Best Easy Hummus Recipe
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Say farewell to mediocre store-bought hummus—my hummus recipe guarantees a creamy, whipped, flavor-packed spread, ideal for scooping with pita or as a standout on any Middle Eastern table.
Hummus is a Middle Eastern spread made from a blend of chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and spices. It’s commonly served as a starter or mezze, paired with pita bread, or as a side to dishes like falafel, kofta, Israeli salad or chicken kabobs. I was fortunate enough to learn this authentic hummus recipe from a kabob maker in the Old City of Jerusalem. Using a few smart shortcuts I’ll share with you, it’s surprisingly easy to replicate at home.
Why go to the effort of making homemade hummus when you can just buy a tub at the store? For starters, homemade hummus skips the soybean oil often found in store-bought varieties, staying true to traditional olive oil, and it swaps the artificial tang of citric acid with fresh lemon juice. Plus, no preservatives! Not only is homemade hummus healthier, but it also delivers a flavor that is heads and shoulders above store-bought varieties.
Table of Contents
“This hummus 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 My Easy Hummus Recipe
- Canned Chickpeas: The base of the hummus, providing a smooth texture and a nutty flavor.
- Lemon juice: Adds brightness and acidity.
- Sesame Tahini: Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini contributes a rich, nutty flavor and creamy texture. It is also used in other Middle East dishes, such as baba ghanoush, tahini sauce, and halva. You can find it in most supermarkets near the other nut butters.
- Garlic: Adds a pungent kick and depth of flavor.
- Cumin and Cayenne Pepper: These spices provide earthiness and a slight heat, respectively.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil adds richness, smoothness, and a fruity aroma to the hummus. It also helps in blending the ingredients into a cohesive mixture. Drizzling olive oil on top before serving adds an extra layer of flavor and makes for a visually appealing presentation.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by draining the chickpeas in a colander (no need to rinse them). You’ll need to save the canning liquid for the recipe and set aside a few whole chickpeas for serving.
Next, combine the drained chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, spices and 1/3 cup of the canning liquid in the bowl of a food processor.
Blitz for a few minutes until smooth and creamy, adding more of the reserved liquid to thin the hummus if desired. The hummus should just hold its shape when you drag a spoon through it.
Transfer the dip to a bowl and use a spoon to form a shallow well in the center. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the well, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and top with the reserved whole chick peas. Serve with pita wedges, pita chips or crudités. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
While many hummus aficionados insist on using dried chickpeas for authenticity, I assure you, it’s not necessary. I’ve made hummus both ways and find there’s virtually no difference in the final product’s taste or texture. The convenience of canned chickpeas makes the process simpler and just as delicious.
I have seen recipes that call for peeling the chickpeas, supposedly because the skins prevent the hummus from getting super creamy. I tried it—it took forever, and I could not tell the difference. Keep it simple!
When you open a can of tahini, you will notice that the solids settle in the bottom the can, similar to natural peanut butter. It is very difficult to stir tahini in the can (the solids on the bottom are quite stiff) so I suggest scraping the entire contents of the can into a bowl, then using a whisk or hand-held electric mixer to blend. Place whatever tahini you don’t use back in the can and refrigerate until needed.
Yes! Hummus can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Video Tutorial
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Best Easy Hummus Recipe
Say farewell to mediocre store-bought hummus—my hummus recipe guarantees a creamy, whipped, flavor-packed spread, ideal for scooping with pita or as a standout on any Middle Eastern table.
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 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 add 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.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Hummus can be made and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator up to two days ahead of time. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 98
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Sugar: 0
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 225 mg
- Cholesterol: 0
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.
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My first attempt at Hummus and it was great. So much better than store bought. And my husband actually ate it. A plus for me!
I made it and it was great. Sometimes I add some sun dried tomatoes, also yummy!
This is delicious, light, full of flavor and looked great which is not easy with hummus. Everyone loved it, I served with the pita you recommended for whipped feta, another delicious appetizer. Every time I have company, I try another recipe…..that’s how perfect your recipes are….thanks!! I also made sweet and sour shrimp and broccoli…..also great! Oh, yeah…..hoisin ribs and Thai slaw…..very busy and successful cooking weekend! You are the best!!!
💗
Awesome recipe. Highly recommend it.
Hi Jenn
Yum! The very best hummus. How long will this keep in the fridge? I am the only one eating it and it makes a lot. I see that the recipe says can be made two days in advance before serving. So, does that mean it has a three day life? Just want to know before I try cutting the next batch in half.
This hummus is the best I have ever had, better than shop brought and easy to make!
I would give you A THOUSAND stars in reviews.
My partner (Japanese) isn’t into any kind of spread (eggplant, pate, etc.) but oh boy how much he could eat of this hummus! :))
He was very skeptical when I served it with veggies and toast for breakfast but in the end he was like “you must enter this in your regular menu” :)))
I love it too and will surely make it again!
Thank you for all your work and efforts to provide us with easy to follow delicious recipes!
Hi Jenn! This review (or actually these words of gratitude) is long overdue! I’ve been a follower of yours for a pretty long time and right from the beginning, realized that you are an amazing cook (chef)! Absolutely every recipe that I have made of yours has been stupendous! Recently I’ve been on a hummus kick, seeking out my favorite recipe and then, there it was! The easiest, MOST wonderful hummus ever!!! (And, I think I’m a pretty good cook!). So.. thank you forever and ever!!!😘
You are so welcome, Sharon!! xoxo
Another successful recipe from Once Upon a Chef! I added a bit more garlic and it really amped up the flavor. This will be another go-to recipe in our house.
Hi Jenn, I live in Asia. So Tahini may not be available. Could I just toast the said amount of sesame seeds and grind them to a paste (instead of buying Tahini)? I do that for Japanese Sesame Dressing. Thanks.
Hi, I think you’ll need to add oil to the sesame seeds to make tahini paste. Here’s a recipe (keep in mind that I’ve never made this recipe but it seems pretty straightforward and gets good ratings). Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn, this is the first time I’ve made hummus. It was super easy and delicious, as promised
I will never buy hummus again. Thank you.
Delicious and super easy. I topped it with harissa olive oil. Really excellent.
Home made Much better than store bought Glop!
Tahini, peanut butter etc can be stirred thoroughly by putting 1 beater on a hand mixer & sticking it into to the jar. Hang On! (clean non greasy hands) put mixer on Low or prep for a new kinda facial & wall paint.🤣
I made this yesterday and whole family loved it! i didn’t have that brand of tahini but used an israeli brand. Will be making my own hummus from now on!
Fantastic hummus!
I just returned from my first trip to Israel, where the food was wonderful and the hummus amazing. I doubted my ability to reproduce it at home, but I gave this a try. My only substitution was the Soom tahini recommended by Michael Solomonov of Zahav fame. And also, as Mr. Solomonov suggests, I processed the ingredients in the food processor, and then I processed them some more! The key is to process much longer than you think, five minutes at least. The result is amazing hummus, as good as I remembered from Israel. No comparison to store-bought.
I suspect it can make a big difference what brand of chickpeas you use due to flavor, texture, and salt content. Quality is even more important if you’re adding the canning liquid. I noticed that Jen uses Goya which I’ve seen highly rated in the past. I have a hard time finding Goya in the stores where I shop, so I just looked online to see what brands are most recommended.
Goya came out on top in multiple places, and Bush’s also did very well. Westbrae Natural rated well among the organic brands. As some one who lives a block away from Trader Joe’s, it pains me to say that their chickpeas were universally scorned. It might be helpful to look at ratings to figure out the best available choices in your area.
I know Joyva is good tahini, but I don’t buy it because the can size is just too big for someone who lives alone as I do. Just in case you don’t scroll all the way down, there’s an early post here about how you can freeze tahini in small batches. Who knew! Between Marcia’s freeze the tahini suggestion, Jen’s simple recipe and her smart Tahini blending method, I’m looking forward to a summer of homemade hummus. I can’t wait for tomato season . . .
Hi Jen!
If I can’t find Joyva can I buy any tahini?
Thanks,
Erin
I like Joyva best, but if you can’t find it, another brand will work. Hope you enjoy!
I love hummus. This is the best recipe I’ve come across. It’s also quite straight forward. The consistency and flavor is just right. My family likes spice, so I do add an extra pinch of cayenne.
This is my goto hummus recipe. However it makes ALOT. I usually up the amount of spices a bit as we like it a little more spicy. I typically cook dried chickpeas in my instant pot so I have them on hand for recipes such as this.
Hi Jenn,
I made this hummus a few days ago and it was so easy and delicious! My housemate couldn’t stop eating it, so I’m making more for tonite! Movie night. How long do you think this will last(if not gone) in the fridge? I absolutely love every recipe I’ve tried! Thank you. Robin Gabrielle, Seattle Wa
Hi Robin, So glad you like this! It should last nicely in the fridge for about 4 days. 🙂
This is so easy to make and very delicious!! I can’t stop eating it!!
Do you have the nutritional information available?
Also, do you think this would freeze well?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Wendy, glad to hear you like this! I’ve never frozen hummus, so I googled it to see if I could find some info. It appears that it can be frozen and here are some tips for going about it. And I just added nutritional info to this. Hope that helps!
Good recipe. Only wish she would have included instructions for dry chick peas as well.
This hummus is amazing!! I’ve made it many, many times and it is always wonderful!
My Middle Eastern-American friend (and one NYT recipe) swears by Soom brand tahini… bought on Amazon and going to give a try… can’t wait!
Love so many of your recipes!
Soom really is excellent tahini!
Yes, it is excellent tahini!! 😊
How could I sub sesame seeds for the tahini? And prepare in the Vitamix instead of food processor? Which sesame seeds hulled or unhulled? Or is there a reason in your opinion to use the pre-made tahini?
Hi Stacey, It’s no problem to make your own tahini paste if you’d prefer. Here’s a recipe that shows you how (keep in mind that I haven’t tried the recipe). From what I’ve read, it sounds like most tahini recipes use hulled sesame seeds.
Hi Jenn,
I’m really looking forward to preparing this recipe for the first time, as I have loved every other recipe of yours that I’ve tried! Can you please tell me how long you think it will keep? I’d like to prep ahead for a few parties and work potlucks. Thanks in advance for your advice!
Hi Christina, so glad you enjoy the recipes! The hummus should keep nicely in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. Hope your holidays are great!
Amazing! I omitted the tahini and it was still delicious. Another batch I omitted the cayenne too (made for kids) and it was still amazing with a distinctive lemon and garlic zing. Thank you!
Boy, that was easy. I didn’t have lemon juice, so I used lime juice. Tasted awesome. Served on thinly sliced baguettes. Oh God, I’m going to get me another serving it is so good.
This is a staple recipe at our home! My two-year-old daughter will eat it by the spoonful – just like mommy 🙂 We now spend less than half of what we normally did on hummus each week for something far superior. Thanks, Jenn! My only adjustment is to sub water for the canning liquid.
Hi Jenn! I absolutely love all your recipes and pass your name as much as I can to people that love the recipes I make of yours! Question…have you seen Christoper Kimball’s recipe from Milk Street for hummus? I’m very curious to hear your thoughts/comparisons to what he did. I live in Michigan very close to Dearborn…and the hummus is off the charts around here…but pretty expensive. Just trying to get that authentic taste every time! Thanks so much! Julie
Hi Julie, His recipe is very authentic…mine is the lazier version. I don’t think there’s a big difference in taste though. 🙂
Fabulous! I just made half the recipe in my mini food processor and it was so smooth and delicious. Since I am not a tahini fan I added in 1 teaspoon of sesame oil at the end and it was so good. Lovely flavors!
Loved it! You’re recipes are so easy to follow! Can’t wait to try more!
This is a great hummus recipe, thanks so much for it! I added some roasted red peppers and it was delicious, I imagine there could be many variations but it is delicious as written!
This recipe is perfection. Thank you for posting.
I’ve made this several times and just killed a batch tonight for dinner. Very easy to make and I can no longer gag down the store bought stuff that my wife is peddling. It’s also great with avocado if you are light on Tahini.
I made this the other night and both my husband and I agree that this was so much better than anything we have purchased. Added bonus was that it was so simple! The most time-consuming task was opening a can of chickpeas and rinsing them. Pop everything in the food processor, whirr, enjoy. I ate so much I was wishing I’d paired it with carrot sticks instead of pita crackers. This will definitely be a staple.
This was very easy to make and very good. I added about 1t smoked paparika to the recipe. I had many requests for the recipe. This was better than the store bought hummus!
This is my go-to Hummus recipe. Always turns out great and so easy to do. We add roasted red peppers and it’s even better. Thanks!!
This is our new favorite hummus! It is so creamy and the flavors together are so delicious. Sometimes, it comes out a little thicker than we like, so I add a touch more of the reserved liquid from the garbanzo beans. Thanks, Jenn!
Omg better than store bought! And I feel good about feeding it to the kids! I leave out the cayenn because my kids don’t like spice. I’ve been telling all my mom friends about your recipes!!!
OK Jenn, I blame you for the fact that I sat down to watch the ice dancing competition in the Olympics one night and ended up eating an entire bowl of this hummus. I bought some spinach and kale chips to go with it, so yummy. Could you not have made it a little less delicious so I would not eat as much? LOL
🙂 glad you liked it!
Love this recipe! Every time I serve it as appetizer for guests they scarf it down. The garnish suggested in the recipe makes it look so pretty and impressive. Sometimes I just use my emulsion blender when I don’t feel like having to clean my food processor!
Outstanding, easy, always compliments!
Finally! A hummus recipe that I will make again. Turned out perfectly. And it freezes quite nicely.
Hi Jenn, Looking forward to trying this recipe. I made Hummus once before and had issues with the Tahini I bought from Wegman’s in PA. Don’t remember the brand but it had separated and the non oil part was quite thick/hard and it was very difficult to reconstitute it. Do you have any suggestions? Does the brand you suggested not have this issue? Thanks!
Hi Pam, Yes that’s happened to me many, many times. The best thing is to just put it all in a food processor and blend it up. You could also try warming it up in a bowl of hot water; this should make it easier to stir.
Delicious. I made this over the weekend and sprinkled smoked paprika, which complimented the flavor quite nicely.
When using the canned beans, I always rinse until water runs clean, you make no mention of that here. Is it called for?
Hi Carol, typically I would rinse any canned beans, but because you’re adding some of the liquid from the can back into this recipe, it’s not necessary here.
This is the best hummus recipe ever!! I no longer buy store bought hummus. I have given this recipe to others, and they agree that this is the best recipe that they have ever tried. If you love hummus, make this recipe- you won’t be disappointed.
Love the hummus – make it often – thanks for another great recipe !
Question – The hummus is very creamy and moist after I make it; gets thicker and a little drier after a few day.
Is this common ? Anything you recommend I can do ?
Thank you !
Yes that’s normal :). You can always add a tiny bit of water or olive oil to thin it out.
Hi! Can I use cannellini beans instead? I had a cannellini hummus at a restaurant. It was so good and lighter than garbanzo beans but I haven’t the foggiest if they just substituted one white bean for another. The waiter only knew it was cannelloni beans used. Thanks!
Sure, Elsie – that should work.
Dying to know if the cannellini substitution worked.
Thank you for making this such a great website!! The hummus was a hit!!!
Yet another deliciously perfect recipe, Jenn! I just made this in my new food processor, because I was dying to break it in. It has just the right amount of seasoning. The texture is so smooth and creamy. I added more garlic, but that’s just my personal taste. Another winner! It is so worth the time to make at home.:)