Most everyone knows hummus. It’s the quintessential Middle Eastern dip made by blending chickpeas with tahini, garlic, and citrus.
I grew up on it, Creamy, satisfying and packed with plant-based protein.
This authentic homemade hummus recipe is so much easier to make than most people think and way better than the store bought stuff!
- Chickpeas (3 cups). Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are the star ingredient in hummus. Canned or dry chickpeas? If you’re wondering how to make hummus from scratch–the best, extra creamy, authentic stuff–you’ll want to cook your own chickpeas from scratch (you’ll give them a good soak overnight + boil in water until well-done. I have included more information on how to prepare at the bottom of this recipe under important tips.
- Garlic (1 or 2 cloves, I like to use 4, I love garlic ). Start with 1 clove and make sure it is finely minced. Tip: to tame its pungency, allow minced garlic to sit in a little bit of lemon juice for a few minutes.
- Tahini (⅓ cup). Tahini is a rich, nutty and slightly bitter paste made from toasted sesame seeds, Fresh Lemon Juice (from 1 lemon). Fresh lemon juice is just the thing to add tang here.
- Kosher Salt. Just a pinch of kosher salt to your liking. You can always add more. If you’re interested in adding
- Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil. A generous drizzle of quality extra virgin olive oil is the way to finish and serve this dip the authentic way.
- Garnish. Not to be underestimated. My favorite way to garnish a bowl of hummus, once the EVOO has been poured nicely right in the middle, is a few pinches of tangy sumac (sometimes I like a little ground cumin, for additional flavour, add slowly to taste, too much with overpower ). If you have some extra cooked chickpeas, plant them right in the middle. For a pop of green and freshness, you can add a garnish of fresh parsley.
5 Important Tips
- Cook the chickpeas well (even canned chickpeas can use a quick simmer!) I already mentioned that dry chickpeas are the best if you really want to learn how to make hummus from scratch. After soaking overnight, you can give the chickpeas a simmer in water for about 2 hours until well-cooked through and tender. Big tip! Overcooking the chickpeas just a bit gives you creamier hummus! So, even if you’re using canned chickpeas, give them a brief 20 minute simmer so they will be well cooked and tender.
- Peel the chickpeas. Chickpea skins are edible, but if you want creamy hummus, peel the chickpeas and discard the skins. It helps to soak the chickpeas in a bit of hot water with some baking soda, takes the chickpea skins right off (more on this process below). Of course, sometimes I don’t peel the chickpeas, but that doesn’t change the taste, it only makes the hummus a bit on the “rustic” side.
- Use quality tahini and enough of it. Tahini paste is a key ingredient in an authentic hummus recipe. It will add that rich consistency and subtle nutty flavor. There are all sorts of tahini options out there. The best tahini comes from Ethiopian sesame seeds. I use organic Soom tahini from 100% roasted and pressed organic White Humera sesame seeds
- For fluffy hummus, add ice cube while blending. Sounds crazy right? This is a trick I learned from my mother-in-law who is a master of the Levant kitchen. The ice cubes help in whipping the hummus into a creamier texture–kinda like freshly churned ice-cream.
- Don’t rush it! Let the food processor run for 4 to 5 minutes. Run the food processor for a few minutes so the hummus mixture will blend well enough to a smooth texture. Test, and if needed, add a tiny bit of hot water through the opener of the food processor as it’s running to help continue to smooth the hummus even more until it’s utterly creamy.