Olives are the perfect ingredient to add to hummus. The flavors of this kalamata olive hummus recipe really compliment each other, making a delicious variation of traditional middle eastern hummus. Hummus is a dip/spread that is made from chickpeas. In fact, hummus is the arabic word for chickpea. You may notice that many hummus recipes call for garbanzo beans, not chickpeas. Garbanzo is the spanish translation of chickpea. They are called cece beans in italy.