The Best Homemade Hummus

I’ve been making homemade hummus for 10 years, so trust me when I tell you that truly exquisite hummus doesn’t require you to be a world-class chef.

With a handful of quality ingredients and a few choice techniques, anyone can whip up a batch of unparalleled hummus featuring restaurant-quality flavors and a to-die-for texture that puts the grocery store stuff to shame.

🎥 Video: How to make the best hummus of your life

How to make the best hummus of your life

I hope you’ll love this hummus recipe as much as our community does. The YouTube video for this recipe has over 4.7M views and 118K likes, making it one of the most popular videos on hummus ever 🤯

It’s time to break up with store-bought hummus

My grievances with store-bought hummus fall into two categories: texture (it’s notoriously stiff and gloopy) and flavor (zero rich nuttiness, sometimes not much flavor at all).

Hummus should be creamy and smooth, not gritty. It should be pliable and swoopable, not stiff. It should taste boldly nutty and undeniably rich, not like air. If you ask me, hummus should be nothing short of exquisite.

I respect hummus deeply, which is why I tested so many different variables, including:

• the type of chickpeas used—canned, dried, different brands of each;
• preparation methods—soaking chickpeas vs. not, whether to simmer canned chickpeas, whether to add baking soda to chickpeas while cooking, whether to peel the chickpeas;
• non-chickpea elements (don’t ask how many brands of tahini I tested 😅).

The result? A foolproof method built on simple ingredients, creating a rich, deeply flavorful final product that puts store-bought versions to shame.

PS: The techniques I use in this recipe are largely influenced by three chefs who really know hummus—Reem Kassis, Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi—so check out their cookbooks to learn more about hummus!

Ingredient notes

Chickpeas

AKA garbanzo beans. While you may have had sweet potato “hummus” or black bean “hummus,” hummus  (or “humus,” “houmous,” “hommus”) is literally the Arabic word for “chickpeas” so we have to use chickpeas! 

You can use both canned and dried chickpeas to make hummus…but for the very best hummus, flavor and texture wise, I recommend cooking dried chickpeas.

Canned chickpeas come with a firmer texture, which leaves hummus with a slightly chunky texture.

Don’t have the patience to cook dried chickpeas? You can achieve similar texture results with canned chickpeas if you first simmer the drained chickpeas in a pot of boiling water until very soft. See the FAQ section for more details.

Tahini

Tahini is a smooth and rich paste made with one ingredient: sesame seeds. It’s a primary ingredient in hummus and should never be left out. A good-quality brand of tahini makes a HUGE difference because its flavor is so prominent in every bite.

Tahini Tip

Always use tahini from hulled sesame seeds (unhulled sesame seeds are usually bitter). Check out my suggested tahini brands in the FAQ section below.

Lemon

Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens up the rich, nutty, and savory flavors. Without it, the hummus would lack its distinctive ‘pop.’ But if you don’t love lemon as much as me, start with less than the recipe calls for. 

Garlic

Some people (hi, me!) like their hummus quite garlicky. If you don’t love the sharpness of raw garlic, you can (1) use less garlic (start with 1 clove) or (2) marinate the garlic cloves in the lemon juice for 10 to 15 minutes to cut their raw bite. 

Salt

For flavor and to make everything taste like itself!

Substitute: If using sea salt or table salt instead of the kosher salt called for in the recipe, you’ll need to use about half of the amount called for in the recipe, then adjust according to your desired taste.

Ice water

Water brings the hummus together, turning it from stiff to pliable. I learned from chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi that ice water, in particular, makes the texture even creamier and gives it an almost fluffy, pillowy, and whipped consistency.

Step-by-step instructions

First, soak and cook the dried chickpeas if you haven’t done so already. Cook until very soft.

If you’re using canned chickpeas, simmer them in a pot of water until very soft.

Drain, then transfer the warm chickpeas to a food processor. Blend the chickpeas until you’re left with a thick paste.

Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, kosher salt, and pepper. Blend again and slowly stream in the ice water as the machine is running.

Once it’s smooth and creamy, give the hummus a taste and add more seasonings or lemon juice as needed. Add more ice water for a looser consistency. 

Make the lemon-garlic topping before serving the hummus. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until warm but not, then add the sliced garlic and cook until golden but not brown. Add the lemon peel and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring occasionally almost constantly. 

Transfer the lemon peel and garlic to a plate (reserving the oil) and add a sprinkle of salt on top.

Dress and serve the hummus. Spoon the hummus onto a large serving plate. Use the back of the spoon to make waves or a well in the center. Add the garlic-lemon topping drizzle on the reserved oil, chopped parsley, and paprika or Aleppo pepper. Enjoy!

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Tips for making the best hummus

To peel or not to peel?

You will achieve the absolute dreamiest texture if you peel the chickpea skins before blending, but you can still get wonderful results without it. 

When you cook the chickpeas with baking soda, it softens them up more, so a lot of chickpea skins actually start to come off naturally. Just discard any loose skins before blending.

If you do want to peel the chickpeas for next-level results, you can speed up the process by laying out the cooked chickpeas on a paper towel; use a second paper towel to rub them vigorously to help loosen the skins.

The chickpeas should be soft

Unlike a salad where you want semi-firm chickpeas, you’re looking for very soft chickpeas that can be easily squashed when pressed with a spoon or pressed between your fingers.

If using canned chickpeas, it’s important to simmer them first so the hummus gets super smooth. Don’t skip this step! 

Serve hummus at room temperature (or warm)

In general, you typically can’t taste flavors as deeply in cold food as you can with room temperature or warm food, and hummus is one of the clearest examples of this principle.

Plus, serving hummus warm allows you to experience hummus the way it’s typically served across the Middle East—a luxuriously smooth, warm dip that’s often served with warm pita, or even as the base for vegetables or proteins. 

When I make hummus, I blend the chickpeas while still warm, so the freshly made hummus is already warm. However, if you’ve pre-cooked and refrigerated your chickpeas, consider warming the chickpeas up in the microwave first.

For re-warming instructions, check out the FAQ! 

Serving suggestions

One of the most popular ways to serve hummus in the West is as an appetizer or snack.

• Make it a part of a grazing board, surrounded with pita bread or homemade naan, fresh-cut veggies, crackers, or pita chips for dipping.

In the Middle East, you’ll find hummus included as part of the main or side dishes during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

• Hummus is great on a mezze platter with falafel, tabbouleh, and tzatziki
• You can use hummus as the base layer on a plate, then top with cooked beans and roasted veggies (similar to my Broccoli and Za’atar Chickpeas with Yogurt Sauce); or enjoy it with your favorite vegan protein, like Grilled Tofu Skewers.
• Try adding a dollop to my Crispy Tofu Shawarma for a next-level meal (recipe for NYT Cooking, gift link!). 

Hummus is also great as a sandwich spread or bowl topper.

• Slather it onto a sandwich or in a stuffed pita with crumbled vegan feta, arugula or kale, cucumber, and pickled red onions.
• Hummus is always a fantastic addition to Mediterranean grain bowls and can even be thinned out with water, lemon juice, or vinegar for an easy salad dressing.

How to jazz up your hummus with toppings

This recipe includes a truly divine fried garlic and lemon topping but, because I can’t stop thinking about ways I’d love to serve this hummus, here are a few more topping ideas:

• Drizzle of EVOO and paprika or Aleppo pepper or sumac plus chopped parsley (and maybe toasted pine nuts!
• Best-quality EVOO and za’atar (see my homemade za’atar on p. 179 of Big Vegan Flavor)
• Best-quality EVOO and Dukkah (p. 219 of Big Vegan Flavor)
• Fried capers (p. 167 of Big Vegan Flavor) and parsley with flaky sea salt and lemon zest
• Best-quality EVOO and roasted chickpeas (p. 236 of Big Vegan Flavor) plus Aleppo pepper and smoked paprika
• Best-quality EVOO and minced preserved lemon with parsley/basil and toasted pine nuts
• Salad greens dressed in best-quality EVOO and vinegar
• Crispy spiced garlic (p. 226 of Big Vegan Flavor)

And while I obviously recommend making hummus from scratch—this whole post is about making hummus from scratch—you can use these topping ideas to jazz up store-bought hummus in a pinch.

Flavor variations

While this classic hummus recipe is my all-time favorite, you can blend lots of fun ingredients to make a flavored version.

• Roasted red pepper hummus: smoky and sweet
• Beet hummus: breathtakingly beautiful
• Cilantro-jalapeño: Fold in 1 ½ cups of fresh cilantro and 2 to 4 chopped jalapeño peppers
• Tomato-basil: Fold in an ounce or two of sundried tomatoes and blend; garnish with basil and chopped green olives
• Harissa: Fold in 2 to 4 tablespoons of harissa and blend; top with fresh mint.

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The Best Homemade Hummus

By Nisha Vora

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 55 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Servings: 8 to 10

5 from 524 votes

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This life-changing homemade hummus is creamy, fluffy, and packed with a nutty, lemony flavor. Easy to make with minimal ingredients, this versatile dip is 10x better than the vastly inferior versions sold in grocery stores.

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Equipment

• Food processor

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 ounces (227) dried chickpeas (1 cup + 2 tbsp)(See Note 1)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda, divided
• ▢ A generous ¾ cup (~185g) good-quality tahini
• ▢ 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, chopped (See Note 2)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more to taste
• ▢ Diamond Crystal kosher salt (see Note 3)
• ▢ Freshly cracked black pepper
• ▢ 6 to 10 tablespoons (90 to 150 mL) ice water

Fried Garlic-Lemon Topping (Optional but Recommended)

• ▢ ⅓ cup (75g) good-quality extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 5 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ▢ 4 to 6 strips of lemon peel, about 2 inches long (don't peel too deeply to avoid the white pith)
• ▢ Flaky sea salt or kosher salt

For serving (See Note 4)

• ▢ 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• ▢ Paprika or Aleppo pepper (or sumac) 
• ▢ Warm pita or lavash bread for dipping

Instructions 

• Soak the chickpeas. Add the chickpeas to a large bowl. Cover with cold water and ½ teaspoon baking soda. Soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse.
• Cook the chickpeas. Add the drained chickpeas to a medium saucepan with ½ teaspoon baking soda and 6 cups (1.4 L) water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the pot, and reduce the heat as needed to maintain a rapid simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

  Uncover the pot and add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chickpeas are very soft and smush when pressed with a spoon/fork or pressed between your fingers. Drain well.
• Drain the chickpeas, then transfer to a food processor. Blend for 1-2 minutes until you have a smooth puree, scraping down the sides as you go.
• To the food processor, add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Blend, and with the motor running, stream in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

  After 6 tablespoons of ice water, evaluate the texture. If it’s still stiff or you want it to be looser, stream in more water, and continue blending until smooth and creamy. Once you reach your desired texture, taste for seasonings, adding more salt, garlic, cumin, or lemon juice as needed.
• Make the Fried Lemon-Garlic Topping. Fit a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Add the olive oil to a medium frying pan and turn to medium heat. Once the oil is warm (but not too hot), add the thinly sliced garlic and cook, swirling the pan or stirring frequently, for 2 to 2 ½ minutes, until the garlic just turns golden (don't wait until it browns—it will turn bitter).

  Add the lemon peel strips and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring almost constantly. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into the strainer, reserving the oil in the bowl.

  Transfer the garlic and lemon zest to a plate and sprinkle them with a bit of flaky sea salt.
• Transfer the hummus to a shallow bowl or plate with a lip. Use the back of a spoon to make waves or a well in the center. Spoon the reserved oil into the ridges or into the well. Top with the fried garlic and lemon zest mixture. Top with chopped parsley and a few shakes of paprika or Aleppo pepper. Dig in with warm pita!

Video

Notes

1. If using canned chickpeas, see the FAQ question titled “Can I use canned chickpeas to make hummus?”
2. If you’re not a huge garlic person, start with 1 clove. After blending, taste and add more garlic as desired.
3. If using sea salt or table salt (or Morton’s kosher salt), start with half of the amounts listed, then taste the hummus and add more as desired.
4. For more topping options, read the “How to jazz up your hummus with toppings” section.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 449mg | Potassium: 380mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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