How to make hummus from dried chickpeas (or canned ones) – super creamy, rich, and delicious, no need to peel the chickpeas! This authentic hummus recipe provides the top tips, tricks, and FAQs to make hummus like a pro!
If you’re someone who pops a container (or more!) of hummus in your trolley every week, this is officially your sign to try an authentic homemade hummus recipe immediately. When you know all the secrets, you can make it light, creamy, fluffy, and perfectly balanced in flavor – not dense, gritty, or lackluster. Plus, it’s SO much better than store-bought!
What’s in This Post
What Is Hummus?
Hummus (or houmous) comes from the Arabic word meaning chickpeas. It is a naturally vegan, gluten-free Middle Eastern dish. It’s made from cooked chickpeas, tahini (ground sesame seeds paste), lemon juice, and garlic.
It’s traditionally enjoyed warm or at room temperature alongside warm pita bread. Plus, it is a popular chickpea dip, spread, and mezze dish across the globe.
Is Hummus Good For You?
With the main ingredient of chickpeas, this healthy recipe is a great source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber. They also contain several micronutrients, like vitamin B6, manganese, calcium, iron, folate, zinc, and Vitamin E.
You can read more about the health benefits of hummus on Healthline.
What Is Hummus Made Of?
This simple hummus recipe with tahini relies on just five key ingredients:
- Chickpeas: (garbanzo beans) You can use cooked (from dried) or canned chickpeas for this recipe for hummus dip. 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 slightly (not overly) bitter, nutty flavor & richness.
- Garlic: It’s traditional to use fresh garlic cloves in hummus recipes, but a roasted garlic hummus recipe also tastes delicious. 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 (without tons of oil). Or use aquafaba which blends up super fluffy.
The Secrets To The BEST Hummus
- Use overcooked, mushy chickpeas. Cooking the chickpeas (from dry or canned) until mushy begins to break them down and yields smooth creamy hummus.
- Add baking soda: Skip 10-15 minutes of hand-peeling the chickpeas. Use baking soda to get the same results (aka super smooth hummus). Use around 1 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of dried chickpeas (or ½ teaspoon per can of chickpeas).
Boil until mushy (15-20 minutes is all that’s needed for canned chickpeas). This will soften the skins to blend smoothly. Once cooked, rinse the chickpeas well. - Don’t under blend: Don’t be afraid to leave your blender running for as long as needed. Pause it occasionally to scrape down the sides of the jug. It can take as long as 4-5 minutes.
How To Cook Chickpeas From Scratch
You can follow all the steps and tips for cooking chickpeas from dried here. However, the basic steps for making hummus from dried chickpeas are:
- Soak the chickpeas in plenty of cold water with a tablespoon of baking soda for 8 hours/overnight.
- Drain and rinse them well.
- Transfer to a large pot with more water and bring to a boil (optionally with 1 teaspoon baking soda). Cook them until slightly overcooked and mushy (60-90 minutes). Skim away any foam that appears at the top of the water.
Do I Need To Peel The Chickpeas For Hummus
I rarely, if ever, peel the chickpeas. While it can help achieve a super smooth dip, you can also do this with baking soda. No need to sit peeling for 10+ minutes.
How Do You Make Hummus?
First, if you haven’t already, cook the chickpeas until soft and mushy.
Then, transfer all the ingredients (but just ½ the ice water) to a high-speed blender (or food processor). Blend until smooth. Pause the machine occasionally to scrape down the sides of the jug.
For thicker, creamier hummus, blend the tahini and lemon juice alone first into a creamy paste.
If the consistency is too thick, add more ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until your desired consistency.
Finally, taste the dip and adjust any of the ingredients to your liking. Then serve and enjoy!
How Long Does Homemade Hummus Last
Store any leftover chickpea hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Can You Freeze Hummus?
Hummus freezes very well. Simply transfer it to a freezer-safe container or an XL ice-cube tray, leaving a little headspace for expansion. Keep it like this for 3-4 months. Alternatively, pour a thin layer of olive oil over it, extending the storage period up to 6 months!
What To Garnish Hummus With?
- A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO),
- Paprika,
- Sumac,
- Toasted pine nuts,
- Toasted sesame seeds,
- Kalamata olives,
- Za’atar,
- Fresh herbs – parsley, cilantro, etc.,
- Hummus Beiruti – garnish with fresh parsley, a few whole chickpeas, red chili powder, and olive oil.
What To Eat With Hummus?
- Pita bread and other flatbread.
- Crudites for dipping – veggies like carrot sticks, celery, bell peppers, cucumber, etc.
- Dip crackers & chips – like pita chips, seed crackers, etc.
- Use as a side for grilled meat (Chicken Tawook, Lamb Kofta).
- Enjoy it alongside falafel, tabouli, kibbeh, and other dips like baba ghanoush.
- Spread over sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and bagels.
- Add to buddha/salad bowls.
- Thin with stock or milk and use it as a pasta sauce.
FAQs
Technically, it wouldn’t be an authentic hummus recipe without tahini. However, you can substitute it for cashew butter or sunflower seed butter (Greek yogurt may also work). Though the flavor won’t be the same.
You can make it from canned chickpeas without boiling them, but the results will be thicker and not as smooth.
Yes, soaking dried chickpeas with baking soda can help soften them. Plus, boiling them with it will also help to decrease cooking time. However, it may affect the color (a darker brown) and nutritional value slightly.
It makes for a super fluffy, creamy, whipped smooth dip while thinning it out and cooling the overall mixture.
Either use more tahini or add more chickpeas. A tiny amount of cornstarch or potato starch could also help. It will also thicken when chilled.
More Hummus Variations
- Hummus Awarma – top it with meat preserve “Awarma” (lamb confit).
- Beet Hummus
- Fresh Basil Hummus
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Pumpkin Hummus
- Chocolate Hummus
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 Recipe (Soft and Fluffy)
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 x15 oz/425g cans (drained and liquid/aquafaba reserved); or 1 cup dry chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon baking soda only needed if cooking the chickpeas yourself, refer to the notes
- 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 teaspoon 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
Suggested Equipment
- Blender/Food processor
Instructions
- If you haven't already, cook the chickpeas until soft and mushy (method in the Recipe Notes below).
- Transfer all the ingredients (but just ½ the ice water/aquafaba) to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pause the machine occasionally to scrape down the sides of the jug.For thicker, creamier hummus, blend the tahini and lemon juice alone first into a creamy paste.
- If the consistency is too thick, add more ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until your desired consistency.
- Taste the hummus and adjust any of the ingredients to your liking – add more lemon juice (and zest) for tangy lemon hummus, salt, garlic, etc. Then serve with a drizzle of olive oil (optional) and enjoy!
To Make The Hummus Recipe From Canned Chickpeas
- If you don't mind a slightly thicker hummus dip, you can blend it immediately. However, simmer the can contents with ½ teaspoon baking soda for the best results until the chickpeas are soft and mushy (about 15-20 minutes). Optionally discard any floating skins for even smoother results.
- Then transfer everything to a blender/food processor (with just ½ the ice water) and blend, following the process above.
Serving Recommendations
- For the best consistency and flavor, remove the hummus food from the fridge 30-40 minutes before serving.
Storage Instructions
- Make Ahead: You can prepare any homemade tahini and/or cooked chickpeas several days in advance OR the entire hummus a day before serving to give the flavors a chance to meld (it'll taste even better!).Store: Store any leftover chickpea hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To help prevent early spoilage, pour a thin layer of olive oil over it (it may last up to a week this way).Freeze: Transfer it to a freezer-safe container (or several)/ an XL ice-cube tray, leaving a little headspace for expansion. Like that, the hummus freezes for between 3-4 months. Alternatively, pour a thin layer of olive oil over the hummus, extending the storage period up to 6 months!Leave it to thaw in the fridge overnight. If it's grainy after thawing or has separated, throw it back in a blender with a spoonful of water/oil and eat within 3-4 days. Top it up with extra lemon, garlic, etc., if needed.
Notes
- Use overcooked, mushy chickpeas: Cooking the chickpeas (from dry or canned) until mushy begins to break them down and yields super-smooth hummus.
- Add baking soda: Skip 10-15 minutes of hand peeling the chickpeas and use baking soda to get the same results (aka super smooth hummus). Use around 1 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of dried chickpeas (or ½ teaspoon per can of chickpeas) and boil until mushy (15-20 minutes is all that’s needed for canned chickpeas). This will soften the skins to blend smoothly. Once cooked, rinse the chickpeas well.
- Don’t under blend it: Don’t be afraid to leave your blender running for as long as needed. Pause it occasionally to scrape down the sides of the jug. It can take as long as 4-5 minutes.
- Use quality tahini: It isn’t made equally, and no one wants to ruin a perfectly good batch of this hummus recipe with tahini that’s too bitter. I prefer to make my own. But Soom tahini is also great.
- To mellow the garlic flavor: If you find raw garlic overwhelming, soak it in ice water (or lemon juice) for 10-15 minutes before using it.
- Tweak to your liking: blend, taste, and adjust the amount of garlic, lemon, tahini, etc. I recommend starting with half what I recommend so you can adjust it to taste. You can add other spices – cumin, etc.
- Adjust the consistency: Reduce the blending time for a chunkier DIY hummus.
- Leave it to “marinate”: When possible, make hummus a day in advance (or several hours) to give the flavors a chance to meld.
- Avoid bitterness: Some brands of tahini can be overly bitter. Likewise, if using olive oil, overheating it while blending can cause bitterness – so only add it right at the end. Balance bitterness with a natural sweetener (maple/agave) if needed.
- To avoid bloating: Rinse well after soaking the chickpeas, then boil them until they produce foam on top of the water. Discard that water and replace it with new boiled water. Also, soak/cook them with baking soda.
- Soak the chickpeas in plenty of cold water (they can become 2-3x their size) with a tablespoon of baking soda for 8 hours/overnight.
- Drain and rinse them well.
- Transfer to a large pot with more water and bring to a boil (optionally with 1 teaspoon baking soda), cooking them until slightly overcooked and mushy (60-90 minutes). Skim away any foam that appears at the top of the water.
Rachel
Always delicious
Support @ Alphafoodie
Glad you enjoyed it, Rachel!
Alessia
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
Support @ Alphafoodie
So happy to hear this, Alessia! Glad you liked it!
Stephanie
Do you start with two cups of dried chickpeas? Or do you only use two cups of the cooked chickpeas?
Support @ Alphafoodie
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.
Dieka Novi
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 ❤️.
Samira @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much for your comment, Dieka! So happy you tried and enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Gina
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 🙂
Giselle
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.
Samira @ Alphafoodie
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.
Julie
Thanks for an terrific and very informative recipe! This is the first I’ve heard of some of your excellent suggestions, including freezing leftover hummus. I used what I had on hand, which happened to be good quality, canned, Italian chickpeas (Luigi Vitelli brand). They were a bit smaller than the usual canned American chickpeas, and surprisingly, were perfectly cooked to a soft consistency. I ended up using about 1/4 cup of the liquid in the cans, and 2 cloves of garlic in the most delectable hummus I’ve ever made. Now, I just have to decide on toppings…
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thanks for your comment, Julie! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Maggie
I did this together with the falafel receipe (cooked a whole lot of chickpeas 😀 ) and loved them both!
Everything is very easy to understand, even for a very unexperienced cook like me!
Results were amazing, we all loved it. Thank you!!
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment, Maggie. This is very encouraging! Hope you give other recipes a try too. 🙂
Megan
Makes amazingly smooth and tasty hummus! Most recipes in the States use olive oil in the recipe but this doesn’t need any (except for on top at the end, of course!). The extra tips in the blog were very helpful. I’ve made this once without cooking the chickpeas enough and it definitely made a difference, so make sure to cook them as directed!
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much for your comment, Megan. Glad you tried and enjoyed the recipe.
ALFIYA
Love your recipes ❤️
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much for your comment, Alfiya.
Dominique
Hi, love your feed. Follow back on Instagram @whats_vegan_
this recipe is beautifully made and simple. I love the food processor which brand is that?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Dominique.
Thanks for your comment.
For this recipe, the NutraMilk machine was used – it’s linked on the Shop page on the blog if you want to check it out. However, you can use any food processor or blender to make hummus.
Ailin
Delicious!
Farnaz
I tried this recipe and it turned out great 🙂
The tips and step by step instructions at the beginning were also very helpful!
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much for your comment, Farnaz. Glad you tried the hummus recipe.
Cherin
Incredible
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Thank you, Cherin.
gc
didn’t cook my chickpeas down enough – even after soaking for 10hr and cooking for 30+ mins they weren’t mushy, but i wanted to time the hummus with the roasted veg i was making, so i just started the hummus.
didn’t use lemon juice, tahini also from alphafoodie, and used plenty of the chickpea water. it was lovely! took the tip to add roasted garlic (i just put a head in the oven at 200 degrees for 12 mins) and mmhmmm yes.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment. Glad you managed to adapt the recipe to what works for you.
Justin
I use this recipe regularly to make hummus for my Mother. It’s so much more flavorful than the store-bought packages she is used to, and her husband – not a fan of hummus – even eats it. Quick and simple!
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment, Justin. Glad you and your family are enjoying the hummus recipe.