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This easy homemade hummus is flavorful, creamy and quick! With tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and canned chickpeas, the simple dip or spread makes a delicious and healthy prep-ahead snack, appetizer, or side dish. It’s truly the best hummus recipe, and it’s delicious alongside pita chips, warm pita bread, fresh veggies or crackers!

Hands dipping pita in a bowl of the best hummus recipe

Sure, I grab a tub of the store-bought stuff on occasion (it can be quite good!), but nothing compares to the texture and fresh taste of homemade hummus! If you can spare an extra 10 minutes in your day, it’s well worth the effort to whip up a batch of the best hummus recipe in your food processor.

Authentic Hummus Recipe

“Hummus” comes from the Arabic word ḥummuṣ meaning “chickpeas.” This Middle Eastern dip or spread consists of cooked, mashed chickpeas that are blended with tahini, lemon juice and garlic. It’s not entirely clear when or where hummus originated, but the earliest known recorded recipe for a dish resembling hummus bi tahina appears in cookbooks from 13th century Cairo!

An authentic hummus recipe tastes rich and garlicky with strong umami flavors from the tahini. The texture can be smooth and creamy, or can be a bit chunkier — you decide when you’re making it at home!

Bowl of canned chickpeas over a food processor

Hummus Recipe with Tahini

Tahini is a creamy condiment made from toasted ground sesame seeds. It has a texture that’s similar to a thin natural peanut butter, and is commonly found in the cuisines of the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean, the South Caucasus, as well as parts of North Africa. You can typically find tahini in the international aisle of the grocery store, or near the nut butters (such as peanut butter and almond butter). If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can even make your own using this tahini recipe.

Tahini is an essential ingredient for the flavor and texture of hummus. You’ll need to stir the tahini well before measuring, as the oil separates when it settles.

Adding tahini to a food processor

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you’ll need for the best homemade hummus recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete preparation instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

  • Canned chickpeas: drained and rinsed.
  • Tahini: toasted ground sesame seeds give hummus it’s unique flavor. Do not omit this key ingredient.
  • Olive oil: gives the hummus a smooth, creamy texture and a rich taste.
  • Water: to thin the hummus to reach your desired consistency.
  • Lemon juice: adds a bright, acidic note.
  • Garlic: start with about 1 small clove. You can always add more for a very garlicky flavor!
  • Salt: enhances the other flavors in the dip.
Pouring water into a food processor

How to Make Hummus

The best hummus recipe is adapted from a traditional hummus recipe that I originally found in a cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen. The base recipe has a perfectly balanced, rich flavor and a thick, creamy texture, and can be tweaked to create a variety of other flavors. Best of all, the delicious made-from-scratch dish is ready in about 10 minutes!

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor.
  2. Puree until smooth and creamy, adding more water or olive oil, as necessary.
  3. Taste and season with additional salt, if you like.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Spoon scooping hummus from a food processor

How to Eat Hummus

Hummus is a very versatile dish! Serve it cold or at room temperature as an appetizer or snack, spread it on a sandwich or wrap, or offer it as a side dish with a larger meal. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Square image of a bowl of the best hummus recipe with tahini on a table

Preparation and Storage Tips

  • Make Ahead: Prepare the hummus in advance, cover and refrigerate. It will last in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 days.
  • How to Freeze: Transfer hummus to a freezer-safe container. Pour olive oil over top to cover (this will form a seal over the hummus to lock in the moisture). Seal tightly and freeze for 3-4 months.
  • Thaw the hummus in the refrigerator overnight.
Close up side shot of a bowl of the best hummus recipe garnished with parsley and served with a plate of pita chips

Best Hummus Recipe — Variations

You can jazz up this base recipe to create a variety of different hummus flavors.

Other popular hummus flavors that you might want to try:

  • Roasted Red Pepper: add about 2 tablespoons of chopped roasted red peppers.
  • Parsley: add plenty of chopped fresh parsley to the food processor
  • Lemon: swap out some of the water and use more lemon juice instead. For a stronger lemon flavor, add grated lemon zest to the food processor as well.
  • Sun Dried Tomato: drain sun dried tomatoes packed in oil. Chop and stir into the hummus.
  • Spinach and Artichoke: drain artichoke hearts and chop into bite-sized pieces. Stir into the hummus with drained, thawed spinach that has been squeezed dry.
  • Basil Pesto: stir a dollop or two of store-bought or homemade pesto into the hummus.
  • Chipotle or Sriracha: for a spicy hummus, stir in sriracha (to taste), or add chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
  • Olive: add store-bought olive tapenade to the base hummus recipe.
  • Roasted Garlic: Roast garlic and then add the roasted garlic to your base hummus recipe before pureeing in the food processor.
Hands serving a plate of easy hummus and pita chips

Tips for the Best Hummus Recipe

  • Tahini has a slightly bitter taste naturally. If your homemade hummus tastes too bitter, it may be that you added too much tahini. It could also be that your tahini just isn’t a good quality — maybe try a different brand.
  • To achieve a very smooth and creamy texture, you’ll simply need to puree the hummus even longer in the food processor (at least 3-4 minutes). Another great method to achieve ultra-smooth hummus? Make it in a blender! I don’t normally recommend preparing hummus in a blender because it’s difficult to control the texture (it goes from lumpy to pulverized in seconds); however, if you know that you want it super-smooth, whizz it in the blender and it will be perfectly light, fluffy and creamy. A small blender like a NutriBullet works nicely for this recipe.
  • For even richer flavor and creamier texture, drizzle a little bit of additional tahini or olive oil into the food processor as it’s running. Go slowly and taste frequently!
  • Add more water or lemon juice, as necessary, to thin the hummus to the desired consistency. You will also want to scrape down the sides of the food processor a couple of times in order to make sure that all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Overhead shot of hand dipping a pita chip in a bowl of homemade hummus

More Easy Dip and Snack Recipes to Try

Hands dipping pita in a bowl of the best hummus recipe

Best Hummus Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings 16 servings (2 tablespoons each)
Calories 77 kcal
Smooth and creamy, this easy homemade hummus is flavorful, quick, and delicious alongside pita chips and veggies!

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (15.5 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup water, plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • Optional, for serving: additional olive oil; chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Place chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, water, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor. Puree until smooth, scraping the sides occasionally and adding more water, as necessary, until the hummus reaches the desired consistency. Give it a taste and season with additional salt, if necessary.
  • Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • To serve, drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Notes

  • Make Ahead: Prepare the hummus in advance, cover and refrigerate. It will last in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 days.
  • How to Freeze Homemade Hummus: Transfer hummus to a freezer-safe container. Pour olive oil over top to cover (this will form a seal over the hummus to lock in the moisture). Seal tightly and freeze for 3-4 months.
  • Tahini has a slightly bitter taste naturally. If your homemade hummus tastes too bitter, it may be that you added too much tahini. It could also be that your tahini just isn’t a good quality — maybe try a different brand.
  • To achieve a very smooth and creamy texture, you’ll simply need to puree the hummus even longer in the food processor (at least 3-4 minutes). You might also like to drizzle in a little bit more olive oil to contribute to that creamy texture. Another great method to achieve ultra-smooth hummus? Make it in a blender! I don’t normally recommend preparing hummus in a blender because it’s difficult to control the texture (it goes from lumpy to pulverized in seconds); however, if you know that you want it super-smooth, whizz it in the blender and it will be perfectly light, fluffy and creamy. A small blender like a NutriBullet works nicely for this recipe.
  • Add more water or lemon juice, as necessary, to thin the hummus to the desired consistency. You will also want to scrape down the sides of the food processor a couple of times in order to make sure that all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 77kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 187mgPotassium: 57mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
Keyword: best hummus recipe, homemade hummus, hummus recipe with tahini
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Author: Blair Lonergan

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

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Comments

    1. Hi, Anna! Unfortunately, there’s not really a good substitute for tahini in hummus. Tahini is an essential ingredient that gives hummus its unique flavor and texture. You might try ordering some online (from sites like Amazon) if you can’t find it in your local stores. I would check the international aisle and the nut butter aisle at your grocery store, though — it seems like most places stock it these days (even my tiny little country market). 🙂