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](/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Easy-Hummus-Recipe-Video.jpg)
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](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/How-to-Make-Homemade-Hummus-1200.jpg)
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.](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/How-to-Make-Smooth-Hummus-3-1200.jpg)
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.](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/How-to-Make-Smooth-Hummus-2-1200.jpg)
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.](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/How-to-Make-Smooth-Hummus-1-1200.jpg)
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.](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/How-to-Make-Smooth-Hummus-1200.jpg)
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!
- Herby Cauliflower Salad with Chickpeas
- Ridiculously Easy Bean Salad
- Easy Chickpea Salad
- Smashed Chickpea Sandwiches
- Curried Chickpea Salad Bowls
![The Best Easy Smooth Hummus Recipe](https://www.inspiredtaste.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Best-Homemade-Hummus-Recipe-1200.jpg)
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).
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.
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.
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.
I made this today. Probably my 10th time making hummus, but this one was THE best recipe. Thank you!
Best recipe best taste was amazing. Thank you.
I have made this Hummus 3 times. Excellent Results & Great Reviews from my Guests.
I’m a little confused about the chickpeas: the ingredients state 1 can of chickpeas, drained, which comes out to about 1 1/2 c or 1/2 c of cooked (dried) chickpeas. I’m not sure how much to use. Thanks.
Hi Lisa, You need 1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas.
I used home cooked chickpeas that I made in my Instant Pot that had turned out too mushy for salads. I’m sure it would be even better with firmer ones to start. Thanks for the great and easy recipe!
This is the best hummus recipe ever…I’ve tried several and none have exceeded or met store bought, but this is amazing…I did triple the garlic, but that’s just how I roll:)
Hi Allison, We are so happy you have our recipe a try! Thanks for coming back.
Great recipe!! Simple and delicious!! Yom!!
Most amazing hummus ever. The tahini and lemon thing is a game changer. Thank you so much.
I have one word Amazing thank you so good and easy xx
Thank you so much!! So happy you enjoy it.
Liked the step with creaming the lemon juice and tahini together, but this recipe was a tad lemony for me.. Think I would adjust to half or a third of the portion. Anyway, thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thanks for sharing. You can always reduce the lemon a bit if you need it. I recommend adding a little water along with the reduced lemon so the food processor blade has enough liquid to whirl around.
I love making Hummus and this recipe has lifted my game to another level, thank you. I like to soak the raw chick peas overnight in the strained water from the weekend’s beef silverside cook pot. I also use some of the silverside’s water for the chilled aquafaba. Cheers from Aussie land
That intro’ to making home grown Hummus is good thanks, but I don’t want to use canned per processed chick peas. Do you have the next chapter using dried chick peas ready to go?
Take a look at our video for how to cook dried chickpeas. You can use them in the hummus recipe, you will need 1 1/2 cups.
Excellent! Truly better than store bought 🙂
Great recipe. Dash of cayenne & a dose of Trader Joe’s Lemony Garlic powder. Bingo.
Best hummus I have ever made! I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes!