The Best Homemade Hummus

side view of a bowl of hummus with lemon garlic topping next to pita triangles.

4.97 from 509 votes

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.

Prep Time5

Cook Time55

Soaking Time8

Total Time1

Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Diet: Vegan

Servings: to 10

Author: Nisha Vora

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

If using canned chickpeas, see the FAQ question titled “Can I use canned chickpeas to make hummus?”
If you’re not a huge garlic person, start with 1 clove. After blending, taste and add more garlic as desired.
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.
For more topping options, read the "How to jazz up your hummus with toppings" section.

Nutrition