Hummus
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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.
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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!