Hummus Recipe (2 Ways!)

Learn how to make hummus at home. This smooth, creamy, and easy homemade hummus recipe requires only 6 ingredients and is perfect for pita chips, crunchy vegetables, or to use as a spread for your favorite sandwich.

My Family Hummus Recipe is the Creamiest!

Hummus is a quintessential Middle Eastern dip made by blending chickpeas with tahini, garlic, and lemon. Being raised in Egypt, hummus was a regular part of our meals as a family. When I met my husband, Saba, his mother made countless batches of hummus for their family restaurant, and I picked up a few tricks from her, too! Even if you don’t think of yourself as an expert in the kitchen, I promise, you can learn how to make hummus at home and skip the store-bought stuff!

Now, I have always made hummus from dried chickpeas, which requires cooking time, but I think it makes the best, most authentic hummus. However, I understand the need for modern conveniences, and using canned beans as an option. I wrote the recipe two ways—one version with dried chickpeas and one with canned—so you can make hummus the way you prefer. I wanted to stay true to my heritage with an authentic recipe, but also give you an option for using canned chickpeas that’s equally delicious and saves time.

Once you’ve learned how to make hummus, let your creativity be your guide! Use hummus as a spread on your favorite sandwiches, as a dip for crunchy vegetables or pita chips, or as a base for a full meal, as I do in this layered hummus recipe or my recipe for meatballs and hummus. I’m telling you, hummus goes with almost everything!

Plus, hummus is good for you. Chickpeas are loaded with fiber and plant-based protein, while olive oil is rich in antioxidants and heart-healthy fats. Who doesn’t love a healthy, easy-to-make snack?

Hummus Ingredients

To make homemade hummus, all you need is chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. However, dressing it up with a little sumac takes it over the top. This is entirely optional, but why not have a little fun?

• Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are the star ingredient in hummus. If you’re wondering how to make hummus from scratch—the best, extra creamy, authentic stuff—you’ll want to cook dried chickpeas from scratch. Soak overnight and then boil in water until cooked through. It isn’t a big extra step and the payoff is worth it.
• Garlic: Start with 1 clove and make sure it is finely minced. To tame its pungency, allow minced garlic to sit in a little bit of lemon juice for a few minutes.
• Tahini is a rich, nutty paste made from toasted sesame seeds. The quality of your tahini will absolutely impact the flavor of the hummus. You can find my go-to tahini paste here.
• Fresh Lemon Juice adds a brightness that lifts the earthy flavor of the chickpeas.
• Kosher Salt: Just a pinch of kosher salt is enough to enhance the flavors of the other ingredients. You can always taste and add more if you’d like.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A generous drizzle of quality extra virgin olive oil is the way to finish and serve this dip the authentic way. This is a key ingredient, so the better the olive oil, the better the flavor.
  • TRY IT: I have a selection of my favorite olive oils from around the globe available in our shop. Find the one you like the best.
• Garnish: My favorite way to garnish a bowl of hummus is with a few pinches of tangy sumac (sometimes ground cumin is a good addition). If you have some extra cooked chickpeas, plant them right in the middle. For a pop of green, you can add a garnish of fresh parsley.

How to Make Hummus

• Soak and Cook Chickpeas. Place 1 cup dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water (the beans will expand.) Soak overnight. When ready, drain the chickpeas and place them in a medium-sized heavy cooking pot. Cover with water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. You should end up with about 3 cups of cooked chickpeas.
• Peel the chickpeas. Transfer the cooked chickpeas to a bowl and cover with hot water. To the bowl, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda and stir. Leave for a few minutes. Take a handful of chickpeas and rub them under running water to remove the skins. Discard skins. Set the chickpeas on a large kitchen towel to dry. Let the chickpeas cool completely before using. Reserve 1 to 2 tablespoons of chickpeas to garnish the finished hummus later.
• Puree the chickpeas. Dry the chickpeas well, then add them to the bowl of a large food processor fitted with the S-blade. Run the processor until the chickpeas turn into a smooth powder-like paste.
• Finish the hummus. While the food processor is running, add 2 ice cubes, tahini, salt, and lemon juice. Blend for about 4 to 5 minutes. Check, and if the consistency is too thick, run the processor and slowly add a little water. Blend until you reach the desired silky-smooth consistency. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the hummus for an hour or so before serving.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish. Spread the hummus in a serving bowl and add a generous drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil. Add the reserved chickpeas to the middle, if you’d like. Sprinkle sumac on top. Enjoy with warm pita wedges and your favorite veggies.

How to Make EASY Hummus

For me, starting with dried chickpeas is always best, but I understand that people are busy, and when the craving for hummus hits, you need a shortcut! Here’s the quick and easy way to make hummus.

• Drain and simmer: Drain 2 (15-ounce) cans of chickpeas. Add the drained chickpeas to a pot, cover with water, and simmer for 20-minutes to help soften them further.
• Puree the chickpeas. Dry the chickpeas well, then add them to the bowl of a large food processor fitted with the S-blade. Run the processor until the chickpeas are smooth like a paste.
• Finish the hummus. While the food processor is running, add 2 ice cubes, tahini, salt, and lemon juice. Process for about 4 to 5 minutes. Check, and if the consistency is too thick, run the processor and slowly add a little water. Process until you reach the desired silky-smooth consistency. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the hummus for an hour or so before serving.
• Serve: Transfer to a serving dish, make some swoops in the hummus. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and top with reserved chickpeas. Enjoy!

Tips for Making Hummus

Smooth, creamy hummus is one part art and one part science. Follow these simple tips and tricks for making velvety hummus at home.

• Cook the chickpeas well (even canned chickpeas can use a quick simmer!) I already mentioned that dry chickpeas make the best hummus. Soak them overnight, then simmer for 2 hours. Don’t worry about overcooking them; it just gives you creamier hummus. Even if you’re using canned chickpeas, give them a brief 20-minute simmer so they will be well-cooked and tender. If you’re new to cooking beans from scratch, I have you covered! I have written about how to cook chickpeas in the crockpot, the pressure cooker, and the stovetop. So pick your favorite way.
• Peel the chickpeas. The secret to creamy hummus is peeled chickpeas. The skins are edible, and they won’t change the taste of the hummus, but the texture will be on the rustic side. Of course, sometimes I don’t peel the chickpeas, because I’m rushing, but when I want creamy, smooth hummus, rubbing the chickpea skin off is a must!
• Use quality tahini and enough of it. Tahini paste is a key ingredient in an authentic hummus recipe. It will add that rich consistency and subtle nutty flavor. There are all sorts of tahini options out there. The best tahini comes from Ethiopian sesame seeds. I use organic tahini from 100% roasted and pressed organic Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds.
• Add ice. I learned this trick from my mother-in-law, who is a master of the Levant kitchen and ran a restaurant where she made countless batches of hummus. She’s like the hummus whisperer! The ice cubes help create a creamy, fluffy texture—kinda like freshly churned ice cream.
• Don’t rush it! Let the food processor run for 4 to 5 minutes. Run the food processor for a few minutes so the hummus mixture will blend well enough to a smooth texture.
• Taste and Test: It’s important to taste your hummus and test it for the right consistency. If you’ve added too much liquid and want to thicken it you can add more tahini or more chickpeas. It will also firm up a little once it has cooled in the fridge. You can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt, but that will change the taste as well.
• Hummus without Tahini: Let me be clear, if you want to make the real deal dip using an authentic hummus recipe, you should not substitute tahini for something else. However, if you want to make a chickpea dip and you are out of tahini, you can use nut butter such as cashew, almond, or brazil nut butter. Each of these nut butters will give you a different flavor profile. You can also just leave it out, and add olive oil while blending. However, if it doesn’t have tahini, I would not call it hummus. It’s bean dip.

How to Enjoy Hummus

People of the Mediterranean, myself included, eat hummus with pita bread. And if we’re doing a more modern thing, then maybe pita chips. But there are many ways to serve and enjoy this tasty dip:

• As part of mezze alongside other small plates like baba ganoush, tabouli, roasted cauliflower, or pearl couscous salad.
• To make a Mediterranean dinner bowl like these vegetarian Mediterranean bowls with quinoa, hummus, and veggies, or these chicken shawarma bowls.
• As a side next to things like kofta kabobs, chicken kabobs or Greek souvlaki, lamb chops, salmon kabobs or even a fun shrimp skillet.
• For breakfast? Sure! Hummus makes the best savory breakfast toasts or these satisfying breakfast bowls.
• Dress it up! Top your hummus with fresh veggies like I did in this Farmer’s Market Hummus, load it with shishito peppers, or pile on seasoned ground beef and vegetables for a layered hummus recipe.  

Fun Spins on Traditional Hummus Recipes

I think plain, authentic hummus reigns supreme, but I do love to play around with fun flavors. Here are a few options you might like:

• Roasted Carrot Hummus
• Pumpkin Hummus
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Avocado Hummus
• Beet Hummus
• Roasted garlic Hummus

This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2015 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit. Enjoy!