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Home » Appetizers + Snacks » Hummus Recipe

Hummus Recipe

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
August 2, 2022
4.86 from 49 votes


Last Updated August 2, 2022 | 9 Comments

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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.

White bowl filled with creamy classic hummus drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fresh parsley and paprika.

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.

Ingredients needed to make homemade hummus.

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.

Can you make hummus without tahini?

A thick and creamy paste made from sesame seeds, tahini adds flavor and helps make perfect, creamy smooth hummus. Although yes, it can be made without tahini, I wouldn’t recommend it – unless, of course, it is an ingredient you need to avoid for dietary reasons.

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!

Helpful conversions

  • 1 (15-oz) can of chickpeas equals approx. 1.5 cups (drained)
  • This recipe calls for approximately 4 cups of cooked chickpeas. If you’re using canned, you will need between 2-3 cans (but closer to 3). Don’t forget to drain and rinse your chickpeas before using them.
Process of making classic hummus in a large food processor.

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

Leftover Hummus

For best results, enjoy within 4-5 days and always keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Adding garlic and garbanzo beans to make hummus

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.
Food processor filled with homemade hummus.

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!
White bowl filled with creamy classic hummus.

Try these other dip recipes,

  • Muhammara Recipe (Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)
  • Baba Ganoush Recipe
  • Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
  • Homemade White Bean Hummus
  • Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe
White bowl filled with creamy classic hummus.

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.

White bowl filled with creamy classic hummus.

Hummus Recipe

4.86 from 49 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
This is the very BEST Hummus Recipe! Creamy, smooth, flavorful, and a million times better than your favorite store-bought version.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Appetizer, Condiment, Snack
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Servings 8 servings
Calories 271 kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • Blender

Ingredients
 
 

  • ¾ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup good-quality olive oil
  • 6 tablespoon cold water - plus more as needed
  • 1 large lemon - juiced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic - peeled and smashed
  • 4 cups cooked chickpeas - (see notes)

Optional Garnishes

  • extra virgin olive oil
  • dash of paprika
  • fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
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Instructions
 

  • Add the tahini, olive oil, cold water, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and smashed garlic cloves to a large food processor or high-speed blender. Process until smooth and the garlic is blended.
  • Add the chickpeas and process until smooth and creamy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
  • If your hummus is too thick or dry, add additional water or tahini- or a combination of both (although I highly recommend you start with 2-3 tablespoons of water and go from there).
  • Season with additional salt, to taste, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, paprika, or fresh parsley, if desired.
  • For best results enjoy within 4-5 days. Keep leftovers stored in the refrigerator.

Jessica’s Notes

My biggest secret to delicious, creamy hummus? It’s the chickpeas. Or, put another way, it’s using chickpeas that did not come from a can. I know, canned garbanzo beans are soooo much more convenient, but they lack flavor, they’re firmer, and they just don’t turn out as creamy.
  • 1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas equals approx. 1.5 cups.
  • You will need at least 2-3 cans of chickpeas to make this recipe if you did not cook your own dried chickpeas – make sure you have an extra can just in case.
  • Learn how to cook dried chickpeas in the Instant Pot in this post (it takes less than 1 hour, start to finish!)
This is one recipe where you may need to play with the water, lemon juice, and tahini amounts to get the consistency just right.
Also, don’t forget that hummus needs salt. Season to taste.
This recipe is naturally vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 527mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword How to Make Hummus, Hummus, Hummus Recipe
Did You Make This Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @theforkedspoon or tag #theforkedspoon and please leave your star rating in the comment section below.

About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

12.5K shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

Comments

  1. Debbie says

    July 31, 2022 at 12:32 pm

    5 stars
    Make my own with dried chick peas. Lots of herbs and spices. Serve warm for breakfast. When I found that in Lebanon that’s how they eat it. With fresh pita. Both warm. With fresh garlic and olive oil served on top.

    Reply
  2. Anna says

    April 17, 2021 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    It turned out delicious! I don’t have an InstaPot, but I cooked my beans according to the package directions in a pot along with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, bay leaf, fresh cracked pepper, and salt. We ate half and froze half.

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      April 18, 2021 at 8:06 am

      Thank you for the 5 star review Anna, I appreciate the delicious feedback 😀

      Reply
  3. Michael says

    December 2, 2020 at 4:34 pm

    5 stars
    I found it tasted great with canned chickpeas, as I don’t have an Instant Pot… is it realistic to expect EVERYONE to have an instant pot?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 5, 2021 at 10:29 pm

      I agree. I don’t have an InstaPot.

      Reply
  4. Linda Norwood says

    November 25, 2020 at 6:18 am

    What to do if ,if I put too much salt in the water when cooking the beans.just made it and it is salty tasting.

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      November 25, 2020 at 8:29 am

      If you think it’s too salty after cooking the beans, you can always lightly rinse the beans with fresh water and thoroughly dry them. Then add less salt to the food processor when blending the hummus 🙂

      Reply
  5. Gabby says

    October 20, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    How many cups does it make?

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      October 21, 2020 at 8:27 am

      4.5 to 5 cups 🙂

      Reply

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

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