The Best Homemade Hummus
on Jul 22, 2019, Updated Feb 03, 2025
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Super creamy, light, and fluffy- this is The Best Homemade Hummus recipe! It comes together super quick, all in a food processor. All you have to do is peel your chickpeas, blend and enjoy.
If you’ve got a party coming up, be sure to try our other appetizers and dips too! Start with Spinach Artichoke Dip, Habanero White Cheddar Queso, and Spicy Pimento Cheese Dip. Or try our Roasted Garlic and Herb Yogurt Dip with veggies.
If you’re looking for another recipe from scratch, check out our Homemade Ricotta Recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
We grew up with hummus always at the dinner table and this hummus has become a staple at all our family gatherings. While you can pre-buy hummus, it is also incredibly easy to make at home and make ahead so it’s ready to enjoy any time.
- Silky smooth: This hummus recipe is an absolute no-fail, and promises the restaurant-style silky smooth texture every single time. Why? You’re going to peel the chickpeas, which results in a smooth hummus. You will also blend in some water or ice cubes, both of which help result in the creamiest hummus.
- Quick and easy: It’s an easy, no-cook recipe that’s perfect for a party or any other occasion when you want to put something quickly and effortlessly. We also love to prep hummus in our fridge at the start of the week, for any snacking with carrots, celery, and cucumbers.
- Customizable: With this classic hummus as the base, you can experiment with other mix-ins and seasonings too! Some ideas include our Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, or Roasted Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Hummus.
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you need to make this recipe, including all our tips and substitutions.
Chickpeas: You’ll need to wash, dry, and remove the peel from a can of chickpeas. This may seem like a bit of extra effort, but we promise you- it’s totally worth it.
Tahini: To lend the hummus that rich, nutty flavor.
Olive oil: The best quality extra virgin olive oil you can get. Use it to help to blend the hummus, and also for finishing.
Seasonings: We kept it simple and used just some salt and pepper, and a bit of smoked paprika, as well as garlic and fresh lemon juice.
Cold water: Use old water or ice cubes. This will give the hummus a beautiful fluffy and creamy texture.
The full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Tips and Substitutions
- Hummus Variations: Try different flavor variations to this classic hummus by experimenting with mix-ins. Use roasted red peppers and a few other ingredients to make Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus or add Kalamata olives into the mix to make a tangy olive hummus. Sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, and avocado can also be amazing mix-ins to try adding in!
- Garnish: Use any of your favorite garnishes for topping your hummus. Toasted sesame seeds, sumac, toasted pine nuts, or a seeded spice mix can be a great option too.
- Storing: If you have leftover hummus, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
How to Make The Best Homemade Hummus
Step 1: In a food processor, add in your chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, water or ice cubes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Step 2: Pulse until completely smooth. Adjust as needed with olive oil, ice, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl with a little swoosh using the back of a spoon.
Step 4: Drizzle in olive oil, finishing with paprika and pepper. Serve with fresh pita bread, vegetables, or crackers.
The full detailed instructions can be found on the recipe card below.
Serving Recommendations
Looking for some ideas to serve this hummus recipe? We have you covered!
- As an appetizer: Enjoy this rich and creamy hummus with some toasted pita bread and veggie sticks if you want to keep it simple and classic. We love teaming it up with some flatbread, Roasted Olives with Feta, Garlic, and Citrus, and a simple Roasted Beet Salad with Labneh.
- With other dips: If you’re making it for a party, consider pairing it with other Middle Eastern dips like Roasted Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Hummus, Muhammara Dip, Kashke Bademjan and Persian Shallot Yogurt Dip. And don’t forget the classic Baba Ganoush too!
- As a side: You can also serve the hummus as a side dish with mains like Moroccan Inspired Rack of Lamb with Turmeric Couscous or Sumac Chicken Salad with Feta Basil Dressing.
Homemade Hummus FAQs
You can! You’ll need to soak the chickpeas overnight first, and then cook them on low heat for about 2 hours until they’re tender. Then, peel them and use them for the recipe.
You can, and the hummus will still taste great, but if you can, we would recommend taking the time to remove the peel. Those extra few minutes can work wonders in getting the hummus to have that perfect creamy texture.
Tahini, or any sort of sesame paste, is one of the key ingredients to make homemade hummus. Don’t skip it!
You can! Use a freezer-safe container, and store the hummus for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and warm it up slightly the next day before you serve it.
More Dip Recipes
If you do make The BEST Homemade Hummus recipe, leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, we would love to hear what you think! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram, we love to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest in your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter. We can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest!
The Best Homemade Hummus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed, dried, and shells peeled
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons cold water, or 2 to 3 ice cubes, plus more as needed
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Smoked paprika, for topping
Instructions
- In a food processor, add in your chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, water or ice cubes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until completely smooth.
- Adjust as needed with olive oil, ice, salt, and pepper. The ice will help to make the hummus extremely creamy.
- Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl with a little swoosh using the back of a spoon, then drizzle in olive oil, finishing with paprika and pepper. Serve with fresh pita bread, vegetables, or crackers.
Notes
- Hummus Variations: Try different flavor variations to this classic hummus by experimenting with mix-ins. Use roasted red peppers and a few other ingredients to make Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus or add Kalamata olives into the mix to make a tangy olive hummus. Sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, and avocado can also be amazing mix-ins to try adding in!
- Garnish: Use any of your favorite garnishes for topping your hummus. Toasted sesame seeds, sumac, toasted pine nuts, or a seeded spice mix can be a great option too.
- Storing: If you have leftover hummus, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Easiest way to remove the skins…sounds weird but it works…sprinkle some baking soda over the drained beans, mix to coat the beans, then heat on medium until the skins start to come off. Roll the beans around in a kitchen towel for a few minutes and voila! skinless beans. A bit messy, but soooo worth it.
Hi Lizzie! Thanks for this tip – yes, it’s definitely tedious to remove the skins by hand! I’m going to try your method next time. 🙂
The best prep-ahead dip, so easy to prepare! A classic and I hope you enjoy!