The hummus section of the supermarket seems to grow and grow, and that’s because we are all clearly very fond of hummus! That creamy chickpea and tahini dip can be eaten straight up with chips or veggies and also layered into sandwiches or used as the base of a Mediterranean meal. But if you have a food processor or blender, it is so easy to make your own. Homemade hummus takes less than 10 minutes., and this hummus recipe has a little hack (let that motor run!) that will get you to the fluffiest and creamiest hummus ever without having to peel or cook the chickpeas.

Hummus is one of my son Jack’s favorite foods. Whenever he is home, I have it in the fridge. He loves it with pita chips and can eat half a batch in one sitting. And hummus made from scratch is so much better than store-bought hummus. Make a batch on the weekend and keep it in your fridge all week. Pull it out with some carrot sticks, celery, and pita bread, give it a drizzle of olive oil, and you have the healthiest vegetarian protein-packed snack.

And it goes with everything: serve it alongside some Turkish Stuffed Eggplant or Greek Lamb Kabobs, smear it on a pita, and top with some Grilled Vegetables or Chicken Kawarma. Or go all out and make your own lamb gyro board!

Best Homemade Hummus: With a can of chickpeas and some tahini on hand, creamy, fluffy, protein-filled hummus is only a handful of minutes away.

FAQs

Ingredients

• Garlic – See how to mince garlic, but don’t worry too much about chopping it too finely; it will all get blended together in the food processor in the end.
• Canned chickpeas – The foundation of this dip. You’ll be shocked at how smooth and creamy they can get with just a few other ingredients. Drain the canned chickpeas before using. If you want to make the hummus with your own cooked chickpeas, go right ahead!
• Tahini – Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. It is an absolutely essential ingredient in traditional hummus and adds a nutty flavor and creaminess to the dip.

• Sesame oil – Optional, but I think a little bit adds a great depth of flavor.
• Lemon juice – Brightens up the hummus with its acidity.
• Olive oil – This is a great place to go for your rarely used bottle of expensive extra virgin olive oil. The quality of the oil really comes through and can add dimension to the hummus.
• Cumin – Adds a subtle warmth and spice.
• Paprika or cayenne – Makes a beautiful presentation when you sprinkle it on top.

How to Make Homemade Hummus

1. Combine ingredients: Place the garlic, chickpeas, tahini, sesame oil, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper in a food processor.

2. Puree: Puree, and with the motor running, add about 1/3 cup of the water. Allow the mixture to process for about 3 minutes, adding more water if you’d like a thinner consistency. Allowing the hummus to blend for this long-ish time makes the hummus very creamy, very fluffy, and even a little bit warm — that’s my secret to the best homemade hummus!

3. Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with a bit of olive oil if you like. Sprinkle with the paprika or cayenne.

Hummus Variations

There are so many delicious ways you can spice up your hummus.

• Spicy Hummus: For a spicy alternative, squirt your favorite hot sauce into the food processor while blending. The best hot sauce to use here is harissa or Sriracha — 1 or 2 teaspoons is enough to give the hummus so much flavor. Then sprinkle cayenne pepper on top.
• Onion Hummus: Make a batch of sautéed or caramelized onions. You can blend 1/4 cup of the onions into the hummus and then use the rest as a topping. They will add a beautiful sweetness and depth.
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: Roasted red peppers go so well with hummus. They’re super easy to make: all you have to do is broil or grill red bell peppers until the skin is blackened, cover them to steam, and peel the skin off. Or use jarred roasted red peppers. Just like the onions, you can blend some of them into the hummus and use some chopped rest as a topping.
• Roasted Garlic Hummus: One of my absolute favorite additions to hummus is roasted garlic. After roasting, squeeze the softened cloves out into the hummus and stir to combine.
• Add a bit of sumac or za’atar, or sprinkle some on top.
• Check out this hummus version made with sesame oil and no tahini. Perfect if you’ve run out of tahini

Pro Cooking Tips

I have made pretty good hummus for years, but only recently did I figure out a few things that made me love it even more.

• Add a nice amount of water. Including water in addition to olive oil lets you get to a fluffy, soft, creamy texture without an unconscionable amount of oil. Having the water slightly warm means that the pureed chickpeas will get even creamier, though cool water is also fine. You can refrigerate the hummus if you want to serve it cool.
• If you want a looser texture, add more water and olive oil and serve right away, or allow it to come to room temperature before serving. In the fridge, it will thicken up and stiffen, which you may prefer.
• Don’t just process the mixture until it is blended — let that machine go for 2 or 3 minutes at full throttle for the creamiest texture. Furthermore, the heat from the motor starts to warm the hummus a bit, so while you can certainly make it ahead, there is something about fresh, slightly warm hummus that is just fantastic.

Make-Ahead

Leftover hummus will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving if preferred (I like it that way).

What to Serve With Homemade Hummus

Moroccan-Inspired Lamb Kebabs

Turkish Cucumber Salad

Chicken Kawarma with Lemon Sauce over Hummus

More Vegetarian Dip Recipes

• Parmesan Feta Spinach Dip
• Tzatziki
• Cannellini Bean Dip with Lemon and Parmesan
• Creamy Avocado Dip