Hummus Recipe

The very BEST Hummus Recipe is creamy, smooth, flavorful, and a million times better than even your very favorite store-bought version. Made using a handful of simple pantry ingredients, including chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon, and cumin, learn how to make hummus and enjoy it with all your favorite Mediterranean dishes and as a healthy snack.

What is Hummus?

Hummus is a smooth, luscious, and creamy dip made by blending cooked chickpeas with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and ground cumin. Popular throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean, it has seen a recent rise in popularity throughout Europe and the United States as premade store-bought versions have become readily available in an assortment of flavors including garlic, pesto, chipotle, and sun-dried tomato. 

Best served with pita bread or warm flatbread, no matter which flavor hummus you choose to make, homemade is always best. Keep reading to learn how easy it is to make classic, homemade hummus right at home.

What is Hummus Made of?

• Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)
• Tahini
• Olive oil
• Fresh lemon Juice
• Cold water
• Ground cumin
• Salt

For the full list and amounts of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Fresh Chickpeas vs. Canned Chickpeas

My secret to delicious, creamy hummus? Skip the canned chickpeas and cook your own dried chickpeas. After making homemade hummus countless times, I can tell you that this is the most important thing you can do to set your hummus apart from all those store-bought versions. Learn how to cook chickpeas in the Instant Pot in less than 1 hour – no soaking required!

How to Make Hummus

1. Puree the tahini, olive oil, cold water, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and smashed garlic cloves in a large food processor or high-speed blender until smooth, and the garlic is blended (1-2 minutes).
2. Add the cooked chickpeas and continue to process until smooth and creamy (3-4 minutes).
3. Add additional water or tahini if your hummus is too thick or dry. I typically start with an additional 2-3 tablespoons of water, then taste. If it needs more tahini flavor, I’ll add a couple of tablespoons of tahini plus a couple more tablespoons of water. 
4. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.

Popular hummus garnishes:

• Olive oil
• Fresh chopped parsley
• Paprika, cumin, sumac, or chili powder
• Pine nuts
• Roasted chickpeas

Is Hummus Healthy?

Hummus has been linked to a number of nutritional health benefits (source),

1. It is nutrient-dense – Studies have shown that consumers of hummus take in higher volumes of dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron.
2. Weight management – Some studies have shown that chickpeas may help in weight management as well as glucose and insulin regulation, given their low glycemic index (GI) or ability to raise blood sugar (source).
3. One of the best sources of plant-based protein with 8 grams per serving.
4. It is naturally vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free.

What to Eat with Hummus?

• Veggies! Some of the most popular hummus-dipping veggies include grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber, carrot sticks, sugar snap peas (my personal favorite!), bell peppers, and radish.
• Pita chips
• Create your own mezze platter and serve it with warm pita bread, falafel, olives, fresh vegetables, and this tabouli salad.
• Use in place of mayonnaise or mustard for a healthier, less fattening sandwich or chicken wrap.
• Getting tired of plain avocado toast? Add a little hummus to your favorite avo toast recipe like this avocado toast with beet hummus.
• Make a vibrant veggie bowl filled with roasted vegetables, quinoa, nuts, greens, and dried fruit!

Have you tried making this delicious hummus recipe?

Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes. I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.