This Middle Eastern dip is a classic and is loved worldwide. It’s healthy, hearty, and great for a mid-day snack or as an accompaniment to a weeknight dinner. This homemade hummus is rich, velvety, and irresistibly delicious.
Hummus is a traditional Middle Eastern dip made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It’s often topped with parsley, paprika, and olive oil and enjoyed with warm pita bread. It’s also a great topping for veggies and sandwiches. I could seriously eat hummus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Although there are many flavor variations of hummus found in the West, this recipe doesn’t stray far from the original. Why mess with a classic?
Ingredient Notes for Best Homemade Hummus
- Chickpeas: I definitely use canned beans for this recipe. If you’ve got your heart set on using dried, then go for it. Canned beans are healthy and convenient. I usually look for a low-sodium variety. Save the juice or aquafaba if you want to make this dish oil-free.
- Aquafaba: You might be asking, what is aquafaba? Aquafaba is the starchy liquid found in canned chickpeas (or the cooking water from dried chickpeas). It is used in a variety of vegan recipes due to its versatility in replacing various ingredients. It is often used as an egg substitute, but here we can use it to replace the olive oil if you are looking for an oil-free recipe. The liquid helps emulsify the other ingredients and create a creamy texture.
- Tahini: This is a creamy, nutty paste made from ground sesame seeds. It’s a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, commonly used in dishes like hummus, baba ganoush, and salad dressings. It adds a rich, slightly earthy flavor and is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and nutrient-dense.
Preparation Tips:
- It is very important to blend the other ingredients before adding the drained chickpeas. You will not get a homogeneous texture or flavor consistency otherwise.
- The cold water is meant to thin the mixture. slightly without altering the flavor profile.
- Of course, I recommend getting good-quality tahini. Oftentimes you will see that most of the oil has risen to the top of the jar. You want to try to mix this as well as you can so that you are measuring out a paste and not oil.
- Once you have blended everything in the food processor, I prefer to refrigerate the hummus for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to bloom, so to speak. However, there’s no rule against serving it immediately so do what works for you.
Best Homemade Hummus
Course: RecipesDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutesIngredients
2 large tablespoons of tahini
Juice of 1 lemon (2–3 tablespoons)
Cold water, about 2 tablespoons
1-2 tablespoons olive oil (or aquafaba)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp course ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 medium cloves garlic, finely diced
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
optional toppings: chopped fresh parsley, paprika, toasted pine nuts
Directions
- Add tahini, cold water, olive oil, cumin, salt, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor and blend well.
- Add in the chickpeas. Begin to puree while slowly drizzling in the olive oil from the top of the food processor lid. If you are using aguafaba, you can add it here.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed and give a few more pulses. Adjust seasonings as needed.
- Ideally, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to set. Add optional toppings as desired.
