The chickpeas then go in a large sauce pot on medium-high heat with the baking soda. Cook for 3-5 minutes, constantly stirring.

After the baking soda is fully dissolved and incorporated, I like to add that brine back in along with plenty of water to cover the garbanzo beans.

Bring to a boil. Then bring down the heat so that it sits at a simmer. Using a ladle, skim the white cloudy bubbles and any garbanzo bean shells that rise to the top.

Simmer for 20-40 minutes or until the beans are very tender and can be easily smashed with a fork. Drain the beans and place in your food processor. Once again, I like to reserve this liquid in case the hummus need to be thinned after mixing.

Mix the fermented hummus ingredients

Blend the chickpeas with the ice until a paste has formed.

Add the rest of your ingredients, and blend thoroughly.

After everything is incorporated, I like to taste to see if it needs more salt and if the texture is to my liking. If it’s too thick, I’ll add a little of that reserved garbanzo bean cooking water (otherwise known as aquafaba).

When it’s ready, spread it on a plate and drizzle some quality extra virgin olive oil on top with a light shake of paprika. Serve with your favorite veggies and pita, and enjoy!