The origin of Hummus

Although hummus has become a household food staple and universally loved food item, this Middle Eastern spread has a serious history. While the base of this tangy, nutrient-packed dish uses simple and accessible ingredients — chickpeas, sesame paste, lemon juice and garlic — hummus offers nuances depending where you are and who is making it. 

Egyptian Arabs, Israelis, Palestinians, Lebanese, Greeks and other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries all claim hummus as their own dish. As to where it originally comes from, the earliest mention of the spread dates back to Egypt during the 13th century. Since then, hummus was made all over the Middle East for hundreds of years, before being imported west from the chickpea-growing Arab countries to Greece through centuries of trade. Some great books about the origin of hummus and its complex political implications include: On the Hummus Route: A utopian journey between cities, people, and dreams by Jim Barnes and Hummus: A Global History by Harriet Nussbaum (release 2021). 

Social Hummus is a humanitarian organization, recognizing all humans, regardless of race, religion, gender, and background. Please feel free to reach out to us to have a conversation or raise a topic. We just ask that you do so with respect, openness, and inclusivity.

xx