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Hummus

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This homemade hummus recipe is quick and easy to make, super-smooth and creamy, and tastes so fresh and flavorful!

This past month, I’ve been on a mission to improve my hummus game.

I’ve had a basic hummus recipe here on the blog that I’ve made and enjoyed for years. But while it was good — I have to admit — it wasn’t knock-your-socks-off great.  And ever since we became regulars at this little falafel joint here in Barcelona that introduced us to the creamiest, dreamiest, smoothest, most-flavorful hummus ever, I knew that I needed to go back to the drawing board and kick my old hummus recipe up a notch.

And thus — the hummus testing began.

My first mission was to improve the flavor of my hummus, which was actually a piece of cake. More tahini, more lemon juice, more garlic, and more salt instantly livened and brightened up the flavor of this dip. Plus a generous sprinkle of ground sumac on top (the preferred spice of our falafel spot), or maybe some paprika if you prefer.

My second mission was to improve the texture of my hummus and make it as silky-smooth as possible, which ended up being a total recipe-testing rabbit hole. Turns out that the internet is full of opinions about exactly how to achieve the perfect creamy texture, most of which have to do with how to cook your chickpeas. So in the quest for killer hummus, I put on my Ali’s Test Kitchen hat and tried ’em all. From Solmonov’s famous method of soaking dried chickpeas overnight and then boiling them until they are overcooked in baking soda, to Epicurious’ shortened method of just boiling a can of chickpeas in water for 20 minutes, to Melissa Clark’s scratch Instant Pot hummus, to the Washington Post’s super-speedy method of pureeing the hummus for a full 3 minutes in the food processor, to various tips from around the internet to incorporate aquafaba, use a blender, and (ugh) individually peel every one of those little chickpeas — well, let’s just say it’s a good thing that Barclay and I love hummus because we’re nearly twenty batches in this month (and counting).

Our conclusion?

I hate to say it, but the difference between most of these methods was surprisingly microscopic. From the way that people talk online, I was expecting pretty dramatic differences between the various methods once we lined our batches of hummus up side by side for round after round of blind taste-testing. But most of our conversations ended up being like, “Dang, I don’t know, I mean maybe batch three is a teeny bit smoother than batch four?! Maybe?”

In the end, the most game-changing factor for us ended up being the easiest, quickest, almost-hate-to-admit-it-after-all-of-that-testing step of all — simply pureeing your hummus an extra few minutes in the food processor. I know, it seems so obvious. But giving the food processor a few extra minutes to work its magic seemed to be the key factor in achieving that perfectly creamy, light, whipped texture that we were going for.

That said, yes, the flavor and texture may have been a tiny bit better with boiled-from-scratch chickpeas, either made on the stove or in the Instant Pot. Or yes, if you’re using canned chickpeas and have an extra 20 minutes to boil them before pureeing, the texture may be just a tiny bit creamier. But honestly, after blitzing our final three batches for 4 full minutes in the food processor — one with chickpeas boiled from scratch, one with canned chickpeas boiled for 20 minutes, and one with chickpeas just straight outta the can — Barclay and I couldn’t even reach an agreement with blind taste-testing about which one was the smoothest. Those extra few minutes in the food processor seemed to even them all out!

Anyway, I know that hummus-making opinions on the internet are very passionate. So to each hummus maker, his or her own. But, if you’d like to try the winning recipe and method that we landed on in our house after our hummus-a-thon, here it is!

Classic Hummus | 1-Minute Video

What Is Hummus?

Alright, first let’s back up for a sec — just exactly what is hummus? In case this is new to you, it’s a classic dish from the Middle East and Mediterranean made primarily from chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans), tahini (ground sesame paste), lemon juice, garlic and salt. Various countries add in their own staple ingredients, like ground cumin. And of course, if you look for hummus at any American grocery store nowadays, there are about a million variations that you can buy. It can be served warm or cold, as a dip or as a spread, and above all, it’s downright delicious.

Hummus Ingredients

One of the other things I love about making homemade hummus is that most all of the ingredients can be found in your pantry, making this an easy impromptu dip to make for parties, game day, or a regular ol’ delicious weeknight dinner. You will need:

  • Chickpeas*: I simply recommend buying a can of good organic chickpeas, which we will rinse and drain and add straight to the hummus.
  • Tahini: Since this ingredient is arguably the most prominent flavor in hummus, I recommend purchasing a jar of good-quality tahini.
  • Garlic: This recipe calls for two cloves, but feel free to double that if you would like more garlicky flavor.
  • Lemon juice: Fresh, please!
  • Ground cumin: I absolutely love the added flavor of some cumin in hummus.
  • Olive oil: We will incorporate some into the hummus itself, and then drizzle extra on top for serving.
  • Salt: I always use fine sea salt.
  • Cold water: This is another game-changing ingredient when it comes to the texture of your hummus. If it’s too thick and not smoothing out, just add in some more water.

*Or, as I mentioned earlier, feel free to instead use:

  • Chickpeas that have been cooked from scratch: Either in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. I recommend overcooking them a bit to slightly soften the chickpeas and loosen up the skins.
  • Canned chickpeas that have been simmered for 20 minutes: If you have the extra time, just rinse and drain your chickpeas. Transfer them to a saucepan and cover with an extra inch or two of water. Then bring to a simmer, continue simmering for 20 minutes, and drain. If you happen to buy a brand of chickpeas that seems to be harder and undercooked — I’ve found that brands can vary significantly — this method may be helpful.

Then, of course, there are the toppings. For a classic batch of hummus, I recommend drizzling some olive oil on top of the dip, and then sprinkling it with either ground sumac or paprika, plus maybe a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley. But the sky’s the limit with other toppings you could add! Toasted pine nuts, chopped roasted red peppers, and everything bagel seasoning are a few of my other faves.

How To Make Hummus

To make this hummus recipe, simply:

  1. Puree the first seven ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Tahini, cold water, olive oil, cumin, salt, garlic and lemon.
  2. Add in the chickpeas. One can, rinsed in warm water and drained.
  3. Puree for 3-4 minutes, or until smooth. Yep, put that food processor to work! Just keep it going and going until the hummus is nice and smooth, pausing once or twice to scrape the sides down. If the hummus seems too thick, feel free to add in an extra tablespoon or two of water too.
  4. Taste and season. Give the hummus a taste, and add in extra salt, cumin and/or lemon juice if needed.
  5. Garnish and serve. Transfer it to a serving bowl, add on any toppings that you would like, and enjoy!!

Hummus Recipe Variations

The sky’s the limit if you’d like to get creative and mix things up with your hummus! Some of my favorite variations include:

  • roasted red pepper hummus: a classic, and even better with some crushed red pepper flakes sprinkled in too
  • pesto hummus: store-bought or homemade, plus maybe an extra garnish of toasted pine nuts
  • roasted garlic hummus: nix the fresh garlic in favor of a few cloves of rich, sweet, roasted garlic

Ways To Use Hummus

Of course, you can always use hummus as a dip. But it’s also delicious used in:

  • toast: I’ve been on a major hummus toast kick this year (more on that coming soon!)
  • burgers/sandwiches: just use the hummus as a spread for extra flavor
  • wraps: similarly, hummus makes a great spread in wraps or gyros
  • salads: mix in some extra lemon juice, water and oil, and hummus can double as a delicious salad dressing
  • mixed into pasta: similarly, just thin the hummus out with some water, and it can be used as a sauce for hot noodles or cold pasta salads
  • as a “crust” for chicken: this old hummus-crusted chicken recipe is still one of my faves
  • deviled eggs: the flavors in hummus pair perfectly with deviled eggs!
  • mashed potatoes: so good.

More Favorite Dip Recipes

Looking for more great dip recipes? Here are a few more of my faves:

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Hummus

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 208 reviews
  • Author: Ali
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 -8 servings 1x

Description

This homemade hummus recipe is quick and easy to make, super-smooth and creamy, and tastes so fresh and flavorful!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/3 cup good-quality tahini
  • 24 tablespoons cold water, or more if needed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • juice of 1 lemon (23 tablespoons)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas*, rinsed and drained
  • optional toppings: extra drizzle of olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, sprinkle of ground sumac or paprika, toasted pine nuts

Instructions

  1. Add tahini, cold water, olive oil, cumin, salt, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor.  Puree until smooth.
  2. Add in the chickpeas.  Puree for 3-4 minutes, pausing halfway to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the hummus is smooth.  If it seems too thick, add in another tablespoon or two of water.
  3. Taste and season with additional salt, cumin, and/or lemon juice if needed.
  4. Serve immediately, garnished with your desired toppings.  Or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Notes

Or, as mentioned above, feel free to instead use:

  • Chickpeas that have been cooked from scratch: Either in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.  I recommend overcooking them a bit to slightly soften the chickpeas and loosen up the skins.
  • Canned chickpeas that have been simmered for 20 minutes: If you have the extra time, just rinse and drain your chickpeas. Transfer them to a saucepan and cover with an extra inch or two of water.  Then bring to a simmer, continue simmering for 20 minutes, and drain.

These two methods may yield slightly smoother hummus.  But in my experience, the difference was negligible and arguably not worth the extra time and effort.

 

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386 comments on “Hummus”

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  1. This recipe is so good! I’ve already made it twice and it’s my new go-to for hummus. I added a few extra garlic cloves and a pinch more cumin.






  2. This truly is the best hummus recipe! I have it memorized now since I’ve made it so often. I was out of chickpeas so substituted canned cannellini beans and that too was amazing. Thank you!

  3. This really is a great recipe! I’ve never made hummus before so randomly chose this recipe and it turned out great! I did use dry beans, soaked them and cooked them in the instant pot. I made a double batch and brought it to work with veggies and pita bread slices and everyone loved it! So many people asked me for the recipe so I sent them this one :)

  4. This is literally magic! I am in love. We use our tall skinny Vitamix container and it fits perfectly and works so well. Always 4tbsp of water and 4tbsp of lemon. And I slightly cook the 3-4 cloves of garlic so it isn’t raw and so intense.and easier on the stomach/burping.






  5. Absolutely delicious and so easy to make. I just made this for lunch and I’m so happy I found this recipe. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you for sharing this recipe.






  6. This was really stupendous and easy. I roasted my garlic to give it a deep flavour right off the bat and it was so incredibly delicious. The 4 minute food processor time made ALL THE DIFFERENCE! Thanks for sharing your wisdom.






  7. I too love this recipe and make it almost weekly. The only modification that I make is to not add the two tablespoons of water. I don’t have a food processor, so I just use an old blender. What I do instead of adding the water in bulk is I include a little of the water from the can of chickpeas with each spoonful of chickpeas that I slowly drop into the blender. As it mixes, if I need more liquid, I’ll use the liquid that is in the chickpea can. I figure that’s a tastier option than tap water, and this way I don’t waste the liquid that is in the can. It seems to work for me, anyway :).






  8. Just tried this recipe for the first time. Oh my goodness, so delicious and I got it smooth! Thank you so much for your tips. This is wonderful! No more store bought for me!

  9. A+++++ Recipe!! I made a double batch of this recipe and it is absolutely delicious! I am definitely keeping this as my go-to recipe! Yum!






  10. I just made this recipe and it was so good!! This is my first-time making hummus and it was a success. Thank you for a great recipe!

  11. So good!!!






  12. The easiest and best hummus recipe!!!!






  13. Easy. quick. yummy! Thanks for sharing






  14. I’ve made this recipe several times and it has become my go-to for hummus! I add a little more garlic and lemon juice to suit my taste. A sprinkle of smoked paprika and a drizzle of olive oil to top
    it off!! Try it, you won’t be disappointed!






  15. I learned to make hummus about 60 years ago, from a Lebanese boyfriend. That was in the days before food processors and/or high speed blenders – we mashed our chick peas with a fork. No smooth texture for us! I wish I could remember how he made it. I think the olive oil went on top, along with the parsley – the parsley was not optional. He also never added cumin. From what I’ve been able to learn, that’s an Israeli thing. I’m not sure what function the water fulfills, unless it’s to make the hummus more creamy. I am saving this recipe, because I would definitely do it the more modern way now, in part because I use it differently.

  16. I have made this numerous times since I discovered the recipe and it’s always so good! The last time I used fresh blood orange infused extra virgin olive oil instead of regular extra virgin olive and it was amazing! Gave it a great flavor when served with a dash of smoked paprika and a drizzle of the fresh blood orange infused extra virgin olive oil! Give it a try! You won’t be disappointed.






  17. My first time making hummus and it turned out so delicious and smooth. I used my vitamix for the whole process, and talk about smooth! I didn’t even have to alter the recipe much. The Vitamix did all the work! I used SoCo Artisanal Tahini. A whole lemon was enough for the 2 Tablespoons plus maybe a teaspoon more. I might have gone overboard on the garlic, but I love garlic! It made 10oz of hummus, so I used the Sabra container that I emptied the day before to refill it. I am definitely going to pass this recipe on and make some variations of it like you suggested. Thanks a million; from this new, whole foods-plant based, gal!






  18. Boil garbanzo bean for 20 minutes and skim shells off for a smoother creamy hummus






  19. Do you need to de-skin the canned chickpeas?
    I made this a few time and removed the skins one by one. Is it necessary? Will you still achieve the same smooth texture if you keep the skins on?






  20. Thank you for this recipe! Finally, I have made a keeper Hummus recipe that is creamy smooth and delicious! I have saved several of your recipes, so when I saw this one, I was pretty sure it was going to be great!






  21. So stinkin’ good! As others have noted, this is WAY better than store bought. I added an extra clove of garlic and am happy with the results. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It’s a keeper!






  22. I thought this was an easy recipe. It had great texture and far superior to store bought products which I won’t ever buy again. Excellent recipe!






  23. This really IS the best hummus, mmmmm! Thank you 🙏






  24. So incredibly delicious and easy! Opted for the canned chickpea route to save some time and it is as good as the hummus we buy from our local Mediterranean restaurant. We will be making this again and again!






  25. thank you for all the tips and tricks, lovely recipe it will be on my favorite list

  26. Super easy! But next time I’m using my blender as my cuisinart just thrashed around the first ingredients and some stuck under the blade!






  27. I tried navigating through the replies to find an answer. Easier to ask now and hope someone lets me know.
    I have a bag of dried chickpeas/garbanzos.
    How long do you soak the chickpeas ( how method please).
    How long to cook chickpeas in pan on stove.

  28. We really enjoy this recipe. Thank you!






  29. Excellent! Sooo good, fresh and smooth. I never cooked the chick peas before just emptied from can, what a difference. I have made this twice now and it will be my weekly go to recipe. Came out the same each time. Thank you!






  30. Love this recipe. Didn’t have the tahini so just used natural peanut butter and it was fine.

  31. This is the best hummus recipe ever, really delicious. The tip to boil the canned chickpeas is a life changer. Thank you






  32. This was delicious. I left out the oil and subbed with Aquafaba and it was perfect. Ate it topped with some fresh diced garden tomatoes. So good!!






  33. Beat hummus ever! I’ve been making hummus for 15 years and this is by far the best recipe and ration of ingredients. I get compliments all the time and my kids eat it up!!! Thank you!!!






  34. This hummus is so smooth. I have made an a version that relies on olive oil for thinning the hummus. The water and extra time in food processor is a game changer.






  35. Good stuff






  36. I’ve tried a lot of store bought hummus, but this is by far the best hummus I have EVER had. Definitely my go to recipe. Thank you!