This homemade hummus recipe is creamy, light, and much better than store-bought. Using canned chickpeas eliminates the need for any soaking or peeling, so you can dip your pita chips or vegetables in this delicious dip in no time!
This is one of my Dip recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
Do you have a go-to savory snack? For my husband and I, it’s hummus.
We love how creamy and versatile it is! Plus it’s packed with protein and other nutrients, so it really fills you up.
Making your own hummus is really easy, and I promise it tastes much better than anything you can buy from the store.
I’ve had a roasted garlic hummus recipe here on the site for years, but I realized it was time for a “plain” or classic version!
How to make classic hummus?
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- First blend. Blend the tahini and lemon juice.
- Second blend. Blend garlic, olive oil, and cumin.
- Third/fourth blend. Blend half the chickpeas, then add the other half and blend again.
- Fifth blend. Add water and blend until it’s the consistency you want.
Helpful Tip!
Normally I don’t like to share recipes that you can only make if you use a specific kitchen appliance, but this is an exception. To make a great hummus you really do need either a food processor, or a blender. There’s just no way to get the chickpeas as pureed as they need to be without one. Thankfully you can find relatively inexpensive versions of both of those, both in stores, and online.
Variations of this recipe
- Chickpeas – if you’d prefer to use dried chickpeas, you’ll need about 3 cups of cooked chickpeas for this recipe. Just follow the package for cooking instructions.
- Garlic – we love to have a bit of a garlic flavor, even in our plain hummus, but if you’d prefer no additional flavors, you can reduce the amount, or even omit it completely.
- Food processor – instead of a blender, you can use a food processor to make this recipe.
- Lemon – fresh lemon juice is going to taste the best, but you can use bottled if that’s all you have on hand. You can also add some lemon zest if you want a lemony flavor to your hummus.
- Creamier – if you want the absolute smoothest and creamiest hummus, peeling the chickpeas will be the best way to achieve that. The skins come off relatively easily with canned chickpeas, but it will take a bit of time, as it’s tedious work.
- Water – the amount of water will vary from person to person, so please use the amount as a guide. More water will yield a thinner hummus, and less water will yield a thicker one. For more flavor, you can use some of the liquid from the cans of chickpeas in place of the water.
FAQ’s
To be more authentic, yes. Tahini is one of the main ingredients in hummus. It’s widely available in major grocery stores, as well as online retailers, such as Amazon. You can make this recipe without it, but it will have a different texture and flavor.
If you’ve followed the tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil amounts listed in this recipe, it’s likely that it just needs longer in the blender/food processor. Blending the mixture beyond when it’s just pureed will incorporate air into the hummus (similar to whipping buttercream frosting), and give you an incredibly creamy dip.
Making hummus ahead of time
You can absolutely make this recipe ahead of time!
I like to make mine at least a few hours before I want to serve it. Just follow the storage instructions below.
Storage
Leftover hummus should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For the best results, lay some plastic wrap directly on the surface of the hummus, then top that with the container’s lid.
More Dip Recipes:
My Favorite Blender!
I picked up this blender on a whim, but it’s such a workhorse! Great for frozen cocktails, smoothies, soups, and more!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic minced (or less, if you prefer)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 (15 oz cans) chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 4 – 5 Tbsp water
Instructions
Blend
- To a blender or food processor, add the tahini and lemon juice. Blend for about a minute.
- Add the garlic, olive oil, cumin, and salt. Blend for another minute.
- Add half the chickpeas, blend for about a minute, then add the remaining chickpeas and blend another minute or so, scraping down the sides as necessary.
- Add the water, starting with about 2 – 3 Tbsp, adding more a little at a time until you get a consistency you're happy with. If your blender/food processor has the ability to stream in liquids as it's running, definitely do that. Otherwise, you can add some water, blend it, open the lid and check the consistency and go from there.
- Taste and adjust the amount of salt if necessary.
Serve
- Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish as desired. We like to use the back of a spoon to make a swirl in the hummus, then drizzle the swirl with olive oil, a few chickpeas, minced parsley, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika or sumac.
- Serve with pita chips, crackers, flatbreads, veggies, etc.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- Recipe makes approximately 3-4 cups, but can be halved if you need a smaller amount.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Sandra says
Homemade hummus is really the best! Thanks for this recipe! It was a huge hit at my house!
Tisha says
So simple and one of my favorite snacks to eat!!! Can’t wait to make it
Catalina says
I love hummus and homemade is always the best! This one looks amazing!
katerina says
I love homemade hummus! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Delish!
Erin | Dinners, Dishes and Dessert says
Looks incredibly delicious! I would love to make this!
Beth says
I can’t wait to try this. I eat hummus all the time, but I’ve never made my own before.
Deborah says
I love hummus and know I will love this recipe. Looks easy
and delicious.