Easy Hummus (Better than Store-Bought)

My favorite hummus recipe! With a few simple tricks, you can make creamy, smooth homemade hummus, and yes, it’s better than store-bought.

Watch the Video

Easy Hummus Recipe Video

Want the dreamiest, smoothest hummus ever? The secret isn’t fancy ingredients—it’s all in the order! First, whip up tahini and lemon juice in your food processor for a fluffy, creamy base. Then, blend in the rest of the ingredients. You won’t believe how light it gets—check out our video to see for yourself!

This recipe is a keeper—our family’s been making it for years! So many readers swear it’s their FOREVER hummus recipe. If you love amazing flavor and super-smooth hummus, you’ve got to try this.

Our Favorite Homemade Hummus

What is Hummus?

Hummus is a delicious spread or dip made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and spices. It is a popular dish in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. You can find store-bought versions in the United States, but you should skip those and make your own. Let me show you how.

Key Hummus Ingredients

  • Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are the base for hummus. The softened beans break down into a smooth paste. You can use canned or home-cooked chickpeas in our recipe. I use them interchangeably, giving home-cooked chickpeas a slight edge regarding flavor.
  • Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, which makes hummus taste incredible. You can buy tahini, or you can make it yourself. We use homemade tahini to make hummus that’s 100% from scratch (it’s easy, I promise).
  • Fresh lemon juice is essential for great hummus, so skip the bottled juice and buy fresh lemons—one large or two medium lemons should do.
  • Fresh garlic adds a little spice and zest. I add one small clove and find it’s just right. Add more for a garlicky kick, or substitute roasted garlic and make roasted garlic hummus. Here’s how we roast garlic.
  • Ground cumin and salt help to make it taste amazing, and the ground cumin adds a little more spice and richness.
  • Olive oil makes the texture of the hummus luxurious. We also drizzle over the top of the swirly hummus when serving. I like fruity, light-flavored olive oils when making hummus.

Variations

In addition to the ingredients above, you can customize your hummus with even more flavor! I love blending in roasted red peppers for red pepper hummus, but olives, pine nuts, roasted garlic, and extra spices are also great options. You can also add ingredients to the top of hummus, like in this spiced beef and feta hummus. And while it isn’t hummus, baba ganoush is similar, but swaps chickpeas for roasted eggplant.

How to Make Hummus from Scratch

The secret to the best hummus? It’s all about the order! Seriously, this simple trick makes a huge difference.

Tahini and lemon juice go in first. Then, before you add anything else, turn on the food processor and let it run for a minute or two. See the photos below? In the first photo, I’m pouring tahini into a clean food processor.

For the creamiest, smoothest hummus, we add tahini and lemon juice first to our food processor.

After a minute of being whirled, whipped, and creamed in the food processor, it turns into the paste you see in the following image. It’s lighter in color and much thicker.

Making hummus - Here's what the lemon and tahini looks like after a minute of processing.

Now, we can add the remaining hummus ingredients, but make sure you stand back and let that food processor run.

I also like adding the chickpeas in two batches and processing the first batch for a minute before following up with the rest.

One More Secret to the Best Hummus

Add a splash of cold water or aquafaba (chickpea liquid) at the very end. Pour it in while your food processor is running, and watch as it transforms into fluffy, creamy, whipped hummus. 

I use cold water in the video, but aquafaba works incredibly well, too. Some of our readers have also suggested using ice cubes instead of the water.

What our extra smooth hummus looks like after processing all the ingredients.

Can I Make Hummus Without Tahini?

There are two camps in the hummus-loving world. Some love tahini’s zesty, tangy flavor, while others can go without it.

We like it both ways, but for the best hummus, which rivals our favorite brands in the store, use tahini. 

For hummus without tahini, simply leave it out. A chickpea puree without it is still quite delicious. Just add more olive oil. Another option is to use natural, unsweetened, creamy peanut butter in its place.

What is Aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the starchy liquid found in a can of chickpeas or the leftover liquid from cooking dried chickpeas. This magical ingredient has many uses (learn more in our deep dive here)!

Aquafaba for fluffy hummus: Instead of plain water, add a splash of aquafaba at the end of making hummus. As it whips, it creates an incredibly light and airy texture. (Note: Taste your aquafaba first. If it’s too salty, use less salt when making your hummus.)

Do You Need to Peel the Chickpeas?

Technically, no. You’ll still get great hummus without peeling the chickpeas. But if you want the absolute silkiest texture, peeling does make a difference. It takes about 10 minutes to peel a can of chickpeas.

We tested it! We made hummus both ways – with peeled and unpeeled chickpeas (see the photo below). The peeled version (left) made for a slightly smoother hummus, but the difference wasn’t huge.

A photo showing the comparison of hummus made with peeled chickpeas and hummus made with skin-on chickpeas.

The verdict:  It’s up to you! If you have extra time, peeling makes a subtle difference. If not, your hummus will still be delicious.

How Long Does Hummus Last?

  • Room temperature: Homemade hummus can sit out for 4 hours before you risk food safety issues.
  • Refrigerator: Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week.
  • Freezer: Freeze, covered with a thin layer of olive oil, for up to one month.

What to Eat with Hummus?

There are so many delicious options! Try dipping fluffy flatbread, homemade pita, or fresh, crunchy veggies. It’s delicious spread on sandwiches, tucked into wraps, paired with homemade falafel, or used as a healthy, flavorful filling for lettuce wraps. We’ve also shared these easy hummus cups with hummus, cucumber, and tomato.

More Chickpea Recipes!

The Best Easy Smooth Hummus Recipe

Easy Hummus (Better than Store-Bought)

  • PREP
  • TOTAL

Homemade hummus is easy to make and tastes much better than anything you can buy at the store. You will need tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds. Buy it or make it yourself — here’s our recipe for tahini. To leave it out, add more olive oil.

We love serving hummus with flatbread. Try our easy flatbread, sesame garlic flatbread, or this homemade pita recipe (coming soon).

Makes 6 servings or about 1 1/2 cups

Watch Us Make the Recipe

You Will Need

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 ½ cups (250 grams) cooked chickpeas

1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 large lemon

1/4 cup (60ml) well-stirred tahini, see our homemade tahini recipe

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons (45ml) water or aquafaba, see notes

Dash ground paprika, sumac, or Za’atar for serving

Directions

    1In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.How to Make Hummus-Recipe-Step-1

    2Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and then process for another 30 seconds or until well blended.

    3Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the remaining chickpeas and process them until thick and relatively smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

    4The hummus will likely be too thick and still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water or aquafaba with the food processor turned on until you reach the perfect consistency.How-to-Make-Hummus-Recipe-Step-3

    5Taste and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika, sumac, or Za’atar.

    6Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week. Freeze, covered with a thin layer of olive oil, for up to one month.

Adam and Joanne's Tips

  • How to cook dried chickpeas: Use canned or home-cooked chickpeas for this recipe. To see how we cook dried chickpeas, see our simple tutorial here. We have included three methods, including in the slow cooker.
  • If you like garlicky hummus, increase the garlic by a clove or use roasted garlic.
  • Aquafaba is the starchy liquid in a can of beans (or the bean cooking liquid). You can use this instead of water in the last step of the recipe. Before using, taste it to see how salty it is. If it is salty, hold some of the salt in the ingredient list back, and then season to taste after adding the aquafaba.
  • Tahini & lemon juice are not creaming: Depending on your food processor, the blade might not come into contact with the tahini and lemon juice. You need to increase the amount of liquid in the food processor, so add the olive oil. If they still do not cream, add a tablespoon of cold water.
  • Blender: A food processor is best for making hummus, but a high-powered blender will work. Be sure to scrape the sides down a few extra times as you make it.
  • Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database calculator to calculate approximate values.
Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/4 cup / Calories 155 / Total Fat 11g / Saturated Fat 1.5g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 278.3mg / Carbohydrate 11.8g / Dietary Fiber 2.9g / Total Sugars 1.8g / Protein 4.5g
AUTHOR:  Adam and Joanne Gallagher
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2543 comments… Leave a Review
  • Rose March 10, 2024, 4:10 pm

    The hummus is by far better than store bought. I added roasted red peppers!! Yummy😋

    Reply
  • Enid Fraser March 10, 2024, 2:12 pm

    This is really a great recipe and it is worth taking the skin off of the chick peas for a smoother result. I love all of your recipes that I’ve tried.

    Reply
    • Joanne March 11, 2024, 3:20 pm

      Thanks so much, Enid!

      Reply
  • Valene Mihm March 8, 2024, 11:21 am

    Thanks so much for your hard work.

    Reply
    • Joanne March 11, 2024, 3:20 pm

      So kind of you to say, thank you for following along.

      Reply
  • Sonja March 7, 2024, 4:13 pm

    Wonderful recipe I am so happy I found it and made it. I have been making my own hummus for awhile and thought I did a good job. Using the aquafaba is a game changer, better than ice cubes I usually use to get it smooth and creamy. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Joanne March 11, 2024, 3:21 pm

      I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Aquafaba is a great trick to smooth and fluffy hummus.

      Reply
  • Laura Soriano March 6, 2024, 4:43 pm

    This recipe is very easy. Delicious. quick to make definitely gonna be my go too

    Reply
    • Joanne March 11, 2024, 3:21 pm

      Yay! Love hearing it!

      Reply
  • Morgan March 4, 2024, 6:50 pm

    I love this recipe!! The instructions are so detailed, and the hummus comes out perfect every time! It is so delicious and easy! So glad I found this recipe- Thanks very much for creating it and sharing it!
    Also, I use the leftover aquafaba to make merengue cookies, and they turn out delicous. Such a fun way to make it no waste.

    Reply
    • Joanne March 11, 2024, 3:21 pm

      Hi Morgan, Thanks for coming back and sharing. I’m glad you found a recipe for the leftover aquafaba. Sounds great!

      Reply
  • Deb March 3, 2024, 6:26 pm

    This is DEEEELICIOUS!!! Wow! I was gifted some sesame seeds and made the tahini first and spent the time hulling the chick peas. I will play around with other additions but this is the PERFECT base! Thanks

    Reply
    • Joanne March 11, 2024, 3:22 pm

      Sounds like you made some amazing hummus! I love using homemade tahini, too!

      Reply
  • Monica March 3, 2024, 5:26 pm

    Excellent

    Reply
    • Joanne March 11, 2024, 3:22 pm

      Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  • Leslie March 3, 2024, 3:44 pm

    I made this hummus this morning for a potluck. It was one of the first items gone from the table! I learned something new about processing the order of the ingredients that added to the light fluffiness of the finished product. It reminded me of my trips to the Middle East.

    Reply
    • Joanne March 11, 2024, 3:22 pm

      This makes me so happy! Thanks for coming back and sharing, Leslie.

      Reply
  • Mary March 1, 2024, 4:08 pm

    This is yummy and so easy to make! I didn’t have any tahini on hand so I used almond butter, which adds a different delicious dimension to it. Thanks for sharing it!

    Reply
    • Joanne March 11, 2024, 3:23 pm

      Hi Mary, I’ve tried unsweetened peanut butter, but not almond butter. Thanks for letting us know the recipe still works.

      Reply
  • Bonnie February 29, 2024, 1:54 pm

    I will never buy any hummus or make any other recipe. This is so delicious! 🙂

    Reply

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