The global hummus market is booming. In fact, by 2032, it’s expected to surpass $10 billion. And honestly, we’re not surprised. The chickpea-based, Middle Eastern dip is rich, creamy, and versatile—it tastes as good with a simple carrot stick as it does in a falafel wrap or with French fries. But another great thing about hummus is that while it’s easy to find it on the shelves, you can also make it from scratch pretty easily, and it’ll be just as delicious—especially if you listen to Ryan Gosling’s tips.
Yep, it seems the Barbie star’s Kenergy extends to the kitchen. In a recent interview promoting his latest movie The Fall Guy, Gosling told IMDB that making great hummus involves one very simple ingredient: an ice cube. “I had a Moroccan restaurant and I learned that if you put ice in your hummus while you’re blending it instead of water, it gets a lot creamier,” he said.
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The restaurant the actor is referring to is Tagine Beverly Hills, which he co-founded with Moroccan chef Ben Benameur back in 2004 after falling in love with his cooking. According to Ankh Entertainment, he told the chef at an event he was catering: “‘Art is your food Ben, where is your restaurant, I want to eat there every day.’” After Benameur informed the actor he didn’t have a restaurant, Gosling told him he would support him “100 percent, all the way,” and so Tagine was born.
Tagine’s menu still features many Moroccan classics, including couscous, tagine (of course), and plenty of roasted and caramelized vegetables. But one of its standout options is hummus. If you want to make your own version of the creamy dip, we can’t guarantee it will come out exactly like a top Moroccan chef’s version, but, as Gosling has revealed, adding ice to the mix is likely a good start.
Tagine
Why should you add ice to hummus?
Gosling isn’t the only one to advocate for the ice cube trick when it comes to making great hummus. Leading food and drink publication Tasting Table also recommends adding a few ice cubes into the food processor with your chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice (the other main ingredients in hummus), in order to “amplify the texture to professional standards.”
“Ice cubes are full of tiny air bubbles that will infuse into your hummus as you blend all of the ingredients together,” explains food writer Julia Holland for the publication. “Similar to beating egg whites or churning ice cream, the blender breaks down the ice, effectively whipping the air bubbles throughout the hummus for the ultimate light and fluffy consistency.”
Simply combine your ingredients, before dropping an ice cube into the mix, and then pulse in the food processor. Then add another ice cube and pulse. Keep going until you’ve got the desired consistency, but three or four ice cubes should do the trick. “After you’ve added the ice cubes, you can let the machine run for a few minutes,” continues Holland. “The longer you blend the ice cubes into your hummus, the creamier it will become.”
How else do you enhance hummus?
There are many, many different ways to keep enhancing your hummus recipe. As we stated previously, this is one very versatile dip.
For vibrant, bright pink hummus, with extra nutritional value, for example, we recommend adding beetroot into the mix, like in this Vegan Pink Beet Hummus recipe, which looks just as good as it tastes. Another option is to add avocado, like in this Vegan Garlicky Chickpea Avocado Hummus Dip recipe, which will also help to boost the creaminess of the dip and add a pleasant buttery flavor, too.
If you’re making hummus for the holidays, or you’re simply in the mood for some fall flavors, another option is to mix in some fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary, too, like in this Holiday Stuffing Hummus recipe.
The truth is, when it comes to hummus, it’s hard to go wrong. Not only does it taste delicious, but it’s also a good source of fiber, which is beneficial for gut health, and it also contains unsaturated fats and a little bit of protein, too. So listen to Gosling, and grab the ice and the pita bread, it’s time to get dipping.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
