Hummus is a creamy spread you can make in 10 minutes by processing cooked chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and salt.
Making an excellent hummus requires the knowledge of a few simple tips and secrets that we’ll share with you in a second.
This recipe is the result of hundreds of tests, knowledge sharing, and conversations with some of the best hummus makers in the world. Enjoy it!
Table of Contents
Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet.
Don’t have time to read the full blog post? JUMP TO RECIPE HERE!
What is hummus?
Hummus means chickpea in Arabic. It’s also the name of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern spread we all know and love.
It’s nutritious and packed with protein, healthy fats, good carbs, fiber, and minerals.
It makes an excellent meal with pita bread. Traditionally, the Arabs eat it for breakfast, but it’s also perfect for lunch or dinner.
You can serve hummus as part of a Mezze with other Eastern Mediterranean dishes like falafel, tabbouleh, baba ganoush, mutabal, pickled onions, dukkah, olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
And you can even use it as a spread to make a delicious hummus sandwich!
While making hummus is easy – after all, you can make it with a few ingredients in 10 minutes – online recipes rarely reveal all the tips and secrets to make a truly excellent hummus.
With this blog post, we are hoping to change that.
Remember that there isn’t one right recipe, but countless variations based on tradition, culture, and many other factors.
This is our best hummus recipe, the result of hundreds of tests, knowledge sharing, book research, travels to the best hummus restaurants, and conversations with some of the best Lebanese, Palestinian, and Israeli hummus makers in the world.
We hope you enjoy it.
Ingredients and substitutions for hummus
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Chickpeas/garbanzo beans
You can use dry chickpeas or canned chickpeas.
Tips for using dry chickpeas
- Use the smallest dry chickpeas you can find. This makes a huge difference!
- Soak them for 24 hours in plenty of water.
- Cook them until very tender in water and baking soda.
- Reserve the cooking liquid (aquafaba).
- They should be slightly overcooked, almost falling apart. A pressure cooker or instant pot is excellent for cooking chickpeas for hummus. Here is our guide on how to cook chickpeas for your reference.
- Refrigerate the cooked chickpeas in their cooking liquid in an airtight container. It’s best if they are cold when you use them to make the hummus.
Tips for using canned chickpeas
- Cold is your friend! Put the cans in the fridge a day in advance.
- Some canned chickpeas are stone-hard. If that’s the case, transfer them to a saucepan with their canning liquid and boil them for 15 minutes.
- Put in the fridge, with their liquid, to cool down before use.
Chickpea liquid or aquafaba
Aquafaba is the water left over after cooking the chickpeas or the liquid in a can of chickpeas.
It makes the creamiest, tastiest, and most airy hummus. Best if used fridge-cold.
Tahini
Use tahini from 100% hulled sesame seeds, ideally imported from Eastern Mediterranean countries.
Tahini should be light in color and have a pourable consistency.
Avoid thick, pasty, and dark tahini because it’s not authentic and is often bitter.
Extra virgin olive oil
A small amount of olive oil goes in the hummus; the rest is for garnishing. Pick a good quality oil as you will taste its flavor.
Lemon juice or citric acid
Some of the best chefs use citric acid because it keeps the spread fresh for longer.
If you make hummus at home, fresh lemon juice is perfectly fine.
Salt
Use sea salt or kosher salt. Add more or less depending on your taste and dietary preference.
Cumin
Ground cumin is optional.
You can add a bit, but remember that hummus is about chickpeas, not cumin.
Garlic
Fresh garlic is optional.
If you add it, start with half a clove. The garlic flavor becomes stronger as you store the hummus in the fridge.
Cold or iced water
If you are making hummus in advance and plan on serving it hours later, you can make it a little runnier by adding some more cold water, as it will thicken in the fridge.
Flat-leaf parsley
Italian parsley, or flat-leaf parsley, is used to top the hummus.
How to make the best hummus
US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
This recipe is for a food processor. To make hummus in a blender, see the “variations” chapter below.
Set aside two tablespoons of chickpeas for garnishing.
To a food processor, add cold cooked chickpeas, cold chickpea liquid or aquafaba, lemon juice, garlic (if using), and salt.
Tip: Here’s our guide on how to cook chickpeas for your reference.
Blend for 3 minutes.
Add tahini, cumin, and half the water.
Blend for 2 minutes.
Add extra virgin olive oil and the remaining water, if necessary.
Blend for 2 more minutes.
Then taste and adjust for salt and, if necessary, add a little more water to reach your desired consistency.
Spread the hummus on a plate or in a bowl and make space in the center with the back of a spoon.
Top with extra virgin olive oil, cooked chickpeas, and fresh flat-leaf parsley. Serve with warm pita bread.
Tips
General tips
- Refrigerate your ingredients a day in advance, if possible.
- Add and process the ingredients gradually, as we show you, using a timer.
- For the smoothest spread, use the smallest chickpeas cooked until they are very tender, almost falling apart.
Equipment tips
- We recommend making hummus in a food processor because a high-speed blender tends to heat up the ingredients and change the flavor of the hummus.
- If you must use a blender, add 5 icecubes to keep things cool. Add all ingredients at the same time, and blend for 2 – 3 minutes.
Chickpea tips
- Use the smallest dry chickpeas for the best flavor and texture.
- Boil them in water and baking soda.
- Overcook them slightly; they need to be very tender.
- Refrigerate the chickpeas and their cooking liquid before use.
- Use chickpea cooking liquid or aquafaba.
- If your chickpeas are big, you might consider removing some of their skins.
- If using canned chickpeas, we recommend putting the can in the fridge the day before.
Aquafaba tips
- Aquafaba is the water in which you cook the chickpeas or the liquid in a can of chickpeas.
- It’s essential when making hummus because it adds flavor and creates a light and airy texture.
- Aquafaba must be fridge-cold to work its magic.
Tahini tips
- Use tahini made from 100% hulled sesame seeds with a light color and pourable consistency. Avoid dark pasty tahini.
- Refrigerate the tahini.
- Stir the tahini with a spoon before use.
Extra virgin olive oil
- Use a mild extra virgin olive oil; the best you can afford.
- Adding a small amount of oil improves texture and flavor.
Cumin & Garlic
- Remember that hummus should taste like chickpeas and tahini, not cumin or garlic.
- They are optional. If used, start with small amounts, as their flavor will increase as the spread sits in the fridge.
Water tips
- Depending on the type of chickpea you might need more or less water.
- If you think more is needed, add it gradually until you reach your desired consistency.
Questions
To make the creamiest hummus, you’ll need the smallest chickpeas you can find. Cook them until very tender, almost falling apart.
If you use big chickpeas with thick skin, you might want to consider removing some of the skins after cooking them.
To do so, put the cooked chickpeas in a bowl with cold water.
Rub the chickpeas between your hands and discard the skins that come off and float on the surface.
Yes, you do. That’s because baking soda makes the chickpeas extra tender by softening their skins.
To make the best hummus, use the smallest chickpeas you can find. Soak them in water for 24 hours, rinse them, and add them to a large pot.
Cover them in fresh water by at least 2 inches, then add 2 teaspoons of baking soda and boil until very tender.
Add 2 teaspoons of salt 30 minutes after the water starts boiling. Skim the foam on top as it forms.
Remember! Don’t discard the aquafaba (cooking liquid), which is excellent for making hummus.
We recommend using a food processor because it is gentler on the ingredients and it doesn’t heat them up as much as a blender.
In our tests, for example, we noticed that using a high-speed blender produces smoother hummus but a worse flavor because the ingredients have less space to incorporate air and heat up considerably.
Our tip for making smooth hummus is to cook the chickpeas until very tender, almost overcooked, and then process them in a food processor.
If that’s not smooth enough, you can blend them in a blender, but only for a minute or two.
If you don’t have a food processor and want to make hummus in a blender, our advice is to add 5 ice cubes, then all the ingredients, and blend for 1 – 2 minutes.
If you follow our tips, you’ll be able to make delicious hummus from both canned and dry chickpeas.
However, we prefer making hummus from dry chickpeas because you can:
– Control the quality of the chickpeas.
– Pick the smallest chickpeas as recommended.
– Cook the chickpeas with baking soda, making them ultra-tender.
– Slightly overcook the chickpeas to get the creamiest hummus.
Serving Suggestions
Hummus is more than a dip for crackers, cucumbers, and veggie sticks.
If you are wondering what to eat with hummus, we’ve made a list of 25+ ways to eat hummus. Some Ideas are:
On a mezze platter
Make a mezze platter with falafel, fattoush, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, Zaalouk, confit tomatoes, caramelized onions, grilled eggplant, olives, feta, or halloumi.
Hummus sandwich
A delicious snack or quick lunch recipe with hummus and vegetables in two slices of toasted bread.
Check out our hummus sandwich recipe.
With falafel
If you like Middle Eastern food, you’ve got to try homemade falafel! They are fragrant, herby, and aromatic, made with wholesome and simple ingredients.
They are divine with hummus, tahini sauce, and warm pita bread.
Check out our homemade falafel recipe.
As pasta sauce
Creamy hummus makes a delicious pasta sauce. Toss it with rigatoni al dente and sautéed mushrooms.
Check out our hummus pasta.
As a base for roasted veggies
Try serving it on a platter with roasted peppers in the center, a drizzle of warmed yogurt, and pita bread.
Check out our roasted peppers recipe.
In a pita sandwich
Warm up the pita and spread a generous amount of hummus on the bottom. Fill it with grilled or roasted vegetables, falafel, salad leaves, tomatoes, and more.
Drizzle with tahini sauce and add a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
In a falafel bowl
You’ll love this Mediterranean bowl with homemade falafel. A couple of spoonfuls of hummus fit right in!
Check out our Mediterranean bowl recipe.
In a wrap with falafel
This is how we eat hummus and falafel in Berlin, Germany, where many Lebanese restaurants serve falafel this way.
Warm up a large wrap, spread a generous amount of hummus on the base, then top with smashed falafel, Shirazi salad, jalapeños, pickled beets, fresh parsley, fresh mint, squeezed lemon, and a good drizzle of tahini sauce. Enjoy!
Loaded hummus platter (fatteh)
This is our interpretation of Fatteh, a delicious Lebanese dish with crunchy pita bread, chickpeas, yogurt tahini sauce, and more.
Check out our fatteh recipe.
Variations
Hummus in a blender
A high-speed blender makes a smooth hummus.
However, due to the speed of the blades, the ingredients can heat up, affecting the flavor and consistency of the hummus and making it less airy and more compact.
To avoid this, we recommend starting with very cold ingredients.
Then, add 5 ice cubes and the rest of the ingredients all at once to the blender and blend for 1 to 2 minutes or until you reach your desired consistency.
Making hummus in a blender might also require a little more water than in a food processor. Be ready to add some.
Hummus with roasted eggplant
Add the flesh of one roasted or air-fried eggplant to the hummus to give it a mild roasted eggplant flavor.
Remember that eggplant is water-rich, so you’ll need less water in the hummus.
Lentil hummus
Lentil hummus is the perfect last-minute appetizer or light meal.
It’s ready in 5 minutes, made with canned brown lentils, and the preparation is similar to chickpea hummus.
Red Pepper Hummus
Add roasted and peeled bell peppers to the hummus to give it the delicious sweet and smokey taste of the bell pepper.
Check out our roasted pepper hummus to learn how.
Hummus without tahini
If you run out of tahini, here’s the recipe for you.
A delicious hummus without tahini. Check it out.
Storage & Make Ahead
Make ahead: hummus is an excellent recipe for meal prep and making ahead. It keeps well in the fridge.
When making hummus in advance, keep in mind that it will dry out slightly in the fridge, so add more water to make the recipe a little more runny.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. If possible, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before serving and stir well.
Freezer: we don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
More Chickpea Recipes
For more ideas, check out our best 35 chickpea recipes collection.
Collections
35 Chickpea Recipes (easy meals)
Mains
Chickpea Fritters
Mains
Chickpea Curry
Salads
Chickpea Salad
More Dips and Spreads
Hummus
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas or 3 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 cup / 200 grams dry chickpeas + 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ⅓ cup aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas or the cooking liquid of chickpeas)
- ¼ cup cold water add more if necessary to reach your desired consistency
- ⅓ cup tahini from 100% hulled sesame seeds, light in color, and of pourable consistency
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + more for garnishing
- ½ clove garlic or more to taste (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- ¾ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- flat-leaf parsley to taste
Instructions
- IF USING DRY CHICKPEAS Soak 1 cup or 200 grams of dry chickpeas in water for 24 hours. Drain, rinse, add them to a large pot, and cover with 4 inches/10 cm of water. Add 2 teaspoons baking soda and boil until very tender, until they almost fall apart (1½ to 2 hours). Put them and their cooking liquid (aquafaba) in the fridge to cool down completely.IF USING CANNED CHICKPEASSome canned chickpeas are as hard as bullets and that's not good for hummus.If that's the case with yours, transfer 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas and their canning liquid (aquafaba) to a saucepan and boil until tender (about 15 minutes).Put them and the aquafaba in the fridge to cool down completely.
- Set aside 2 tablespoons of chickpeas for garnishing.To a food processor, add the remaining chickpeas, ⅓ cup aquafaba, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ clove garlic, and ¾ teaspoon salt.Blend for 3 minutes.
- Add ⅓ cup tahini ½ teaspoon ground cumin and half of the ¼ cup cold water.Blend for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and the remaining water, if necessary.Blend for 2 minutes.Taste and adjust for salt, and, if necessary, add a little more water reach your desired consistency.
- Spread the hummus on a plate or in a bowl and make a well in the center with the back of a spoon.Top with extra virgin olive oil, the reserved chickpeas, and chopped flat-leaf parsley. Serve with warm pita bread.
Notes
- Refrigerate your ingredients a day in advance, if possible.
- Add and blend the ingredients gradually, as we show you.
- We recommend making hummus in a food processor because a high-speed blender tends to heat up the ingredients and change the flavor of the hummus.
- If you must use a blender, add 5 icecubes to keep things cool. Add all ingredients at the same time, and blend for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Use the smallest dry chickpeas for the best flavor and texture.
- Boil them in water and baking soda.
- Overcook them slightly; they need to be very tender.
- Refrigerate the chickpeas and their cooking liquid before use.
- Use chickpea cooking liquid or aquafaba.
- If your chickpeas are big, you might consider removing some of their skins.
- If using canned chickpeas, we recommend putting the can in the fridge the day before.
- Aquafaba is the water in which you cook the chickpeas or the liquid in a can of chickpeas.
- It’s essential when making hummus because it adds flavor and creates a light and airy texture.
- Aquafaba must be fridge-cold to work its magic.
- Use tahini made from 100% hulled sesame seeds with a light color and pourable consistency. Avoid dark pasty tahini.
- Refrigerate the tahini.
- Stir the tahini with a spoon before use.
- Use a mild extra virgin olive oil; the best you can afford.
- Adding a small amount of oil to the hummus improves texture and flavor.
- Remember that hummus should taste like chickpeas and tahini, not cumin or garlic.
- They are optional. If used, start with small amounts, as their flavor will increase as the hummus sits in the fridge.
- Depending on the type of chickpea you might need more or less water.
- If you think more is needed, add it gradually until you reach your desired consistency.
Nutrition
If you liked our hummus recipe, you might also like:
Delicious! I made your roasted pepper recipe and added them to the hummus as suggested. With veggies and naan for dipping, and a Greek salad, it made a complete meal.
Are there some tahini brands that you recommend? Preferably organic?
Hi Pamela,
this depends greatly on where you live. We use Al-Rabih – which is an imported brand from Lebanon. It is not organic though.
We generally find that brands from the middle east (especially Lebanon) are the best. But they are not organic.
What’s important with tahini is that is made from 100% sesame seeds (the only ingredient on the label), of a runny consistency, and light in color.
Often western organic brands are thick and dark, and they taste bitter.
Hope this helps, and if you find an organic brand that tastes good let us know 🙂
Nico
Greetings from Ont. Canada, Nico…I had to put more salt & lemon juice in mine and yet there’s something else that could be missing in this when I remember eating in Lebanese Restaurant, their hummus was so addictive, but nevertheless it’s still delicious, I guess everybody has their own version
This recipe is AMAZING ! My 1st time making Hummus 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly ~ using canned chick peas & I used 1 huge clove of garlic
I used a high speed pro Blender .
Next time I will only use 3 ice cubes to start ~ I def didn’t need any additional liquid .
Looking forward to trying a different Hummus Flavour next time
Fantastic Cat, I’m super happy you had a good hummus experience. There’s nothing better than a creamy homemade hummus 🙂
Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a comment here. All the best,
Louise
Hi I love all your recipes and I follow you around. Just want to say that I love them.
Im from a Aruba a small beautiful island in the Caribbean.
Im not a garlic onion and salt eater so I skip all that in the recipes and all taste great.
Hi Meredith,
Thanks so much for your message, we’re so excited you liked our recipes (also without garlic)!
So kind of you to say hi, many greetings from both of us here on the Italian countryside.
Kindest, Nico & Louise
Is there a particular brand of tahini that you use or would recommend? Many thanks!
Hi Kellie! I always look for hulled tahini, as it doesn’t taste bitter (and makes the hummus a lot smoother). We use Baron’s organic tahini or Trader Joe’s organic tahini 🙂 I hope that helps. Cheers, Nico
Hello guys! I absolutely love all your recipes, just wanted to say thank you so much! There isn’t anyone else’s food blog I like as much as yours! I live in Sicily with my husband who is Italian! I can’t tell you how much I’ve appreciated your Italian and English recipes.. the how to prepare and cook artichokes I found so helpful! As I never used them in England!!!!! Thank you grazie mille..Jaz (and Emilio!) Please write a cookbook!!!!
.
Hi Jazmine (and Emilio)! Oh, thank you so so much for your kind words – that means so much to both of us!
That reminds me that we have to go back to beautiful Sicily soon, there is just no better place for fantastic granita, gelato, and amazing people 🙂
Lots of love from both of us, e grazie ancora, Jazmine!
All the best,
Louise
Hubby is going to love this when I send it to him! 😀
Oh, I’m delighted to hear!! <3
Hi I try today ac it’s goes really awesome thankyou for the awesome racipe