Big lemon brightness and a hint of spice from Aleppo peppers made this stand out enough that Belle declared it the only one she would purchase for herself.

$8.49 per 8 oz container, available at many local grocery stores.

Ward off the vampires with the garlicky goodness that Belle said almost had too much flavor. By far the cheapest of the ones we tried, it ran a close second to the most expensive hummus we tried.

$4.99 per 8 oz container, available at PCC Community Markets.

The runaway winner with the under-10 voters, likely thanks to its mildness. For the adults, it carried a little nostalgia for health food–store hummus of the 1980s.

$7.25 per 7.5 oz container, available from Cascade Valley Farm at local farmers markets. 

Many hummus recipes call for a few tablespoons of tahini, but the secret to fantastic hummus is a nice big pour and, ideally, a good pummeling in a Vitamix until it’s as smooth as cake frosting. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, run your food processor or blender for at least five minutes to smooth out every last speck of chickpea. —Rachel Belle

• 2 medium cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup Israeli tahini
• 1 teaspoon cold water, plus more as needed  
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Good quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
• Paprika, for garnish (optional)  
• Flaky salt, for garnish (optional)

In a blender or food processor (ideally a high-speed blender like a Vitamix), blend the garlic, lemon juice, and kosher salt, and let sit for 10 minutes to mellow the garlic.  

Add the tahini and blend until smooth. If the tahini seizes up, add a teaspoon of cold water and repeat as needed until it’s pourable.  

Add the chickpeas and blend until extremely creamy. If it seizes up, add a little cold water and repeat as needed. The hummus should be the texture of frosting—thick but fluffy, with no chunks or grainy bits remaining. Taste and season with more lemon juice or salt as needed.  

Spread the hummus into a shallow bowl and, using the back of a spoon, press down lightly while slowly turning the bowl to create a swoopy valley. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil into the valley and garnish with a scattering of paprika and flaky salt. Serve with olives and the best pita or flatbread you can find. (Some Middle Eastern restaurants bake theirs fresh daily and sell it to go.)

From Rachel Belle’s Open Sesame: 45 Sweet & Savory Recipes for Tahini & All Things Sesame, used with permission.