01
The purée
Cooked chickpeas mashed and bound with tahini, lemon, garlic and olive oil until silky smooth.
حُمُّص
The blog · Lebanese cuisine
What is hummus?
Lebanon, a bridge between East and West: behind this smooth chickpea purée lies a whole art of sharing. Here is the story of hummus.
Every dish has a story
Hummus, a simple purée with a great heritage
Smooth, fresh and fragrant, hummus is one of the emblems of Lebanese and Levantine cuisine. At Layali Beyrouth, a family-run restaurant in Lyon 3 since 2010, it is one of the menu's must-haves, made in house from produce chosen fresh. Here is everything you need to understand and enjoy it.
“Good hummus means a silky purée, a drizzle of olive oil on top, and the perfect balance between chickpea and lemon.”
01 · The essentials
Three markers to understand hummus
02
The serving
Served cold, in a shallow dish, with a drizzle of olive oil and sometimes a touch of paprika or cumin.
03
The sharing
Set in the middle of the table, scooped up with warm Lebanese bread and shared alongside the other cold mezze.
The composition · The ingredients
The ingredients of a true Lebanese hummus
To understand what hummus is, look closely at its composition. The traditional recipe rests on five elements: chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), fresh lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Salt adjusts the balance, and a few spices such as cumin or paprika sometimes sign the dish.
No ingredient is superfluous: chickpeas bring the body, tahini the richness, lemon the freshness, garlic the depth, olive oil the length on the palate. This simplicity is deceptive, everything rests on the quality of the produce and the accuracy of the proportions, as with our creamy hummus and our other cold mezze.
Origins · The Levant
A heritage born in the heart of the Levant
Asking about hummus also means going back in time. The dish belongs to the culinary heritage of the Levantine basin, the region that brings together Lebanon, Syria and Palestine among others. Chickpeas have been grown there for millennia, and turning them into a fragrant purée is part of a long tradition of country cooking that became an emblem of the shared meal.
More than a recipe, hummus is a gesture: a way of welcoming and gathering around a table. Keeping this tradition alive in Lyon means passing on that spirit of sharing that runs through the whole story of Layali Beyrouth.
The tasting · The gesture
How hummus is enjoyed throughout a meal
Hummus is enjoyed cold, set in the middle of the table with other cold mezze such as tabbouleh, moutabal or fattoush. It is shared by dipping pieces of lightly warmed Lebanese bread, sometimes folded to form a little pinch. This simple, hands-on way of eating is what makes the Lebanese meal so convivial.
It also pairs beautifully with grilled dishes and mains, from chich taouk to kafta and shawarma. In Lyon, that balance can be found in our house hummus and across all our cold mezze.
02 · At the table
Hummus, moutabal, tabbouleh: hummus and its table companions
01
Hummus or moutabal?
Both are creamy cold mezze bound with tahini, but their base differs: chickpeas, lemon and olive oil for hummus, grilled and smoked aubergine for moutabal, also known as baba ganoush. Hummus is soft and round, moutabal has a more pronounced smoky taste.
02
Tabbouleh, the freshness
Finely cut, with plenty of parsley and mint, Lebanese tabbouleh brings the green, tangy note that answers the creaminess of hummus. The two are shared side by side, in the middle of the table.
03
Fattoush and labneh
Crunchy fattoush, sharpened with sumac, and fresh labneh complete the cold assortment. Together they make a naturally vegetarian mezze table, before the hot mezze and the grills.
Discover our hummus and moutabal, our Lebanese tabbouleh and all our cold mezze, prepared every day in Lyon 3.
In Lyon · At Layali
Hummus, a vegetarian mezze to share
Naturally vegetarian, and even vegan, with no meat, egg or dairy, hummus appeals to every guest and is a fine source of plant protein. In Lyon, at Layali Beyrouth, our chef qualified in Lebanese cuisine prepares it from produce chosen fresh each day, in the purest tradition of the Levant.
- A meat-free mezzetasty and nourishing, hummus finds its full place in an assortment of mezze to share.
- As a takeawaytucked into Lebanese bread or in a pot, for an easy-going lunch to take away or have delivered.
To go further, browse our menu or order your hummus for delivery.
FAQ
Your questions about hummus
What exactly is hummus?
Hummus is a traditional Levantine preparation made from cooked chickpeas puréed with sesame paste (tahini), lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Served cold, it accompanies Lebanese bread and mezze. At Layali Beyrouth, in Lyon, it is made in house from produce chosen fresh.
What are the basic ingredients of hummus?
Traditional hummus rests on five essential ingredients: chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), fresh lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Salt and sometimes cumin or paprika lift the dish. This simplicity explains why the quality of each ingredient is decisive.
Is hummus a Lebanese dish?
Hummus is an integral part of Lebanese and, more broadly, Levantine cuisine. It is one of the pillars of the cold mezze served in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and across the eastern Mediterranean. In Lyon, at Layali Beyrouth, it is offered in its family Lebanese version, just as it is made at home.
How is hummus enjoyed at the restaurant?
Hummus is enjoyed cold, often at the start of the meal, with lightly warmed Lebanese bread to dip straight into the preparation. It is one of the cold mezze and is shared in the middle of the table with other small dishes such as tabbouleh, moutabal or fattoush.
Is hummus suitable for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, hummus is naturally vegetarian and vegan. Made only from plant-based ingredients, it is an excellent source of plant protein thanks to the chickpeas and tahini. It is one of the most accessible dishes of Lebanese cuisine for those who do not eat animal products.
What is the difference between hummus and moutabal?
Both are creamy cold mezze bound with tahini, but their base differs: hummus is a cream of chickpeas, lemon and olive oil, while moutabal, also called baba ganoush, is built on grilled, smoked aubergine. Hummus is soft and round, moutabal has a more pronounced smoky taste. At Layali Beyrouth, in Lyon 3, both are shared in a cold mezze assortment.
Where can you taste real Lebanese hummus in Lyon?
You can taste hummus prepared in the Lebanese tradition at Layali Beyrouth, at 38 rue du Dauphiné, in the 3rd arrondissement of Lyon. The restaurant is open Monday to Saturday, at lunch and dinner, and offers Click & Collect as well as delivery via Uber Eats and Deliveroo.
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