This homemade Hummus recipe is ultra creamy and has the perfect balance of garlic, lemon juice, and tahini. We love this traditional Middle Eastern dip served as an appetizer paired with warm Pita or crunchy veggies.
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Hummus Video Tutorial
Homemade Hummus is incredible when freshly made, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. There’s a saying that ‘homemade is best,’ and it is absolutely true for hummus. It’s just way better than store-bought. Watch my step-by-step video tutorial and see how easy it is to make the best hummus.
Authentic Homemade Hummus
Hummus is a bean dip made primarily by blending together cooked chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), tahini (a creamy sesame seed paste), garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and seasonings.
Hummus is a core part of the Mediterranean diet, often paired with warm Homemade Pita Bread or Pita Chips. It’s also great in sandwiches, as a veggie dip, and so much more. I love bringing it to parties because it’s easy to prepare, and it always receives so many compliments.
Hummus Ingredients
- Chickpeas – you’ll need 3 cups of cooked chickpeas (I use my Instant Pot Chickpeas) or 30 oz canned chickpeas. Peeled or unpeeled work well. Also note that chickpeas are the same thing as garbanzo beans.
- Tahini – a sesame seed paste that is key to an authentic tasting hummus.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed from 2 lemons
- Garlic – use 2 large or 4 small garlic cloves. You can finely mince or grate them right into the food processor.
- Extra virgin olive oil – we use this in the hummus as well as to garnish – a high quality oil adds tons of great flavor.
- Ice water – I add ice cubes to a cup of water and spoon it from there
- Seasonings – traditional hummus is seasoned with salt and cumin then garnished with paprika and freshly minced parsley.
What is the Best Tahini?
There are a variety of tahini products available, and it is worthwhile to source a good one if you want authentic-tasting hummus. I did a ton of research the best tahini and these are two brands that were consistently praised. I have tested them both and highly recommend either one. Let me know if you have a different favorite.
- Baron’s Tahini – I order this on Amazon and has a decent shelf life until you open it, then you’ll want to store it in the refrigerator.
- Trader Joes Tahini – this stirs up very smooth and has a great flavor profile. I bought this in the store.
How to Make Hummus
- In a food processor – combine 5 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp salt and grated garlic. Pulse to combine then let rest 10 minutes.
- Add Tahini and blend until thick and smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed with a spatula.
- Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time with the blender running. Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add drained chickpeas along with cumin and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. Blend until completely smooth (5 minutes), scraping down the bowl a couple of times. Add more ice water to reach desired consistency.
- Season to taste – with more salt, cumin and lemon juice if needed.
- To Serve – transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle the top with reserved chickpeas, drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle on finely chopped parsley.
Can I Make Hummus in a Blender?
Hummus can be made in a high-powered blender, but it is more challenging since it is a thick mixture that can get stuck, requiring a lot of scraping down the blender bowl. A food processor is also great because it allows for adding water while the mixer is running without having to remove the lid and risk a potential mess.
How to Serve Hummus
There are so many creative ways to serve and enjoy hummus. The favorite in our house is to push a slice of pita bread or fresh cucumber slice through the center, scooping up all the toppings.
- Appetizer – We love to serve this as a dip or appetizer with Pita Bread, Pita Chips, or fresh veggies such as sliced cucumber or carrot sticks. It makes for an excellent dip on a vegetable platter, or on a Charcuterie Board.
- Condiment– you can add hummus to pita bread as a condiment for pita sandwiches with baked chicken breast strips.
- Spread hummus over toasted sourdough bread and top with sliced avocado for avocado toast.
- Deviled Eggs – you can mash the yolks together with hummus for a creative spin on deviled eggs. To finish them off, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle on paprika.
Nothing beats freshly made hummus, and if you try homemade hummus, it will spoil you forever. You will also feel pretty accomplished, and your friends and family will be impressed (I know mine were).
Best Hummus
Homemade Hummus is way better than store-bought. It’s creamy and has the perfect balance of garlic, lemon juice, and tahini. Serve as a dip paired with warm Pita Bread or crunchy veggies.
Servings: 8 people
- 5-6 Tbsp lemon juice, or to taste (from 2 lemons)
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas, or two 15 oz cans*, reserve 2 Tbsp for garnish
- 6-8 Tbsp ice water, or to desired consistency
- 2/3 cup tahini
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
- 1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped, to serve
- ground paprika, to serve
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In a food processor, combine 5 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and grated garlic. Blend to combine and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
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Add tahini and blend until thick and smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
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With the blender running, add 6-8 Tbsp ice water 1 Tablespoon at a time and blend until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
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Add cooked and drained chickpeas, cumin, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Blend until creamy and completely smooth (about 5 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed. Add more ice water to reach desired consistency.
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Season to taste with more salt, cumin, and lemon juice if needed.
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To serve, transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle the top with reserved whole chickpeas if desired, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, finely chopped parsley, and dust with ground paprika to taste.
Make-Ahead and Storage:Â
- To Refrigerate: Hummus keeps well covered in the refrigerator. It’s best in the first 3-4 days but it can be stored for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: You can store hummus in a freezer-safe container for 2 to 3 months. Remove any excess air and leave some room at the top for expansion. Thaw in the fridge overnight and heat lightly if desired before serving.
283kcal Calories22g Carbs9g Protein19g Fat
Nutrition Facts
Best Hummus
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
More Dip Recipes to Try
If you love this homemade hummus, then you won’t want to miss these dip recipes. These are always a hit at parties.
