Best Homemade Hummus
on Dec 31, 2021, Updated Nov 30, 2023
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With a can of chickpeas and some tahini on hand, creamy, fluffy, protein-filled, homemade hummus is only a handful of minutes away.
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 take less than 10 minutes. And this 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.
For a long time, I felt like everyone else’s kids liked hummus, and mine didn’t, and I felt like they were missing out. And finally, it happened: hummus slid over onto the list of liked foods, and now is actually one of my son’s Jack’s favorite foods. Whenever he is home, I have it in the fridge.
Hummus is a great thing to make on the weekend and keep in your fridge all week. Pull it out with some carrot sticks, 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!
Table of Contents
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.
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Ingredients
- Garlic – Don’t worry too much about mincing your garlic finely, as 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. If you want to make the hummus with your own cooked chickpeas, go right ahead!
- Tahini – Tahini is a paste made from sesame. 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 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.
Variations
There are so many delicious ways you can spice up your 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.
- Make a batch of caramelized or sautéed onions. You can blend ¼ 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 peppers go so well with hummus. They’re super easy to make: all you have to do is grill them 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.
- 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.
- Here’s one (totally) optional secret ingredient: sesame oil. Can you believe it? It’s so crazy and so simple at the same time. My friend, Chris Styler, who is fairly brilliant in the kitchen, was cooking with me one day. I realized I was out of tahini, and he said, “Just use sesame oil instead.” Because, of course, the base of sesame oil and the base of tahini are sesame seeds! So now I sometimes use both, which gives the whole thing a deeply rich sesame flavor. And one time, when I was out of tahini altogether (it happens, right?), I made a version with only sesame oil, and it was absolutely delicious.
How to Make Homemade Hummus
- Combine ingredients: Place the garlic, chickpeas, tahini, sesame oil, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper in a food processor.
- Puree: Puree, and with the motor running, add about ⅓ 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!
- Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with a bit of olive oil if you like.
- Garnish: Sprinkle with the paprika or cayenne.
FAQs
Hummus is a creamy Middle Eastern dip or spread made from canned or cooked chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), tahini (sesame seed paste), plus some seasonings like lemon juice, garlic, and cumin. It’s such a great food, full of fiber, and a great source of protein for vegetarians. Use it as a dip for vegetables, pita, or chips or as a sandwich spread.
Hummus is a classic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean spread. There are so many possibilities of how to serve it! One of the best is in a wrap — spread it on a fresh pita or your favorite wrap and add any meat, vegetables, or falafel. Or eat it as a dip, with some chips or cold vegetables to scoop it up. It can also be the base for another dish, like my chicken kawarma, which I serve over a bed of hummus.
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 make sure it is served right away or allowed to come to room temperature before serving. It will thicken up and get a stiffer texture in the fridge, 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
This will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving if preferred (I prefer it that way).
What to Serve With Homemade Hummus
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 cans chick peas (drained and rinsed)
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil (optional)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus extra for drizzling if desired)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- Paprika or cayenne (to sprinkle)
- ½ cup water (approximately)
Instructions
- Place the garlic and chickpeas in the food processor and pulse a few times. Add the tahini, sesame oil, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, and salt and pepper. Puree and with the motor running add about ⅓ cup of the water. Allow the mixture to process for about two minutes (see recipe intro), adding more water if you’d like a thinner consistency.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil if you like, and sprinkle with the paprika or cayenne.
Notes
- Hummus will last for 1 week in a container in the fridge.
- 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 be 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 make sure it is served right away, or allowed to come to room temperature before serving. It will thicken up and get a stiffer texture in the fridge, 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.