Best Hummus Recipe (Soft and Fluffy)

A bowl with hummus topped with some oil, chickpeas, paprika and coriander

Best Hummus Recipe (Soft and Fluffy)

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!

Course Appetizer, DIYs, Side

Cuisine Lebanese, Levantine, Middle Eastern

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Freezer friendly 4-6 Months

Shelf life 4-5 Days

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings

Calories 87kcal

Author Samira

Equipment

Blender/Food processor

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

How to cook chickpeas/garbanzo beans? 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 (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.

Check the blog post for more serving recommendations and answers to top FAQs!

Nutrition