How to Remove Chickpea Skins for Hummus

The desired quality in hummus is a silky texture, and chickpea skins are one of the most common things that get in the way. Unlike the chickpea itself, a skin does not break down when crushed; even a powerful blender leaves it in small pieces that feel gritty in the mouth. These pieces also do not pass easily through a strainer. For anyone who wants silky hummus, removing the skins is not an optional step. This is why silky restaurant hummus usually involves peeling the chickpeas. The same issue comes up in other chickpea dishes, such as chickpea mash and falafel.

The easiest method is to rub the chickpeas in water. Put cooked, cooled chickpeas in a wide bowl, cover them with cold water, and rub them gently between your palms. The skins loosen from the chickpeas and, because they are lighter than water, rise to the surface. Remove the floating skins by hand or with a slotted spoon, changing the water once or twice and repeating the process. Within a few minutes, you can remove most of the skins from one bowl of chickpeas. Do not rub forcefully; hard rubbing crushes the chickpeas, which mix into the water and go to waste.

How soft the chickpeas are makes the job much easier. The skins cling tightly to firm chickpeas and will not come off with rubbing. For hummus, cook chickpeas a little longer than you would for a cooked dish; a chickpea should mash between two fingers without any resistance. Overcooked chickpeas are not a problem in hummus; on the contrary, they give a smoother result. If you use canned chickpeas, their skins are already easier to remove because the chickpeas are very soft. Check the softness of several chickpeas each time, not just one.

Baking soda is a well-known aid. A small pinch added to the cooking water loosens the skins and makes them noticeably easier to remove. Keep the amount small; too much can leave a soapy note in the flavor and break down the chickpeas more than necessary. Baking soda can also be added to the soaking water. If you use it, rinse the chickpeas thoroughly, or its flavor will carry into the hummus. Chickpeas also cook faster in water with baking soda, so reduce the cooking time somewhat.

There are other methods, but each has a tradeoff. Rolling chickpeas gently between layers of a clean cloth removes some skins, but also crushes some of the chickpeas. Squeezing each chickpea between your fingers gives the cleanest result and takes the longest. You can also make hummus without removing the skins; in that case, blend the mixture for longer, though the result still will not be completely silky. Using warm chickpeas while blending makes it easier to get a smooth mixture. Discard the removed skins; do not mix them back into the dish or collect them in the strainer.