This homemade classic hummus is smooth, creamy, and flavorful. It’s also super easy to make and way fresher than store bought brands.
Nowadays, if you look for hummus in a grocery store there are too many variations to choose from. While premade hummus is convenient, and I will admit to buying it at times, it’s also simple to make it at home. All this classic hummus recipe requires are a few ingredients and a food processor or powerful blender. Once you make hummus at home you won’t want to go back to store bought!
What is Hummus?
Hummus is a delicious dip or spread made from a few key ingredients: chickpeas (or garbanzo beans), tahini (ground sesame paste), lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and spices. It is commonly eaten in the Mediterranean and Middle East, with various countries adding their twist with staple ingredients or spices.
Tahini adds the characteristic flavor to hummus
Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. While some recipes may omit or substitute tahini for other nut butters, it is the key flavor in authentic hummus. Tahini is what gives hummus its nutty and slightly earthy taste.
Where do you find Tahini?
Tahini can be purchased at most grocery stores. It’s typically found in the ethnic aisle, near other nut/seed butters, or in the health foods area. Like other nut butters, tahini has a long shelf life, so I guarantee you will use the container before it goes bad. Besides using it to make this hummus, tahini is great in salad dressings, sauces, or used as a spread.
Hummus Nutrition
Compared to other dips or spreads , which are usually made of a base of mayonnaise or sour cream, hummus is much more nutrient dense. The main ingredient in hummus is chickpeas, which provide a balance of complex carbohydrates and protein. Chickpeas also pack a variety of other key nutrients like iron, potassium, folate, phosphorus and manganese.
Both tahini and olive oil are also good sources of healthy unsaturated fats, which can help reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Since tahini is made from sesame seeds, it will give you some extra protein, fiber, B vitamins, zinc, and other nutrients. Hummus will keep you full and satisfied because it contains healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
Be mindful of portion size
Although hummus is packed with nutritious ingredients, being high in healthy fats means it’s also high in calories. A two tablespoon serving size of hummus ranges roughly from 50-80 calories in most brands. However, two tablespoons is an unrealistic serving size, even as a snack. It’s very easy to consume multiple servings in one sitting. This doesn’t even account for the pita bread or chips you use to dip, which can put the calories over the top. Excess of any food, healthy food included, can lead to weight gain.
Because of this it’s important for you to be mindful about the portion size of hummus you are eating. Better yet, pair your hummus with vegetables for a healthy balanced snack with even more nutrients. Also, instead of eating out of the large container of hummus, portion out ¼ cup on a separate plate which will give you a satisfying dose of protein, fiber, and nutrients.
Recipe Tips for Creamy, Smooth Hummus:
- I use canned chickpeas to cut back on preparation time but you can certainly use dried.
- Boil the canned chickpeas with 1 teaspoon baking soda for 20 minutes. This will ensure they are overcooked and tender. I promise it is worth the time. I tested hummus with boiling and without , and boiling resulted in a much smoother, creamy consistency.
- Also, no need to peel the skins off the chickpeas. I tried it and it is time consuming. Honestly I couldn’t tell the difference.
- Be patient. Use a food processor or high speed blender and blend for a total of 4-5 minutes. This will ensure a great creamy consistency.
- Use freshly squeezed lemons over bottled lemon juice.
- Though this recipe comes together quickly, I suggest refrigerating it for at least an hour to chill. Let the flavors meld together and the hummus will thicken slightly.
Endless toppings
I suggest the first time you make this recipe you keep it classic. After that, adjust seasonings or add more liquid for a creamy texture. There are endless toppings you can incorporate when serving this classic dip. I usually drizzle some olive oil on top and sprinkle it with parsley, paprika, or other seasonings like sumac. Experiment with toasted pine nuts, crunchy chickpeas, chopped olives, roasted red peppers, minced garlic, or whatever else you enjoy.
Hummus Recipe Variations
Get creative and try adding different ingredients for various hummus flavors. Some options include:
- Roast the garlic cloves
- Blend roasted red peppers
- Add a spoonful of pesto
- Blend in a cooked beet
- Make it spicy- blend hot peppers or your favorite hot sauce
- Blend in olives
- Or try a sweet version, like chocolate
If you need other healthy snack inspiration, check out:
Homemade Classic Hummus Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-15 oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3-4 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1- 1 ½ cloves of garlic minced, depending upon size and flavor preference
- ¼ cup Tahini
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- Pinch of salt
- 2 Tablespoons ice cold water
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas in a medium saucepan and add the baking soda. Cover the chickpeas by several inches of water, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Continue boiling for 20 minutes. Reduce heat if necessary to prevent overflow.
- While chickpeas are boiling, place minced garlic in a small bowl with 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice to completely submerge garlic. Let the mixture rest so the garlic flavor can mellow, ideally 5-10 minutes.
- After 20 mins of boiling, chickpeas will look quite soft and the skins will be falling off. Drain chickpeas and run under cold water for 30 seconds. Set aside *
- Add the cooked chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, cumin, black pepper, salt, along with the lemon juice garlic mixture to the food processor. Puree for 2 minutes.
- While running the food processor, drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice cold water. Puree additional 2-3 minutes until smooth, pausing halfway to scrape down the sides.
- Taste and season with additional cumin, lemon juice, black pepper or salt if needed. If it seems too thick, add in either water or lemon juice for more lemon flavor. Add 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached (I added an extra tablespoon of lemon juice because I like it lemony). The hummus will thicken in the refrigerator as well.
- When hummus is at your desired taste and consistency, scrape into a sealed container and place in the refrigerator or serve immediately. I enjoy the hummus chilled, plus it gives it time for the flavors to blend. When ready to serve, garnish with your desired toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Some recipes call for removing the skins for really smooth hummus. I was trying to reduce the preparation time since we are already boiling for 20 minutes. However, I found the baking soda breaks down the chickpea skins, and peeling wasn’t necessary to obtain a smooth creamy consistency. If you want to use dried chickpeas, go for it. I was trying to reduce cooking time. Just be sure to overcook the dried chickpeas so they are soft. Adjust the garlic, tahini, and lemon to your flavor desire. I like mine with a nice garlic and lemon flavor so I have a little more garlic in this recipe and I add the extra tablespoon of lemon juice.
Enjoy this homemade classic hummus as a dip with warm pita, crackers, chips or vegetable sticks. You can also use it as a flavorful condiment and spread it on sandwiches and wraps, or thin it for a sauce or dressing.
This homemade classic hummus is so fresh and delicious, you will want to make it all the time.
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