My favourite hummus recipe You can make homemade hummus that is creamy and smooth with a few tricks. It’s even better than the store-bought stuff.
It’s really that simple. Just add the tahini and lemon juice to your food processor in the correct order. Turn on your food processor and add tahini, lemon juice and process until the mixture becomes a creamy paste. See how creamy and whipped they become by watching our video.
This recipe has been in our family for many years. Many of our readers have tried it and told us that this is the hummus they will always use! Serve hummus on wraps or bread with sliced vegetables, or with fluffy pita bread. It’s also great with falafel.
What is Hummus?
Hummus, also known as a spread or dip, is made of chickpeas tahini and spices. This dish is popular in the Middle East, and also the Mediterranean. In the United States you can buy store-bought versions, but I recommend making your own. Here’s how.
What is the secret of making the best Hummus?
It’s really that simple. Tahini, lemon juice and olive oil go first. Before adding anything else, you should turn on your food processor for a few minutes.
Check out the pictures below. In the first picture, I am pouring tahini in a clean food processer. After being whirled and whipped in the food processor for a minute, the paste that you see below is the result. It is lighter in color, and thicker.
We can now add the rest of the hummus ingredients. But make sure to stand back and allow that food processor to run. I like to add the chickpeas two at a time, first processing them for one minute and then adding the second batch.
Aquafaba or cold water is the last trick to get fluffy, creamy, whipped-hummus. I like to add extra liquid while the processor is still running. The extra liquid (and processing time) transforms the smooth mixture into an airy, luxurious dip. In our video I used cold water, but you can also use aquafaba, the liquid that comes from canned or cooked chickpeas.
How to make homemade hummus
You could always bet on one of us to throw a tub or hummus in our shopping cart. We were unable to find a hummus that was as good as the ones we found in stores until we discovered this easy hummus recipe. It’s vegan and made from real, healthy ingredients.
Hummus ingredients
- Chickpeas or garbanzo bean is the base of hummus. The beans are softened and break down to a smooth paste. In our recipe, you can use either canned or home-cooked beans. Home-cooked chickpeas have a slight flavor advantage, but I use both. Here is my method of cooking chickpeas.
- Tahini, a paste that is made of sesame seeds ground into a powder, gives hummus an incredibly delicious taste. Tahini can be bought or made yourself. We use homemade tahini to make hummus (it’s simple, I promise). This recipe for tahini includes a video that shows you how to make it.
- Fresh Lemon Juice is necessary for great Hummus. Buy fresh lemons instead of bottled juice — one large or two medium lemons will do.
- Fresh Garlic adds some spice and zest. One small clove is just the right amount. You can add more garlic for a stronger kick or use roasted garlic to make roasted hummus. Here’s a video showing how to roast garlic.
- Ground Cumin and Salt make this dish taste incredible. The ground cumin also adds some spice and richness.
- Olive Oil gives the hummus a luxurious texture. When serving, we drizzle olive oil over the swirly hummus. When making hummus, I prefer olive oils with fruity flavors.
Is it possible to make hummus with no tahini?
There are two groups of hummus lovers. Others can do without the tangy, zesty taste of tahini. Tahini is a must for the best hummus that rivals the brands we love in the store. Leave out the tahini if you wish to make hummus. It is not necessary to add tahini to a chickpea purée. Simply add more olive oil. You can also use unsweetened natural creamy Peanut Butter instead.
What is aquafaba?
The liquid that remains after cooking chickpeas or dried chickpeas is called aquafaba. Aquafaba is a starchy liquid that can be used in countless ways (read our -deep dive into aquafaba, here). Aquafaba can be used in place of water at the end of the hummus-making process. Aquafaba makes our hummus light and fluffy as it whips up in the food processor. Taste the aquafaba to make sure it’s not too salty before you use it. Use less salt or cold water to replace the hummus if it is too salty.
Is it necessary to peel chickpeas before cooking?
You don’t need to peel chickpeas to make a fantastic hummus. But it is an easy trick that will give you the smoothest hummus. We’ve done it. You’ll need about 10 minutes to remove the skins from one can of chickpeas. To be sure, we tested both the skinless and canned chickpeas.
Other hummus recipes and dips
- This hummus is extra creamy, delicious and packed with roasted peppers.
- These chicken lettuce rolls are made with honey Dijon-marinated chicken and hummus.
- Create mini appetizers with cucumber, tomato, and hummus.
- Baba Ganoush is another favorite Middle Eastern dip. It’s similar to hummus, but it uses roasted eggplant instead.
Easy and Smooth Hummus Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda (if using canned chickpeas)
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice or more to taste
- 1 medium to large clove of garlic roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup Tahini
- 2 to 4 tbsp ice water
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- You can add any of the following: a drizzle of olive or zhoug Sauce; a sprinkle of sumac, paprika or ground sumac; chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Add the baking soda to the chickpeas and place them in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil on high heat, covering the chickpeas with several inches of water. Continue boiling for 20 minutes or until chickpeas appear bloated and their skins start to fall off. Drain the chickpeas in a fine mesh strainer and then run cool water for 30 seconds over them. Remove the chickpeas from the strainer and set aside. ).
- In the meantime, add the garlic, lemon juice and salt to a high-powered food processor. Process the garlic until it is finely chopped. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavor of the garlic to mellow.
- Add the tahini and process until it is creamy and thick. Stopping to scrape any tahini that has stuck to the sides or bottom of the processor if necessary.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of ice water into the food processor while it is running. Blend until the mixture becomes ultra-creamy, pale, and smooth. If your tahini is extra thick, you may need to add up to 2 tablespoons of ice water.
- Add cumin to the food processor along with the chickpeas that have been overcooked and drained. As you blend, drizzle the olive oil. Blend for 2 minutes until mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. If necessary, add more ice-cold water by the teaspoon to get a super cream texture.
- Add more lemon juice or salt to taste.
- Use a spoon and create a nice swirl on the top. Serve with your favorite garnishes. Covered, leftover hummus can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
