Hummus
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Smooth and creamy with just the right balance of tahini, lemon, and garlic, this is my go-to hummus recipe—without any soaking, peeling, or other fussy steps.
I first traveled to Israel in college, and I’ve been lucky enough to return a few times since. Hummus is practically its own food group there, and on one of my trips, I was fortunate enough to learn this recipe from a kabob maker in the Old City of Jerusalem. It’s been my go-to ever since.
A staple throughout the Middle East, hummus is a simple blend of chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic, but getting the texture and balance just right makes all the difference. Many recipes call for starting with dried chickpeas or peeling them one by one, but after trying those methods myself, I don’t think the extra work is necessary. Canned chickpeas and a few minutes in the food processor give you wonderfully smooth, creamy hummus with a fraction of the effort.
“This hummus recipe is FANTASTIC — the best I have ever had — and also ridiculously easy to make. No more store-bought hummus for me!”
What You’ll Need To Make Hummus
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas make this recipe quick and easy, and after experimenting with dried chickpeas, I’ve found the difference in the finished hummus is minimal. Be sure to reserve some of the liquid from the can—you’ll use it to adjust the consistency. If you prefer to start with dried chickpeas, cook them until very tender and use some of the cooking liquid in place of the reserved canning liquid.
- Tahini: This sesame paste gives hummus its distinctive nutty flavor and creamy texture. Tahini naturally separates in the jar, so give it a good stir before measuring.
- Fresh lemon juice: Adds brightness and acidity, balancing the richness of the tahini and olive oil. Freshly squeezed makes a noticeable difference here.
- Garlic: A small amount goes a long way in hummus. Since it’s added raw, its flavor will be quite pronounced, so I wouldn’t be tempted to add extra.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Adds richness and helps give the hummus a smooth, luscious texture. I also like to drizzle a little over the top for serving.
- Cumin & cayenne: Cumin adds earthy warmth, while a pinch of cayenne gives the hummus a subtle kick without making it spicy.
- Paprika: Adds a pop of color and a subtle, smoky flavor. If you’re looking to switch things up, try sumac or za’atar instead. Sumac is a tangy, lemony spice; za’atar is a spice blend that typically includes thyme, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Hummus
Drain the chickpeas, then combine them in a food processor with the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and creamy. Let the machine run for several minutes—the extra processing time makes a noticeable difference in the texture.
No food processor? A high-powered blender works well, though you may need a little extra chickpea liquid to keep everything moving.
Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl and use the back of a spoon to make a few swirls on top. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with a few chickpeas and a sprinkle of paprika or fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Once you’ve got the classic down, try my roasted red pepper hummus—it’s just as easy and adds a sweet, smoky twist to the original.
Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 (15½ oz) cans chickpeas
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 2 lemons
- ¼ cup sesame tahini, well stirred (preferably Joyva Sesame Tahini)
- 2 small cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
- Paprika for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Reserving the liquid from the cans, drain the chickpeas in a colander (no need to rinse them). Set a few chickpeas aside for garnishing the hummus.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with metal blade, combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, olive oil, and ⅓ cup of the reserved canning liquid. Process for several minutes until smooth and creamy. The hummus should hold its shape when you drag a spoon through it; add more liquid and process again if it seems too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Use the back of a spoon to swirl a shallow well in the center. Drizzle a little olive oil in the well; sprinkle with parsley and paprika, then garnish with the reserved chickpeas. Serve at room temperature with pita bread, pita chips or crudités.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Only hummus recipe you will ever need! Spices are on point. So much tastier than store-bought. Thank you!
So good! I’m not a big fan of chickpeas so this is a perfect way for me to get them into my diet. This recipe is so fast and easy, less than 5 minutes to make. I’ll be making this again. Thank you!!
Hi Jenn, I can’t wait to try this recipe, but I don’t like the taste of cumin at all! Is there a substitute you recommend? Thank you for all of your delicious recipes!
Hi Mimi, It’s perfectly fine to just leave it out. Enjoy!
This hummus is FANTASTIC–the best I have ever had–and also ridiculously easy to make. No more store-bought hummus for me!
I am going to make it again but this time would like to add roasted garlic for a change. Jenn, any recommendations how much I should add?
Glad you like it! I’d add 2 to 3 roasted garlic cloves. I may suggest starting with 2 and you can always make it with 3 the next time if you’d like more of that garlicky flavor. 😊
Hello Jen, I have made your hummus recipe multiple times now and I feel like I’m not quite getting the best flavor. I use roasted garlic, but otherwise follow the recipe as written. As I live in Portugal, my choices for Tahini are limited. I use jarred chick peas that I put in the microwave for a few minutes with baking soda in order to remove the skin (I think the hummus has a better texture without the skins). What are your suggestions for “punching up” the flavor just a bit? More tahini? More cumin? Obrigada!
Hi Diane, I would start out by using fresh garlic instead of roasted ( when you roast it, it mutes the flavor). Also, the baking soda may have an impact on the overall flavor of the hummus. If you want to try punching it up a little, you could experiment with adding a little more garlic or lemon juice. Hope that helps!
We love this recipe and use it to make hummus regularly.
Recently I started buying garbonzo beans from the Palouse Brand website. It is a farm in Washington state. The taste is much better than any canned beans.
You have the best website on the internet and we recommend it frequently.
This hummus is the absolute best! I’ve made humus for 10 years all different ways and this recipe is the only one I follow now. It is perfect !
Delicious, never thought to keep the liquid from the Chick Peas before – worked well! I added one of my Hungarian Peppers and some parsley. Absolutely perfect. Served with a tomato/cucumber salad and grilled chicken. Sooooo good.
Nice recipe! I am on the fence about the chick pea skins: I usually drain the can, then pour the chickpeas onto a dish cloth, fold over and gently rub. Any skins that are loose, I pick out but don’t worry about the rest.
Yum! It freezes well, too. Thank you, Jenn.
Good to know. Thanks for taking the time to share that this can be frozen. I’m cooking for one.
This is very good. I’ve tried all kinds of hummus recipes, from using dried chickpeas soaking, not soaking, instant pot, boiling, and of course canned. Some say peel the skins, I agree with Jenn that it’s pointless (and labor intensive).
Jenn’s recipe has the right balance of all the flavorings. 1/4c of FRESH lemon juice is really key in this, and the only adjustment was I used closer to 1/2 cup of tahini based on other recipes that hailed it as a must for really tasty and smooth hummus.
I tried using roasted garlic (so good) which I thought was quite good.
The texture is fantastic and I really liked it.
Other recipes try things like whipping the lemon juice, tahini and aquafava together, so I tried that in the food processor before adding the chickpeas. Not sure if that made a difference or not but I tried it. I needed to add a little more liquid so I tried another tip from other recipes by adding ice cubes instead of water. Again, not sure if that did anything but the end result was definitely a hit.
This will be my go-to recipe, and buh-bye to dealing with dried beans and the instant pot!