BEST Hummus

Learn how to make homemade hummus with this easy, 7-ingredient hummus recipe! It comes together in minutes, and it's SUPER creamy, smooth & fresh.

Is there anything better than creamy, nutty, velvety homemade hummus?

While I’ve posted many hummus variations here on the blog and even more in my first cookbook, I’ve recently gotten requests for my go-to classic homemade hummus recipe. Even though I think it’s fun to mix veggies into all kinds of chickpea dips (see below for many of those options), this is the hummus recipe I make when I’m craving that classic tahini-forward, ultra-creamy, smooth dip, just like the kind I enjoy at a good Middle Eastern restaurant. It’s simple to make – with just 5 minutes of prep, 7 basic ingredients transform into delicious homemade hummus. It’s lusciously smooth, with a bright lemon flavor and a little kick from garlic. Whether you enjoy it with fresh veggies, slather it on a sandwich, or scoop it up with wedges of pita, I hope you love it as much as I do!

Homemade Hummus Ingredients

You only need 7 basic ingredients to make this easy homemade hummus recipe!

• Cooked chickpeas. Though I cook dried chickpeas on occasion, I typically use store bought canned chickpeas in my homemade hummus, and it always comes out great. If you cook your chickpeas yourself, make sure to soak them ahead of time, and let them boil for a bit longer than you normally would, until they become mushy, soft & creamy.
• Tahini. A good amount of good-quality tahini is the key to smooth hummus. I use 1/3 cup in my recipe, and I choose a brand with a smooth texture and a mild, nutty flavor that’s not bitter. My favorites are Cedar’s (available at most grocery stores), Seed & Mill (the best ever), and Soom.
• Extra-virgin olive oil. I blend 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the dip, and I love to serve it with an extra drizzle of oil on top!
• Fresh lemon juice. Squeeze it yourself for the best bright, zingy flavor.
• Garlic. I use one fresh garlic clove in my basic recipe, but you could also swap in 2 roasted garlic cloves for a caramelized taste.
• Water. I start with 5 tablespoons and add more, as needed, to give it a delectable light, fluffy texture!
• Sea salt. I use 1/2 teaspoon to heighten the bright, nutty flavors in this homemade hummus recipe.

How to Make Hummus

Once you assemble your ingredients, you can make this recipe in one easy step! Just add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, garlic, and salt to a high-speed blender, and process until smooth. That’s it!

As you blend, add more water, as needed, to reach your desired consistency. If your blender has a baton, you may want to use it to help get things going.

If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can use a food processor to make this recipe. However, a blender will make a smoother dip faster, so if you use a food processor, know that you may have to let it run for a few minutes to get super creamy hummus.

Hummus Recipe Variations

If you go to the hummus section of a grocery store, you’ll find tons of ideas for seasoning it! Feel free to try experimenting with different flavors at home. I love it the traditional way, but if I’m in the mood for something different, I usually turn to one of these variations:

• Spice it up! 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and/or coriander adds an extra layer of flavor.
• Add roasted red peppers. For a nutty, romesco-style dip, blend in 1 roasted red pepper, 1/4 cup toasted almonds, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika.
• Blend in pesto. Add spoonfuls of pesto, to taste, to make an extra-lemony, herbaceous dip.
• Go green. Blend in 1/2 cup fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil, or up to 1 cup spinach.
• Turn it pink! Find my beet hummus recipe here.
• Make it sweet & smoky. Add 1/2 baked sweet potato, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, a big pinch of chili powder, and more water as needed, to the blender along with the other hummus ingredients.
• Give it an autumn harvest twist. Add cumin, coriander, cayenne, and roasted butternut squash to the traditional dip for a delicious autumn variation! Find the full recipe here.

Let me know what variations you try!

Hummus Serving Suggestions

Once you have hummus on hand in the fridge, you’ll find a thousand ways to use it. Here are a few suggestions:

• Enjoy it with veggies or crackers (or straight off a spoon) as a quick snack.
• Slather it onto cute crostini to serve as an appetizer.
• Put it at the center of your next crudité board, or serve it as part of a Mediterranean mezze platter with tzatziki, baba ganoush, Greek salad, and tabbouleh!
• Add it to your next sandwich or wrap! I love it on these chickpea shawarma wraps, these veggie wraps, or this “club” sandwich.
• Stir in water to thin it to a drizzle-able consistency. Then, use it as a salad dressing for your favorite fresh and roasted veggies!

Of course, it’s also good on its own with lots of pita. If I’m serving a big plate of hummus, I like to garnish it with a generous drizzle of olive oil, finely chopped parsley, sumac, and a simple Israeli salad. Sesame seeds, pine nuts, fresh mint leaves, smoked paprika, or even Everything Bagel Seasoning would be good too.

If you love this homemade hummus recipe…

Try another of my favorite dips like curried red lentil dip, guacamole, pico de gallo, chipotle sauce, cilantro lime dressing, tomatillo salsa, or spinach artichoke dip next!

For more appetizer ideas, check out this post with 50 easy appetizers.

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BEST Hummus

rate this recipe:

4.97 from 136 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

Serves 8

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Try this hummus recipe once, and you'll never go back to buying it at the store! Served with fresh veggies and pita, it's a delicious appetizer or snack.

Equipment

• Blender (I've used my trusty Vitamix for years)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ⅓ cup smooth tahini*
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 5 tablespoons water, or as needed to blend
• paprika, red pepper flakes, or parsley, for garnish
• warm pita bread , and/or veggies, for serving

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Instructions

• In a high-speed blender, place the chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Use the blender baton to blend until very smooth, adding water as needed to blend, and/or to reach your desired consistency.
• Transfer to a serving plate, top with desired garnishes and serve with warm pita and veggies, as desired.

Notes

*Tahini brands I prefer are: Cedar’s, Seed + Mill, and Soom