I have been making this hummus for years and it is always a hit at parties. There is just the right amount of spiciness with a smokey heat that sneaks up on you from the chipotles. I try to buy low or no sodium organic garbanzo beans (chick peas) when they are available, so I can control the salt myself. Garbanzos are naturally high in fiber and low in fat so this is a perfect snack with carrots when you have the munchies.

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Chipotle Hummus
Makes 3 cups
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, chopped (I used 1 this time since it was HUGE)
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse or kosher salt
1 T olive oil
1 or 2 chipotle peppers canned in adobo, chopped*

* sometimes I just put a tablespoon or two of the adobo sauce instead of the peppers – go easy with this if you don’t like spicy, it can get spicy quick

Reserve 1/4 cup liquid, rinse and drain 2 cans of chickpeas. Place chickpeas and reserved liquid in a food processor. Add 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 cup tahini, well stirred, 2 garlic cloves, chopped, chopped chipotles, and 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt. Process until smooth. I drizzle in just a bit of olive oil while its processing, it makes it even smoother and gives it a bit of a better taste. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Sprinkle a bit of cayenne or smoked paprika and drizzle a bit of olive oil on top when serving. Serve with pitas, tortilla chips, crackers, raw veggies, on a sandwich and more.

Other variations:

Try making with roasted garlic instead of raw garlic.
Add roasted red peppers.
Substitute cumin for chipotle.
Blend in 1 cup of roasted vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and garlic for a roasted vegetable hummus.
For olive hummus, fold in 3/4 cup of chopped green or black olives.
Try adding some lightly toasted walnuts or pine nuts for a yummy nutty hummus.

Do you have any other hummus variations you would like to share?

**The beautiful bowl above is a handmade pottery bowl made by a good friend of mine, Karen Felicetta. I love the way this hummus looks served in this bowl.