Learn how to make hummus at home … this foolproof recipe is easy, delicious, and sooo much better than the store bought stuff!
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Do you love hummus? Of course you do. Who doesn’t, really?
Hummus has been a favorite dip of mine for longer than I can remember. And although it’s available in almost every grocery store, I prefer to make it from scratch.
If you haven’t made hummus at home yet, then I’m here to help. I’ve detailed everything you ever wanted to know about how to make hummus from scratch and more!
This versatile chickpea dip couldn’t be easier to prepare, and I’m showing you how to do it, step-by-step. There’s even a video so you can see the hummus making process in action!
How to Make Hummus at Home
Hummus is one of those snacks that pretty much everyone and their mother adores. It’s super scrumptious, plus it’s healthy, naturally vegan, and gluten free. What’s not to love, really?
You can find this yummy chickpea dip in almost any grocery store. So why would you want to make hummus from scratch?
For a few reasons! First of all, hummus takes 10 minutes (max) to make at home. It really is so easy. Second, the ingredients needed are minimal, and there are no yucky preservatives. Third, store bought hummus can be pricey, but it’s relatively cheap to make from scratch. And most importantly, homemade hummus tastes better than anything you can buy at the store!
Have I convinced you to make your own hummus yet? Then, keep reading for my authentic Hummus recipe. Once you try it, you’ll never buy hummus again!
Plus, I’m sharing tips for creating the creamiest hummus, making hummus without tahini or without a food processor, and lots of ideas for what to eat hummus with.
Hummus Ingredients
The best thing about making hummus at home is that the ingredients are so simple and healthy. You can find everything in almost any grocery store too.
Here’s what you’ll need for this easy hummus recipe:
- Fresh Garlic (no powders or jarred stuff)
- Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)
- Tahini
- Fresh Lemon Juice (skip the bottled junk)
- Salt (I prefer kosher salt.)
The only ingredient you may have trouble finding is tahini, a sesame seed paste. Tahini is what makes hummus taste like hummus though, so do try to track it down. Luckily, it’s easy to find tahini online.
Can’t find or don’t want to use tahini? I’ve included directions for how to make hummus without tahini, too.
You’ll also need a food processor although a blender works okay in a pinch. And a good spatula is super helpful. This silicone spatula is my fave!
Easy Hummus Recipe … Step-By-Step
So let’s talk about how to make hummus. It really couldn’t be easier!
The most important things when making authentic hummus are to use good quality, fresh ingredients and to take your time blending it.
Here are the basic steps for making hummus:
- Pulse a garlic clove in a food processor until minced.
- Add a can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed), plus a little tahini, lemon juice, and salt to the garlic.
- Process everything until it’s super smooth, stopping to give it a stir or two with a spatula along the way.
- Taste, adjust seasoning, and enjoy!
Simple, right? Homemade hummus is pretty much foolproof. It’s truly hard to screw up, but here are a few tricks to perfect the recipe:
- If your dip is too thick and won’t blend, add a little water (or use reserved liquid from the canned chickpeas). Usually a tablespoon or two is all it takes to get things moving.
- Good seasoning is essential. Taste your hummus before serving and add more salt, if necessary. The amount of salt you will need will depend on your taste buds, as well as other factors (whether your beans are canned with or without salt, for example).
- Is the taste still flat? Add a little extra lemon juice to perk things up.
More Tips for Making the BEST Hummus at Home
That’s really all there is to making classic hummus … so easy right?
Now that you know how to prepare hummus, keep reading for more hummus tips and tricks, plus tons of ideas for what to serve with your delicious chickpea dip.
How to Make Hummus Creamy
Okay, so there is hummus, and then there is super creamy hummus … which really is the best kind. So how exactly do you make hummus creamy?
I’ve read all sorts of hacks for making creamy hummus. Some recipes recommend cooking the chickpeas from scratch (dried), and I’ve also seen recipes that recommend removing the outer peel from the chickpeas or whipping the tahini.
Personally, I do not have time for any of that madness! Do you?
Luckily, the key to creamy hummus is quite simple. All you need to do is to blend the chickpea dip in your food processor for at least two to three minutes. Even after you think the hummus is totally smooth, keep going. Then, keep going some more.
The extra time spent processing the dip will make it extra smooth, creamy, and light. And as mentioned above, if your hummus is too thick, adding a few drops of water to lighten things up can help, too.
How to Make Hummus without Tahini
I’m going to be totally honest here: hummus without tahini is really just garbanzo bean dip. Tahini is the key ingredient when making hummus. It just is.
But I get that tahini is expensive. (Although you can make a ton of hummus from one container of tahini, so keep that in mind when considering cost.) Or maybe you can’t find tahini in your local store (try ordering online in that case). Or maybe you have a sesame seed allergy.
So how do you make hummus without tahini? I recommend substituting extra virgin olive oil and a little cumin for the tahini (see the recipe card below for proportions). The resulting dip won’t taste exactly like authentic hummus, but it will still be delicious.
You could also experiment by replacing the tahini with sesame oil (which will replicate some of tahini’s sesame flavor) or with another kind of nut butter.
How to Make Hummus without a Food Processor
Making hummus in a food processor is the ideal method. The powerful blades and flat bowl make quick work of the job.
It is possible to make hummus in a blender however. It’s just going to take a little more work and patience.
To make hummus in a blender, mince the garlic first (either by hand or with a press). Then, add the minced garlic and all the other hummus ingredients to the blender. Puree the hummus, stopping frequently to mix everything with a spatula.
You’ll need to take your time to make sure everything gets pureed, and you may have to add extra water to get things going (resulting in a thinner dip). But your hummus will be just as delicious in the end (though perhaps not quite as smooth).
What to Eat with Hummus
Now we’re getting to the best part … what is good to eat with hummus?
I like to dip pretty much anything and everything into hummus. Here are some of my favorites:
- Pita Chips … try my easy Homemade Pita Chips recipe!
- Sliced Bell Peppers (use a colorful mix for a pretty display)
- Grape Tomatoes
- Carrot Sticks
- Cucumber Sticks or Slices (look for English cucumbers which have fewer seeds)
- Cauliflower or Broccoli Florets
- Celery Sticks
- Radishes
- Snap or Snow Peas
- Pita Bread (heat it in your toaster to make it extra delicious)
- Pita Chips
- Crackers
- Pretzels (twists, rods / sticks, and crisps are all delish)
- Bagel Chips
- Tortilla Chips
You get the idea … pretty much anything can be dipped in hummus!
It’s also possible to use this versatile dip in recipes. I love hummus in sandwiches and wraps, like my Hummus Sandwich with Pesto and Veggies. It’s also a tasty addition to bowl meals with grains and other fresh ingredients … try this Roasted Veggie Bowl or this Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl. Or spread it on pita or flatbread and top with veggies for fun twist on pizza.
However you eat it, you are sure to LOVE this simple hummus recipe!
Looking for more Hummus inspiration?
Once you master this basic hummus dip, change up the flavors by adding other ingredients!
Trying introducing spices (like cumin, chili powder, or curry), blending in your fave veggies (artichokes would be delish), or even substituting different beans for the chickpeas (try black or white beans to start).
Here are my favorite favorite hummus recipes to inspire you!
- Sun Dried Tomato Hummus
- Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish
- Layered Greek Hummus Dip
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Easy Olive Hummus
Learn how to make Hummus with this easy, authentic recipe!
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup tahini
- half a lemon, juiced
- salt, to taste
- extra virgin olive oil, optional
- paprika, optional
- veggies, such as cucumbers, peppers, carrots, grape tomatoes, etc.
- pita bread, pita chips, and/or crackers
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Pulse garlic clove in a food processor until minced.
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Scrape down sides of food processor, then add chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Blend until totally smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. If needed, add a little water (or liquid from canned chickpeas) to thin the hummus out.
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Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and/or lemon juice, if desired. Transfer hummus to a bowl, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika (optional).
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Serve with veggies, pita bread, pita chips, and/or crackers. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
To Make Hummus Without Tahini:
Replace tahini with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Prepare as directed. You can also use sesame oil instead of olive oil for more sesame flavor.
Let me know if you try making hummus from scratch, or if you make one of my other hummus recipes.
I’d love to know what you think!
What is your favorite kind of hummus?
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