Here she is. The creamiest, dreamiest, greenest homemade hummus I’ve ever met. My standard for great hummus has risen over the years and reached a new height in Israel last fall, naturally.
Store-bought hummus is hit or miss and homemade hummus is usually disappointing. It tends to be too thick and bumpy to compare to the cloud-like hummus that I adore at Middle Eastern restaurants.
I’ve tried various tricks for making creamy homemade hummus over the years, like peeling the chickpeas (who has time for that?) and warming the chickpeas to release starch (which then produces a weird layer of skin on top as the hummus cools).
I finally found a method that works, and oh man! It works. Credit goes to Inspired Taste for this stroke of genius, which I stumbled upon during my most recent search for hummus tips.
Here’s the trick: just blend the tahini and lemon juice into creamy oblivion before you start adding the remaining ingredients. That’s it! Tahini is often kinda lumpy and gunky right out of the container, so cutting it with lemon juice and whipping them together produces a light-as-air consistency that carries through to the finished product.
I’m busy daydreaming about all the creamy hummus flavors I can whip up at home now, but I should probably tell you about this one first. It’s the best homemade hummus I’ve ever tasted. I borrowed the fresh herbs from classic green goddess dressings and whipped them into the hummus for a spectacularly green and equivalently flavorful hummus.
I definitely questioned my green goddess concept when I was tossing expensive packets of fresh tarragon and chives into my cart at the grocery store, but this hummus proved its worth. That said, feel free to hold off on this hummus until your herb garden is in full swing, or change up the herbs to cut costs.
You could use parsley alone or try blending in arugula instead. You could omit the herbs completely for a classic, creamy hummus recipe. Maybe you’ll want to toss in some roasted garlic or play with the seasonings. What flavor are you making first?
Cuisinart 7-cup food processor
Citrus juicer
▸ For more of my favorite cooking tools, shop my healthy kitchen!
Green Goddess Hummus
- Author:
- Prep Time: 3 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 1 ¾ cup
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Lebanese
This ultra creamy, healthy hummus recipe is flavored with delicious herbs! Use classic green goddess dressing herbs like me or change it up with other fresh, leafy herbs. (You’ll want to use 1 cup or less fresh herbs, to taste. I think arugula would be awesome.) Learn the trick to making creamy homemade hummus, too! Recipe yields about 1 ¾ cup hummus.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon’s worth)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- ½ cup roughly chopped, loosely packed fresh parsley
- ¼ cup roughly chopped, loosely packed fresh tarragon
- 2 to 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh chives
- 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- One (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water, optional
- Garnish with extra olive oil and a sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs
Instructions
- First, you’ll whip the tahini and lemon juice together to make them ultra smooth and creamy. Combine the tahini and lemon juice in the bowl of your food processor (a smaller food processor will be better suited to the job) or high-powered blender (i.e. Vitamix or Blendtec). Process for about 1 ½ minutes, pausing to scrape down the bowl of your processor as necessary.
- Add the olive oil, parsley, tarragon, chives, chopped garlic and salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice mixture. Process for about 1 minute, pausing to scrape down the bowl as necessary.
- Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl, then add the remaining chickpeas and process for until the hummus is thick and quite smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
- If your hummus is too thick or hasn’t yet blended into creamy oblivion, run the food processor while drizzling in 1 to 2 tablespoons water, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Scrape the hummus into a small serving bowl. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil on top and sprinkle with additional chopped herbs.
- Store hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week.
Notes
Hummus technique adapted from Inspired Taste. Green goddess herb mix adapted from Simply Recipes.
Marcia
This looks fabulous, Kate. Thanks for both the great recipe and the great tip for making it creamy! And, as always, it’s also great that you cited all for inspiration/sources for both. Not all bloggers do, I’ve noticed, and shame on them! I’m pinning this one right now :-)
Kate
Thank you, Marcia! I always strive to give credit where credit is due and it bums me out when other bloggers don’t do the same. I’m pretty sure my high school English teacher would hunt me down if I didn’t cite my sources! :)
Marcia
Ha! Would you believe I was an English teacher for many years? Seriously! Now I teach future English teachers, and I lecture them to death on this same point, poor kids :-)
Going to the store to get the hummus ingredients today!
Kate
Haha, yes, I believe you! Hope you loved the hummus, Marcia.
Sue
My basic recipe is the same as yours without the herbs. I found adding some extra water makes it very creamy but I will try the tahini and lemon juice together method.
Kate
Please let me know how it works for you, Sue!
Maryea {happy healthy mama}
I can’t wait to try your cream hummus tip! I also love the green goddess concept. I’ll bet this is incredible!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough
I’ll admit it: I’ve never made my own hummus before (insert wide-eyed emoji here). It’s about time that changes and I’m kicking things off with this recipe. So gorgeous and I love the flavors!
Kate
I bet you’ll get hooked on homemade hummus once you give it a try! It’s so easy. :)
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
If you say this is the best homemade hummus, then I am SO down! I can’t wait to try!! Pureeing the tahini and lemon is a fabulous idea!
Allana
Wonderful! This has been my secret for making the creamiest hummus ever for many years. Glad you’ve discovered it and shared it :)
Love your fabulous blog!
Kate
Aha! Glad to know your trick now, Allana. :)
Adrianna
OMG this looks soooo good! Need want need!
Jerilyn
Beautiful pictures as always!!! And always love to see those great pictures of Cookie helping out! A question…before I buy some tahini, which brand do you like? Have you ever used the one from Trader Joe’s? Some brands tend to be bitter; I’m wanting one on the mild side…thanks!!! :)
Kate
Hey Jerilyn, I used Whole Foods’ own brand of tahini. It’s my favorite. I’m not a big fan of the kind from Trader Joe’s. I think it has some extra ingredients in it.
S Lauren | Modern Granola
Man this looks amazing! I have always wondered how people get their hummus so velvety. I’m relieved that I don’t have to peel each chickpea anymore. Hurrah!
Kate
Yep, please try it and let me know how it works for you!
Krista
I adore your blog and recipes. Haven’t made anything I haven’t loved. Thank you!
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Krista!
Lauren
YES this looks delicious, I really need to start making hummus again!
Kate Ryan
Just made this and it is delicious! I’ve never used fresh tarragon before but it adds a wonderful taste. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Wow, you’re fast! So glad you enjoyed the hummus, Kate.
BiteBoo
Great recipe and gorgeous pics!!!
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance
I totally agree, the tahini can be a deal breaker when it comes to hummus! I’m super picky when it comes to tahini (I blame my Lebanese roots) and find that the consistency and flavor depends on it, especially the flavor! Love the trick of pureeing the lemon and tahini before anything else. I’ve also found that removing the “skins” of the chickpeas before pureeing makes the consistency super smooth and using a Vitamix will pulverize anything! Pinning this now :)
Kate
Yep, tahini makes all the difference! Seems like most store-bought varieties skimp on the tahini.
Cassie
Wow, that sounds amazing!
Kelly
Thanks for the tahini and lemon juice tip!
Amy
Great minds think alike! Just this morning I was craving hummus and put it on my to-do list to find a good new recipe for it. Heavens knows from your travels you know a good authentic hummus. So excited to try this.
Kate
Perfect! Please let me know how it turns out for you!
Amy
Made this for my family this weekend. It was a hit, they all loved it even though they were weary of the green!
Kate
Awesome! Thank you, Amy!
J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats
I tend to like my hummus plain over all the garlic roasted/red pepper/spicy/etc. variations but I adoreee herbs. My mom used to call me ‘the rabbit’ when I was little because I would pilfer all the herb garnishes from people’s plates and just eat them by themselves. So this hummus would be everything.
The only method that has worked for me in the past is peeling one, which is kind of a drag. I heard the Ottolenghi cookbook has a method where you cook the chickpeas with baking soda or something that works well too.
Kate
I tried peeling the chickpeas, and I couldn’t tell that it made a significant difference! I think that adding baking soda to the chickpeas helps them cook faster.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
What a great tip on the tahini and lemon juice! I snack on hummus almost daily so this is a must make for me!
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health
thanks for the tip..also have you found any difference between can vs cooked chickpeas in hummus?
Kate
To be honest, I’m too lazy to cook my own. I have no doubt that freshly cooked chickpeas would be more flavorful, though.
Kurt Jacobson
I make hummus often and will try this recipe, especially the part about blending the tahini and lemon juice. I will also take your advice on waiting until my herb garden is up and running to infuse tarragon.
Thanks!
Anna
this made me hungry!!! It looks insane <3 can't wait to try it
kristie {birch and wild}
Cookie is just the cutest! And this hummus looks incredible!
Laura
My family inhales hummus. Do you think doubling the recipe would hurt or affect the texture??
Kate
I think you could double this as long as your food processor is large enough to handle it!
Notes on Tea
So glad I added arugula to my midweek farm box!
Sommer @ASpicyPerspective
Truly a recipe from the heavens! Can’t wait to try this beautiful hummus recipe Kate! Great option for the guys watching the games right now!
Kate
Thank you, Sommer! :)
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy
I am a homemade hummus addict! I have never made green goddess hummus before though. I am pinning this to try. YUM.
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life
I love hummus! And I get it all to myself because the boyfriend is not a fan :)
I think I’m going to try mine with a big heaping of end-of-summer basil and a sprinkling of nearly-autumn thyme :)
I love your simple trick for making extra smooth hummus. I can’t wait to try this out soon. Thanks Kate :)
Kate
Thanks, Amy! That herb combination sounds fantastic to me.
nico
It sounds super good! Ingredients that I love! It gives me a lot of ideas! Thank you!
Nicole
What an amazing idea! I made a version yesterday using what I had at home (cilantro, parsley, tarragon) and it came out beautifully. Excited to try again with different herb combinations!
Kate
Oh good, I’m so glad you enjoyed the hummus! Thanks, Nicole!
Tiffany
This looks incredible! I love tahini in almost everything lol. I also like to switch out the garbanzo beans for white beans for a smoother consistency and yummy flavor. Thanks for sharing! I can’t wait to try it!
Meg S
I love the process pics on this one! That’s a health food lovin’ pup you go there :)
Kate
She loves all food, really! I’ve even caught her licking up beer.
mira
So fresh, creamy and delicious! Can’t wait to try it. Pinned!
★★★★★
Bec C
Yum! forehead slap moment for not ever thinking about putting herbs into hummus!
I love the tahini lemon whip method as well, and my whole hummus game changed when I found dried chickepeas at the Indian grocer that had already been split and peeled. After soaking overnight they only take 15mins to cook, and they make the creamiest hummus ever :)
keep up the good work!
Kate
Awesome! Glad to hear you like the whipping method, too. I will have to keep an eye out for those 15 minute chickpeas! Those sound great!
Dani @ DaniCaliforniaCooks
Thanks for your hummus-making tips! Been on my to-do list to try making this homemade for a while :)
Kathy Duckett
I just made this and followed the recipe exactly. It is smooth, creamy and so good! So much better than ordinary hummus. :)
Kate
Awesome! Thank you, Kathy!
Kari
Looks amazing! So healthy!
Daniela
This hummus does not just look stunning, it tastes incredible too. Made it last Sunday and it is already gone! Love your blog!
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Daniela!
Joanne
This just makes my hummus loving heart happy. Also, I have half a bag of pita chips just hanging around my apartment. Obviously it’s just waiting for me to make up a batch of this!
Maria
I’ve made this twice in a matter of days. So addictively delicious and far better than my favorite recipe I’ve used for several years. And I can’t believe I haven’t come across the blending of tahini/lemon juice before now. Ultra happy you shared that with us as well as this recipe. Thanks!
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Maria. Delighted to hear you’re enjoying the hummus so much.
Teffy @ Teffy's Perks
Oh wow Kate that looks aaah-mazing! I am a huge hummus lover, I have it basically every day and never tire of it.
I need to try this tahini method! I’m pretty happy with the smoothness of mine, I do quite the opposite – I blend just the chickpeas first until they break down, then add the tahini, then the rest of the ingredients.
Need to try this though, whipped tahini sounds a dream!
X
Kate
Well, please give it a try and let me know how it compares! Thanks, Teffy!
Beth
I am making this deliciousness tonight! I have two open jars of tahini in my fridge right now: one is more liquidy and very smooth (Whole Foods’ 365 brand) and the other is thicker and more textured (Once and Again brand.) Would you recommend one over the other in your recipe? Thank you!
Kate
Beth, I’m sorry I didn’t answer your question quickly enough! I used Whole Foods’ 365 brand tahini in this recipe. Which one did you use?
Mona
Hi, Kate, I generally enjoy your recipes.
However, this does not work in a high speed blender (I have an excellent Oster).
I really think one needs a food processor for this recipe.
I tried this in my blender, without the green goddess herbs and with scallions. The chickpeas did not blend into the rest, in spite of repeated attempts.
Kate
Hi Mona, I’m so sorry the hummus didn’t work in your blender. That’s a bummer. I think it would work in a Vitamix or a Blendtec, but those are sure pricy. I will update my recipe based on your feedback.
Mona
Hi, Kate,
It’s great that you pay attention to feedback! I will get a Vitamix one of these days, when I can afford it :)
Cheers.
Kate
Yes, feedback is very important to me! Thanks again for yours, Mona. Hope you are having a fantastic weekend!
laura
I made this for my friends this weekend and everyone gushed over it. So delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! So glad you all enjoyed it. Thanks, Laura!
Anna
That looks amazing ! I love hummus and it s one of my favorites recipes for summer dinners, next time, I’ll totally go for this one !
To peel the chickpeas (better for the taste from my point, to make the recipe lighter as well) there is a trick ! Put the chickpeas in a big bowl full of water and rub them up, clean it to take off the peels and repeat once or twice, like less than 3minutes and it’s ok!
Bon appétit !
★★★★
Kate
Aha! That’s a great tip. Thanks Anna!
Tina
Love this, pinned it and can’t wait to try it! Thank you so much for posting your original inspiration from Inspired Taste. I am new to blogging and I couldn’t find where I had found those creamy secrets this I saw this. So I just updated my hummus recipe, giving credit to you both!!
Your blog was one of my first inspirations (and continues to be) for starting my blog.
xoxo
★★★★★
Thalia @ butter and brioche
I am obsessed with all things green goddess but never seen a green goddess flavoured hummus before. This is such a delicious and unique recipe!
★★★★★
Elena
This looks amazing!!! I never thought about adding these ingredients to my hummus. I will definitely have a go at it. Thanks for sharing :)
Nes
My grocery store didn’t have tarragon so I used basil instead. Soooooo good! Thanks for the recipe.
Kate
I bet it was fantastic with basil! Thanks, Nes!
Lacy
Ooh, I just made this and it’s great! I subbed garbanzos I had just cooked from dry beans, and found I needed to include a little more of the cooking water to get a nice consistency. So yum! Thanks!
Kate
Thanks, Lacy! So glad you enjoyed it!
Sarah T
Another great recipe, Kate! Love the tarragon flavor.
I stumbled upon your website several months ago. I was surfing Pinterest for new recipes and hoping to ditch some of the horrendous dietary habits I developed in grad school (still a work in progress, I’m afraid). Your recipes have encouraged me to experiment with new ingredients and shown me that meatless meals are anything but boring. Thanks for the culinary inspiration! Keep up the good work!
Kate
Thank you, Sarah! Thank you for sweet comment. I’m so glad you found my blog and are enjoying the recipes! Yay!
Beth Thomerson
I’m crazy about green goddess flavors and will be making this for a party this week…however, I need to make a double batch..can it be doubled successfully in a 7-cup processor, or should I just do two batches? Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Kate
Hi Beth! That’s a great question. I *think* you could double it safely, but I haven’t tried.
Beth Thomerson
Oh my goodness, it turned out beautifully, doubling it in a 7-cup processor. What a delicious recipe – I went a little heavy on tarragon, because I love it, and I also added some spinach, kale, and swiss chard, and it was absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much for posting such an easy and unusual recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for getting back to me, Beth! So glad to hear it turned out great. Your extra-green version sounds terrific.
Jean
definitely will be trying this. sounds so yummy. love the pic of your dog licking the plate!
Kate
Thank you, Jean! She’s an ornery one.
Janet
I totally agree with you about store bought hummus. For me, it’s pretty much always a miss. I put the exact same ingredients in mine including ratios minus the tarragon and chives although I’ve only been putting about 2 tbs. of tahini because my Arabic family and friends prefer it that way. Sometimes I put parsley and other times cilantro, or sometimes I leave out the greens altogether. I’m usually very happy with my consistency, but I almost always use fresh off the pot garbanzo beans and am never as happy with the taste when I use canned. I’m going to try the lemon juice and tahini trick to see if it makes any difference. Maybe it will make what I already love even better. One trick I learned this summer from a Palestinian woman is to stir in a little plain yogurt. I like the little twist it adds to the hummus.
Kate
Thanks, Janet! It’s not easy to find good store-bought hummus. Your version with freshly cooked chickpeas sounds great. Let me know if whipping the lemon juice and tahini makes it any better! I like your yogurt addition.
Sarah T
I just came across this recipe and am going to make it for an upcoming party. It looks delicious! How far in advance can you make this? I would like to make it the day before.
Thanks!
Kate
Thanks, Sarah! You could definitely make this the day before and store it in the refrigerator. You might wait to add the chopped herb garnish until just before serving.
Terri
Kate, I just made this glorious hummus and had it on a piece of freshly baked sourdough bread. Such a good snack. I just discovered your blog two weeks ago and have made several of your recipes. They all came out awesome and my entire family loves them! Looking forward to your future posts!
★★★★★
Chloe
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to give it a try.☺
Naomi
I would like to make the but can’t seem to get fresh tarragon (in NZ) is there a good substitute please? Or would it be okay if I just left it out all together? Thanks
Kate
You can leave it out!
Marilia Calixto
There is a secret you don’t know about hummus ….you don’t need to peel it, before processing it. Cook it in a pressure cooker for about 30 minutes, in a low heat. Then, process it alone and hot with the lemon juice. Then, take this pâté and pass in a sieve, squeezing and rubbing with the back of a large spoon. The shells will remain all in the sieve. Discard them. Place the tahinne in the microwave for 15 seconds and again with the back of a spoon chop it and add to the grain paste nozzle and lemon. Add the other ingredients and control the texture by adding the cooking broth of chickpeas. Ready.
★★★★★
Winnie | Induction Cooking
This green hummus looks great. I am so pleased you shared the secret to getting hummus creamy and smooth. I am wondering…could you use a bullet blender like a Nutribullet to blend the tahini and lemon juice?
Kate
Thanks, Winnie! I think you could use a bullet blender for blending the tahini and lemon juice, but I’m not sure if it would be able to handle the addition of chickpeas.
Jnel
Kate, This is just fantastic hummus! It is beautiful, delicious and nutritious–the perfect triple threat. My husband described it as ‘crazy good’. I found your terrific website a few months ago and absolutely every recipe I’ve tried has been wonderful! Because I am an old woman, it’s highly likely I’ve been a vegetarian for more years than you’ve been alive. Your new ideas and flavor combinations are very inspiring to me. And, I love your writing too! Thank you!
Deborah
Oh my! I have loved anything Green Goddess since my mother used it on salads in the 1970s. I am going shopping tomorrow to make this ASAP. Thanks so much for the recipe!
★★★★★
Amanda
Have you ever made a tahini-free hummus? Our daughter is allergic to tahini (but not sesame seeds! weird!), and I have tried several recipes, but none are that great. Maybe it is just not meant to be. Just thought I would ask! We love your website and can’t wait for the cookbook!
Kate
Hi Amanda, that is so interesting that she’s allergic to tahini but not sesame seeds. Hmm. I don’t love hummus made without tahini; it’s not as thick and savory. I wonder if perhaps you could try replacing the tahini with sunflower seed butter? Or maybe almond butter? Almond butter with sun-dried tomatoes instead of herbs might be good! Can’t wait for you to get my cookbook!
Jay
wow! Kate all your recipes looks good. I’m a vegetarian living in Sri Lanka. I can’t get some of the ingredients here in my little town. May be I can substitute with something else!! I love the variety! Thanks. I must try this asap.
★★★★★
Kate
Hey, Jay! Hello from Kansas City! I’m sure you could find some good swap-outs– I try to make it easy to use ingredients you have at home, so be sure to check the comments and see what other readers used as substitutes!
Alice Rolka
I don’t usually comment but this was so, so good! I’m gutted because I had an allergic reaction to the herbs (boo!), but I’m sure it’s still going to be delicious if I make it without them. Looking forward to the cookbook :)
★★★★★
Kate
Oh no! I hope you are recovering, Alice. I’m sure it’d be just as delicious.
Jennie
Cannot WAIT to make this! Will be going to Publix tomorrow for herbs & rest of ingredients not already in my pantry & fridge…BTW, the pics you posted of Cookie (I’m assuming?) are the CUTEST! Hope you have them framed, or up somewhere in your home!
Kate
I hope you love this, Jennie! And yep, my house is full of Cookie’s glamor shots. :)
Michelle
Just made this today! I love green hummus recipes as it’s a great way to give it some flavor and heavy metal extracting properties. Really yummy! I don’t use tarragon often so it was an interesting subtle dimension of a licorice like flavor. Love it.
★★★★★
Kate
Yes! Thanks, Michelle!
Emma J.
Is it weird that I’m commenting on a recipe from 2015? I don’t even care – I love this hummus. I was on a similar journey, disappointed with my lumpy homemade goop, but concerned that the store-bought variety didn’t have any protein (howwww does that happen with real chickpeas and tahini?). I’m also dreaming up other herb combos – this will be a staple for me.
Kate
Not weird at all, Emma! I get comments from older posts all the time. :) I’m so glad you found a good homemade hummus recipe! Enjoy experimenting with different herby combinations.
Cindy
I love making a quick hummus in the food processor. This green hummus looks amazing. I wish I had the ingredients already because I would make it right now. I’ll make it soon, can’t wait, it looks so yummy.
Melanie Smith
Super easy to make and tastes delicious. Thank you for providing a twist on traditional hummus recipies.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Melanie for your review!
Lora
I saw this after coming back to nab your guacamole recipe again (it was perfect!) and I saw your dog – forget the hummus, give me the dog!! So cute!
But in all seriousness I can’t wait to make this one – thanks for sharing!
KD
Thank you for your Welcome packet.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for the review.