If you’ve never tried making your own, this homemade hummus recipe is simple and makes a delicious, creamy, flavorful hummus that you can use in so many dishes. We also share tips on buying store bought hummus in case you are looking for a quick purchase option.
Why We Love Hummus
Hummus is a dip/spread that is typically made from chickpeas and tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds). There seems to be some disagreements on where hummus originated. Some say it dates back to ancient Egypt, other say Greece or the Middle East.
Regardless of where it originated, it is a staple in the Mediterranean Diet. It offers a great array of health benefits, including –
- Being plant based (read more about What Does a Plant Based Diet Mean?)
- fiber
- protein
- budget friendly
- variety of uses
How to Enjoy Hummus
Hummus goes way beyond just a dip, although it makes a really good one for veggies, crackers and pita. Some of our favorite ways to eat hummus –
- As a sandwich spread, like in this Ultimate Green Veggie Sandwich
- A source of fiber and protein in lunch bowls, like this Mediterranean Plant Protein Power Bowl
- Spread on pizza in place of sauce, like this Mediterranean Pizza Recipe
- Mixed into pasta salad as a dressing, like this Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe in The Mediterranean Diet Made Easy Cookbook.
- As a sauce on tacos, like these Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Hummus
How to Make Hummus at Home
Word of caution, once you make your own hummus, you won’t think the store bought versions are good anymore! It is so creamy and delicious when you make homemade hummus that it’s hard to find a store bought version that tastes as good.
It’s actually pretty easy to make hummus at home. You only need a handful of ingredients to make a basic hummus –
- chickpeas
- tahini
- lemon juice
- garlic
- water
- optional garnishes
I use canned beans simply for convenience. I’ve heard that using dry beans will actually produce a creamier hummus but I simply can’t ever remember to soak the dry beans over night so I rely on canned beans. I highly encourage you not to skip the step of cooking the beans with baking soda for about 20 minutes. It helps loosen the skins of the chickpeas, making them easier to remove and softer when you make your hummus.
If you are interested, we share the pro’s and con’s of the different types of beans in this post – What is the Difference Between Dry Beans and Canned Beans.
What about Store Bought Hummus?
I fully admit that there are times when I don’t have the energy or time to make homemade hummus. That’s when I rely on store bought versions.
I have tried and tested a lot of store bought hummus brands and flavors. In the end, I personally think the plain flavored store bought hummus are best.
These are the two brands that I highly recommend –
Whatever brand you choose, please take a moment to look at the ingredient list. Many hummus varieties on store shelves are just filled with ingredients like soybean oil, canola oil, preservatives and additives like potassium sorbate, dextrose and carrageenan. You want to try and choose the hummus with the least amount of ingredients, olive oil based if oil is used, and limited use of preservatives and additives.
Variation to Hummus
The beauty about hummus is that once you have a basic recipe, you can add so many different herbs and spices for a variety of flavor combinations. Some of our favorites include –
- roasted garlic
- roasted red bell pepper
- jalapeños for a spicy kick
- cilantro for a fun pop of freshness
- kalamata olives for a deeper flavor
Homemade Hummus Recipe
Let us know if you try this recipe and what you think. The garnishes are just optional but they are delicious and really add a pop of flavor.
Homemade Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup Tahini
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Ice Cold Water
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- Optional Garnish – sumac, sesame seeds, parsley
Instructions
- In a small sauce pot, add rinsed chickpeas with enough water to cover the top and the baking soda. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and cook for 20 minutes. Stir as needed.
- Once cooked, drain and let cool
- While chickpeas are cooking, add lemon juice and minced garlic to blender or food processor. Let sit for about 8 minutes, just to let garlic mellow a little
- Once chickpeas are cooled, add tahini and salt to the blender/food processor. Puree until smooth, adding ice cold water one tablespoon at at time to thin out puree if it's too thick
- Add cooled chickpeas and puree. Add additional water if needed to thin consistency.
- Spoon hummus into bowl or serving dish and top with garnish if desired (sumac, sesame seeds, parsley and tablespoon of olive oil)
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