Learn how to make the best homemade Classic Hummus Recipe from scratch! Be prepared to dip your pitas, veggies, and more into this creamy Mediterranean side.
We love whipping up a bowl of homemade hummus. It takes no time at all, lasts a long time in the refrigerator, and you can use it for so many dishes. My favorite is dipping pitas, carrots and cucumbers. Save a trip to Trader Joe's and make your very own dip.
What does hummus taste like? Hummus has a smooth, creamy texture getting its flavor mostly from chickpeas with a hint of tahini. Add garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil and you get a flavorful side dish and dip.
Dip into your favorites with this easy recipe. Here are other fun dips you can enjoy Rotel Dip, Pico De Gallo, and Carribean Green Seasoning.
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What is hummus made of?
So what is hummus? What makes this dip so irresistible, creamy, and delicious? We use the best ingredients like olive oil, chickpeas, lemon, cumin, and of course tahini.
- Chickpeas- Use canned chickpeas for quick easy access. If you remove the skins from the chickpeas, you'll get a smoother texture.
- Garlic- Minced garlic will give it a stronger flavor.
- Tahini- Tahini will give this dip an authentic taste but will also add to it's creamy texture.
- Lemon Juice- Use either lemon juice or the juice from one lemon.
- Olive Oil-For the best flavor, be sure to use olive oil.
- Cumin- Cumin will give the hummus that authentic taste you are looking for.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Classic Hummus
Learn how to make our favorite hummus. Plus it's quick and easy!
- Add the chickpeas, salt and cumin to a food processor or high speed blender.
- Process until smooth and powdery. It won't look like the right texture just yet.
- Add the tahini, lemon juice, and oil and blend for another 5 minutes. If it's too thick add a small amount of cold water at a time.
- Add the made from scratch Hummus to a serving dish and top with more olive oil. Serve and enjoy!
Hint: You can make this a dressing by adding water until it reaches the right consistency.
Substitutions and Variations
Classic hummus is a favorite dip but we also love the extra flavors of hummus. Try some of these fun variations.
- Everything bagel-Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning on top. For a stronger flavor you can mix 1 teaspoon into the hummus. We get our seasoning from Trader Joe's.
- Garlic hummus- Definitely a fan favorite, garlic hummus is easy to make too. All you need to do is double the garlic.
- Cilantro Jalapeno- This is a tasty variation, add 1 roughly chopped jalapeno with or without seeds and 2 Tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro at time of chickpeas.
- Spicy- Make it spicy by adding ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes at same time as chickpeas.
What can I use instead of tahini?
We feel like it's super important to use tahini while making from scratch hummus. It makes it authentic. But, if you’re out of tahini, you can still make delicious hummus by using substitutes like peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter for a similar creamy texture and nutty flavor. You can even blend in sesame seeds directly for a closer match to tahini's original flavor!
Greek yogurt can also be used for a lighter, tangy twist. I've made it without any substitute and only used olive oil. It kept the hummus smooth and was still tasty, though it may lacked the nutty flavor of tahini.
What to eat with Hummus
There are so many ways to enjoy Hummus! Our favorite way to serve this is with our tasty Chicken Shawarma, Shawarma bowl. Add it with our Tzatziki Sauce, Tahini Sauce, and Tahini Dressing and you have a complete meal.
You can also add it to a platter as the perfect dip for vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and celery sticks. And of course, you can't forget pitas and pita chips.
Some people even like to use it as a pasta sauce or use tortilla chips to dip.
Baba Ganoush vs. Hummus
Baba ganoush and hummus are both creamy Middle Eastern dips, but they have distinct flavors and base ingredients. Hummus is made from chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and lemon. Baba ganoush uses roasted eggplant as its base giving it a deeper flavor with a lighter, almost silky texture compared to hummus.
Storage
Store prepared hummus in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 4-5 days. Make sure to stir before enjoying just in case the ingredients settled.
Can you freeze hummus? Absolutely! I freeze hummus with great results. Just make sure to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and give it a stir before serving.
Top tip
For a smoother, creamier hummus, peel the chickpeas. To do this, soak chickpeas in hot baking soda water (add 1-2 Tablespoons) for about 5 minutes. Place in a colander and while running water over them, gently rub them to remove the skins. This is not required!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Classic Hummus Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 oz chickpeas canned
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 Tablespoons tahini
- 2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice or juice from one lemon
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1-4 Tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Place chickpeas and garlic in the bowl of food processor. Process until smooth and powdery. This took quite a while in my food processor, about 4-6 minutes. Add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and salt. Process for about 5 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, start adding water 1 Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Notes
- I usually only need to add about 1-2 Tablespoons water for the right consistency. Sometimes it can take more water though.
- If you'd like to make this as more of a sauce or a dressing, just add more water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Feel free to add whatever spices desired! I love to top ours with a dash of sumac and a drizzle of olive oil. Try topping yours with roasted red bell peppers, jalapenos, roasted garlic and more.
Andrea says
Love this authentic classic hummus recipe. It's so smooth and it was easy to make!