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Prepare creamy, smooth hummus using canned or dried chickpeas without peeling! This guide provides essential tips and tricks to perfect homemade hummus like a pro.
Hummus is a popular Middle Eastern dish, especially essential in Lebanese cuisine — no Lebanese mezze is ever complete without it! Made mainly from chickpeas, this dish is loved worldwide as a dip or spread. Preparing it at home is both easy and enjoyable; this authentic recipe requires you to simply blend cooked chickpeas with tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, and garlic until it reaches a smooth texture. Knowing all the secrets allows you to make it light and creamy. Plus, it’s SO much better than store-bought!
What’s in This Post
Ingredients
This simple recipe relies on just five key ingredients:
- Chickpeas: You can use cooked (from dried) or canned chickpeas. For a super creamy, smooth mixture, it’s best to use slightly “mushy” (overcooked) chickpeas.
- Tahini: I use homemade tahini. If you’re using store-bought, try using a high-quality raw unsalted option. This adds a nutty flavor & richness.
- Garlic: It’s traditional to use fresh garlic cloves. Adjust to taste.
- Salt: To season. Adjust the amount to taste.
- Lemon: Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. Adjust the amount to taste (I love mine lemony).
- Water: Ice water can help create fluffier homemade hummus and achieve incredible silky results. Or use aquafaba which blends up super fluffy.
How to make the best hummus
First, get your chickpeas well-softened. Whether using dried or canned, the key to creating creamy, smooth hummus is to cook them until they are very soft. If starting with dried chickpeas, look at the instructions on How to Cook Dried Chickpeas. It’s essential to cook them until they’re very mushy.
If your canned chickpeas aren’t mushy and soft, put them in a pot of water and boil for about 20 minutes until they get really soft. Then just drain them in a sieve, and you’re good to go – no need to peel them!
Next, add the softened chickpeas to a high-speed blender or food processor, along with tahini, minced garlic, salt, lemon juice, and initially only half of the ice water or aquafaba. Blend until the mixture becomes smooth, pausing to scrape the sides if necessary. If the hummus seems too thick, incrementally add more ice water/aquafaba, a tablespoon at a time, until achieving the preferred consistency.
Finally, taste the hummus and adjust the flavor according to your preferences. Once you’re happy with it, serve and garnish with fresh parsley, a few whole chickpeas, a sprinkle of red chili powder, and a drizzle of olive oil!
Ways to eat hummus
I like to eat it with bread/pita alongside some veggies, which complements its flavors perfectly. But there are endless ways to enjoy homemade hummus! Here are some of my favorites:
- Spread: Perfect for sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and alongside warm Pita bread.
- Dip: Dive in with crunchy veggies like carrots, celery, and cucumbers, along with homemade pita chips and savory seed crackers.
- Side: Enjoy as a tasty side addition to dishes like Chicken Tawook and Kofta.
- Pairing: Delicious with flavorful falafel and refreshing tabouli.
To make ahead
To keep your hummus fresh, cover it in the refrigerator where it’s best within 3-4 days but can last up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze it in portions in freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags, removing excess air and leaving room for expansion. Frozen portions can maintain their quality for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
More hummus recipes
If you try this easy hummus recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Best Hummus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 x15 oz/425g cans (drained and liquid/aquafaba reserved); or 1 cup dry chickpeas
- 1/2 cup tahini use high-quality, raw, unsalted tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed from 1 large lemon
- 0.5 oz garlic 3 cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt or season to taste
- 1 cup ice water or aquafaba divided
- olive oil optional, for serving
This recipe yields about 2¼ cups of hummus
Instructions
- If your canned or cooked chickpeas aren't soft enough, boil them for about 20 minutes until they're mushy. This makes them blend up super smooth for that super creamy hummus texture. Drain them in a sieve to remove excess water.
- Blend the chickpeas with tahini, garlic, salt, lemon juice, and half of the ice water/aquafaba until smooth. This step creates the flavorful base of the hummus.
- Gradually add more ice water to reach your desired consistency. Adjusting the water content helps achieve the perfect creamy texture.
- Taste and adjust the flavor to your liking. Adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, lemon juice, or other spices as needed.
- Serve garnished with parsley, whole chickpeas, red chili powder, and a drizzle of olive oil for added flavor and presentation.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I forgot to add the baking soda while i soaked the beans, so I put it in when I cooked them in a pressure cooker (16 minutes, manual release)… and this will be the first time in 5 tries that the beans came out mushy!!! I’m so excited. Thank you for this recipe, it is delicious!
So happy you gave this recipe a try, Jenna. Indeed, you can add baking soda when cooking them too!
Always delicious
Glad you enjoyed it, Rachel!
Made it for the first time, and followed all your tips! It’s really delicious and so simple. I had no idea I liked hummus so much
So happy to hear this, Alessia! Glad you liked it!
Do you start with two cups of dried chickpeas? Or do you only use two cups of the cooked chickpeas?
Hi Stephanie,
You need 2 cups of cooked chickpeas. As they double in size when soaking, you can start with about 1 cup of dried chickpeas.
Hi Samira!
Finally I tried your recipe. It was my first try then it turns out LIT!
I took note and pay attention to your tips and OMG my family loved it.
Thank you Samira ❤️.
Thank you so much for your comment, Dieka! So happy you tried and enjoyed the recipe 🙂
So simple, so amazingly delicious!!! The overcooked chickpeas is the best hack for the creaminess. Thanks a lot, Samira, you’re the best!
Greetings from Mexico 🙂
This is my favourite hummus recipe! I think the ‘overcooking’ tip makes a big difference. I make big batches to freeze and find it thaws and tastes great. The only difference post-thawing is the texture is slightly less creamy/incorporated. I like to top with olive oil and smoked paprika.
Thank you for your comment, Giselle! So happy you’ve enjoyed this recipe. After thawing, you can blitz it in the blender to make it more incorporated.