Easy Kalamata Olives Hummus Recipe

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You can go straight down to the kalamata olives hummus recipe or stick around to find out the story behind this no-waste recipe.

This may come as a shock to most people, especially those who love it so much they have t-shirts with slogans like “spread hummus not hate”, but… I don’t like hummus. The problem is, I don’t really like chickpeas (or garbanzo beans to some people), which are the main ingredient, but what I can’t stand most of all is the sandy texture; I really don’t like it.

However, I was introduced to a new form of the spread a few months ago that turned my life-time of hummus-hating on its head. Relatives visiting from Italy came over for dinner one night and brought the traditional Italian fare of breadsticks and spreads for an aperitif, including one I had never heard of before, kalamata olives hummus.

I was intrigued, and so as an Italian and obviously someone who LOVES olives, I thought I would give it a try. To be honest, I was ready to pull a face and say “no, really not for me, I gave it a try though” as I took a breadstick and slowly dipped it in. But to my surprise, I actually really liked it, and went back for seconds, and thirds, before having to stop myself from finishing the whole container on my own!

Kalamata Olives Hummus Wanted

A few days went by and I started looking for it in every supermarket I found myself in. To my frustration, I could never find it. My cousin said her parents had bought it from a corner shop next to where she lives in Chiswick (London), but she’d never seen it in any of the supermarkets before either.

So, I decided I was going to make my own, as this would probably be healthier and avoid unnecessary plastic waste, as hummus is often packaged in plastic containers that aren’t 100% recyclable.

One day I bought some pitted kalamata olives and canned chickpeas and went home to make it. Below is the recipe I used to make this delicious spread. Bonus: it’s ready in no time and tastes great!

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 100g or so of drained and pitted kalamata olives
• 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Optional ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of Tahini
• A clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• Parsley

Method

1. Open the can of chickpeas.
2. Pour the aquafaba (the viscous water in which the chickpeas have been cooked) in a container and place the drained chickpeas in a food processor.
3. Now, add a third of the aquafaba to the chickpeas in the food processor.
4. Add the drained olives.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
6. Lastly, blend until creamy.

If it’s too thick you can add more aquafaba, water or oil. If it’s too thin, you can add more olives or chickpeas from another can.

You can freeze any leftover aquafaba for future use.

That’s how I like my kalamata olives hummus: nice and simple. However, you could also add one or all of the optional ingredients if you wanted to.

How do I serve kalamata olives hummus?

You can serve it warm or cold. Ideally with pita bread, breadsticks, crackers or pretty much any bread. You could also serve it with a crudité’ of vegetables, like celery and carrot sticks.

How long will homemade hummus last?

This hummus can be made up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Homemade hummus generally keeps for about 4 to 7 days in the fridge, and you can also freeze it in air-tight containers.

Can I replace the kalamata olives with other olives?

You certainly can, but kalamata olives are the perfect companion for hummus as the flavours really complement each other.

Can I use dry chickpeas?

Yes, you can, but it will take longer to make the hummus. If you use dried chickpeas add a little bit of baking soda to the water when you cook them, then rinse off under cool water and if you have the patience, remove the chickpea peels. This will make them nice and tender and make the hummus creamier.

So, if you are like me, a hummus-hater, but also love having new things to dip breadsticks into, why not give this a try, and tell us what you think below.