Is it Okay to Use Canned Chick Peas for Hummus?

Hummus is a Middle Eastern specialty, made of chick peas, tahini and other ingredients that are blended together to create a luscious, velvety dip. Most authentic recipes for hummus call for dried chick peas, which must be hydrated, cooked and cooled before use. However, for those who prefer a less labor-intensive approach, canned chick peas make an excellent substitute.

Canned chick peas are almost exactly the same as dry chick peas that have been cooked--the only differences are in their flavor and texture. Canned chick peas, like other canned vegetables, may be somewhat bland and can sometimes have a particular taste from being stored in a can. This flavor is generally subtle and can be largely removed by rinsing the chick peas. Canned chick peas may also have a different texture from freshly cooked chick peas, which can be cooked to the chef's taste. The texture of canned chick peas depends on the brand you're using--some brands may be softer, some firmer and some more waterlogged. Make sure to choose a good quality brand for the best results.

The skin of canned chick peas tends to be more noticeable than that of cooked dried chick peas. The skins are pulverized in the process of making hummus, but they can give the final product a somewhat different texture that may be undesirable. To remove the skins, simply gather the rinsed canned chick peas in a clean dishtowel and gently rub them together to loosen their skins, then separate the skins from the chick peas.

Using canned chick peas makes the dish a snap to prepare. Cooking dry chick peas can take several hours, but canned chick peas are ready to use right away.

Canned chick peas function the same way in a hummus recipe as cooked dry chick peas would, but you must adapt your recipe to account for the difference in weight and volume. For instance, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of dry chick peas, you cannot simply substitute 1 cup of canned chick peas, because the dry chick peas will be much larger when they are cooked. One cup of dried chick peas is equal to approximately 3 cups of canned chick peas.

Due to the slight differences in texture and flavor, hummus made with canned chick peas may not taste exactly the same as it would if you used cooked dry chick peas. Adding extra tahini, lemon juice, garlic or another ingredient to boost the flavor of the canned chick peas may yield better results in terms of both flavor and texture.