Israeli versions of hummus use large amounts of tahini for a creamier texture.
Tahini is a smooth paste made by grinding sesame seeds, and it is one of hummus’s defining ingredients rather than an optional modern add-in. In Israeli preparations, a generous quantity can make the dip especially creamy, rich and sesame-forward. Water, lemon juice and chickpea cooking liquid may then be used to adjust the consistency.
Hummus itself is built from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice and garlic. The balance varies by region, household and restaurant: some versions emphasize chickpeas, while others make tahini the dominant flavour. That is why “Israeli hummus” describes a family of preparations rather than one universally fixed recipe.
Tahini is also important beyond hummus. It appears in sauces, sweets and dips across the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean. Labneh and yogurt can accompany hummus or appear in other dishes, but they are not the ingredient identified here as producing the characteristic sesame-rich creaminess.