The best hummus is lusciously creamy, yet somehow light and fluffy. It’s beautifully smooth and swirled, and begging to be scooped up onto a wedge of pita bread. It’s nutty and tangy, thanks to the tahini, with notes of bright, fresh lemon and mellow garlic.
I encountered the most delicious hummus at Aladdin Cafe, a local Mediterranean restaurant. That hummus met all of the above characteristics, and I was hoping the owner might enlighten me with his techniques. When I asked, though, he replied, “It’s a secret,” with a sly smile and walked away.
I went home determined to learn how to make magnificently creamy hummus. First, I took the fancy flavorings out of my other hummus recipes to make plain hummus. It was dense, a little gritty, and harshly garlicky. I was so disappointed.
Next, I went to Google and opened up a million tabs to learn everything about hummus. You know me. Ten hummus attempts later, I’m ready to share all of my hummus tips and tricks with you. Get ready to make the best hummus of your life!
The internet at large raves that an Israeli chef named Michael Solomonov makes the very best hummus. It’s so good that Bon Appetit named his hummus their 2015 Dish of the Year. That’s some serious hummus.
Solomonov’s secret? He uses chickpeas that have been cooked until they’re so tender, they’re mushy.
He cooks his chickpeas with some baking soda, too. According to Bon Appetit, baking soda “raises the pH of the water and helps the little guys break down to a soft, pulpy mass… perfect for an ultra-smooth purée.”
Overcooked chickpeas seemed like a promising idea to me. You see, I once tried to make hummus with canned chickpeas that were oddly undercooked, and they made terrible hummus. No matter how long I blended the hummus, those undercooked chickpeas never blended into creamy oblivion.
Plus, baking soda helps break down the chickpea skins, which means you do not need to peel off the skins individually. Who has time for that?! I bet you don’t have time to soak your chickpeas overnight and cook them from scratch like Solomonov, either.
Here’s my time-saving solution: Just boil canned or leftover cooked chickpeas with baking soda for twenty minutes.
You can see the difference that baking soda makes in the photo below. See how the chickpeas on the right are popping open more? They are significantly softer in texture as well.
The chickpeas are ready to go after a quick rinse under cool running water, which rinses off the baking soda flavor and cools the chickpeas so your hummus doesn’t develop a weird outer film.
Are you as excited about this as I am? You can have this incredible hummus now-ish, not tomorrow! No chickpea peeling required.
I have a few more tips and techniques to making great hummus, so read on or scroll down for the full recipe and variations.
How to Make the Best Hummus
1) Mushy chickpeas
Cook canned or leftover cooked chickpeas according to step 1 below. This only adds 20 minutes to your hummus-making time, and it’s my number one tip for making perfect hummus at home.
Want to cook your chickpeas from scratch? You sure can—see the recipe notes.
Can you over-cook your chickpeas in an Instant Pot? I don’t recommend it—you’ll end up with a mess of chickpea mash clogging your vent and a puddle of chickpea cooking water surrounding your Instant Pot. I speak from experience.
2) Great tahini
All tahini is not created equally. When I was in Israel, Israelis’s spoke of tahini, or “t’hina,” with reverence. I learned that the best tahini comes from Ethiopia. Store-bought tahini in the U.S. varies widely in flavor, with some of them so bad that they’ve ruined my hummus.
My favorite brands of tahini? I had to try Solomonov’s favorite, Soom. I found it on Amazon (affiliate link) and I have to say that it is worth it. Second favorite? Trader Joe’s organic tahini, which is made from Ethiopian sesame seeds like Soom’s. Whole Foods 365 used to be my go-to, but I encountered a few bad jars that tasted so bad, I’m afraid to try again.
Don’t skimp on the tahini, either—you need to use 1/2 cup tahini per can of chickpeas for rich and irresistible hummus. I once toured an enormous hummus production facility and learned that they often reduce the cost of producing store-bought hummus by using less tahini. Sneaky!
3) Ice-cold water
Why do you always want to mix ice-cold water with tahini? This is another trick that I learned on my trip. I can’t find a scientific explanation, but it seems to help make the hummus light and fluffy, and lightens the color of the tahini to a pale ivory color.
4) Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Store-bought lemon juice always tastes stale and sad, and it will make your hummus taste stale and sad. Buy lemons and your humus will taste fresh and delicious. I almost always add another tablespoon of lemon juice to my hummus for extra flavor before I plate it, but I’ll leave the tang factor up to you.
5) Garlic, mellowed in lemon juice
This is another trick from Solomonov—if you mince the garlic in the food processor or blender with the lemon juice and let that mixture rest for a few minutes, the garlic will lose its harsh, raw bite and mellow out. I tried it before and after, and he’s right! Here’s Serious Eats’ scientific explanation for why this works.
6) Olive oil, blended into the hummus and drizzled on top
Solomonov doesn’t blend any olive oil into his hummus, but I think that one tablespoon makes the hummus taste even more luxurious and creamy. I recommend it!
7) Ground cumin
The cumin is subtle and offers some “Je ne sais quoi,” if you will. It’s a common ingredient in plain hummus recipes, and makes the hummus taste a little more special.
Hummus Variations
This hummus recipe is plain (and by plain, I mean delicious), but you can blend any of the following in with the chickpeas to make variations.
- Green goddess hummus: 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh, leafy herbs
- Kalamata olive hummus: 3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
- Roasted garlic hummus: Cloves from 1 to 2 heads of roasted garlic
- Roasted red pepper hummus: 3/4 cup roasted red peppers, drained and sliced into strips
- Sun-dried tomato hummus: 3/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and drained (from one 6.7-ounce jar)
- Toasted sesame hummus: 1/2 teaspoon in the hummus, plus 1 teaspoon drizzled on top
Hummus Garnishes
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Sprinkle of ground sumac, which is gloriously sour and deep pink, or paprika, which is basically flavorless but offers a splash of color
- Sesame seeds or seeded spice blend, such as dukkah
- Middle Eastern hot sauce, such as zhoug or shatta
- Chopped fresh parsley
Ok, let’s make some hummus! I’m dying to hear how this hummus turns out for you. Please let me know in the comments and tell me if overcooking your chickpeas makes all the difference!
You can also share a photo of your results on Instagram with the hashtag #cookieandkate so we can all see your results.
Watch How to Make Hummus
Best Hummus
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups (8 servings) 1x
- Category: Dip
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: Israeli
Learn how to make the best homemade hummus! It’s creamy, dreamy and light. This hummus recipe is easy to make—no peeling chickpeas or overnight soak required. Recipe yields about 2 cups.
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (if you’re using canned chickpeas)
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons), more to taste
- 1 medium-to-large clove garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- ½ cup tahini
- 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water, more as needed
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Any of the following garnishes: drizzle of olive oil or zhoug sauce, sprinkle of ground sumac or paprika, chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas in a medium saucepan and add the baking soda. Cover the chickpeas by several inches of water, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, reducing heat if necessary to prevent overflow, for about 20 minutes, or until the chickpeas look bloated, their skins are falling off, and they’re quite soft. In a fine-mesh strainer, drain the chickpeas and run cool water over them for about 30 seconds. Set aside (no need to peel the chickpeas for this recipe!).
- Meanwhile, in a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Process until the garlic is very finely chopped, then let the mixture rest so the garlic flavor can mellow, ideally 10 minutes or longer.
- Add the tahini to the food processor and blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, stopping to scrape down any tahini stuck to the sides and bottom of the processor as necessary.
- While running the food processor, drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice water. Scrape down the food processor, and blend until the mixture is ultra smooth, pale and creamy. (If your tahini was extra-thick to begin with, you might need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons more ice water.)
- Add the cumin and the drained, over-cooked chickpeas to the food processor. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until the mixture is super smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary, about 2 minutes. Add more ice water by the tablespoon if necessary to achieve a super creamy texture.
- Taste, and adjust as necessary—I almost always add another ¼ teaspoon salt for more overall flavor and another tablespoon of lemon juice for extra zing.
- Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl or platter, and use a spoon to create nice swooshes on top. Top with garnishes of your choice, and serve. Leftover hummus keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Michael Solomonov, via The New York Times and Bon Appetit, and Yotam Ottolenghi.
How to cook dry chickpeas in a hurry for this recipe: In a large saucepan, combine 5 ounces (¾ cup) dried chickpeas and ½ teaspoon baking soda, and fill the pot with water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and skim off the surface foam as needed. Continue boiling over medium-high, adding more water if you start running out, until the chickpeas are very mushy and falling apart, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh colander, rinse under cool running water, and drain well before using. Start the recipe at step 2.
Lisa
This is the only way I make hummus anymore. I have the Zahav cookbook and I live in Philadelphia so I can vouch for how great it is. I’ve used an instant pot to make chick peas and that works well too. Just make sure they’re overcooked and you’re set!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Brenda
Kate it surprises me everyone does mention the pressure cooker or instant pot. Total time under pressure if soaked is 4 minutes! Add a few to get it up to pressure and release the pressure and your in for maybe 20 min. Who doesn’t have 20 ? Just enough time to prepare the rest of the ingredients squeeze the lemons and get out the processor.
Michelle
Wow, thank you for doing this extensive amount of research on the perfect hummus! I can’t wait to give it a try. Love how smooth it looks.
Kate
You’re welcome! I would love to hear what you think when you try it, Michelle.
Jackie Bastyr Cooper
I was expecting you to say, “remove the skins!” – happy to hear all you need is a little baking soda. Can’t wait to try out this recipe!!
Kate
Let me know what you think!
Barbara
This is totally AWESOME!
You win the Best Hummus Ever Award, Kate!
I love the no-skins-removed too.
Thank you!
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you are just as excited as I am about it, Barbara. Thanks for the review.
Sarah
I didn’t even have to read your post…your picture sold me instantly. The texture looks INSANE.
Kate
Win! :)
Tori
I too used canned chick peas when I make my hummus. My solution to the grainy texture is to run the blended hummus through a ricer. That removes the hulls and I get a smooth, creamy hummus. It doesn’t take all that much time and my family raves over my hummus.
Love your blog, by the way. Even bought your cookbook for my daughter. And going to get another copy for myself.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Tori! Enjoy the cookbook! Hope your daughter does as well.
Cassie Autumn Tran
This is some of THE creamiest hummus I’ve ever seen! It literally looks as smooth as lotion. I bet it tastes wondrous too! I’d add a TON of spices and maybe even some curry powder into mine!
Kate
That would be a nice add-in, Cassie!
Catherine J Stout
Kate, I enjoy your blog, as much as I love your recipes..You are a hoot to read! I wish I had your youth, talent, and enthusiasm..You are an inspiration..I haven’t made this recipe, but I will..I’m glad you found the smoothness secret, ‘cause I always was disappointed that I couldn’t get my hummus as smooth as store bought.I started working on becoming a vegetarian about 3 1/2 yrs ago after eating meat for 70+ yrs..Yuck!..I wish I had learned of cruel factory farming earlier..It has been a process,but smart people like you help to make it easier, and healthier..I’m rating your recipe 5 stars..I know I’ll love it!
Kate
I’m glad you are a fan of my writing. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Michelle
This is the best hummus tutorial I have ever read! I can make good hummus but I usually peel my chickpeas and it is annoying. Excited to try this! Thank you Kate!
Kate
I’m glad you think so, Michelle. Thanks for the review even before you have tired it. :) Love that!
Fi
This sounds amazing and I can’t wait to make it!! How long do you think it will keep in the fridge (if there’s any left over!)?
Kate
I know! It’s so hard to not eat in one sitting. It should keep well in the fridge, covered for 3-4 days.
Kristine Lundberg
Hello Kate. Thanks for your great article. Hummus is much loved in our household, so I enjoyed your tips. Just for your backround information, I recall being told in Home Economic classes at high school that the use of Bicarbonate of Soda ( commonly added to beans and peas in the 1950s and earlier no doubt, when boiling vegetables, – to retain the fresh green colour) reduced nutritional content. We weren’t told the specifics, so I just googled the topic to find out details.
Kate
You’re welcome, Kristine! Thanks so much for sharing. I appreciate the review.
Rita
Nicely Explained
Kate
Thank you, Rita!
Judy S Kropf
Kate, so funny that you should use Michael Solomonov’s recipe. I have his book and use that recipe as well. FYI, Israelis don’t call it “trina” but “tehina.” It’s just that the “h” in the letter “chet” is subtle, in the back of the throat like a French “r”.
Thanks again, Judy
Kate
Thanks, Judy!
Naomi
Yay! We just made fresh hummus at our house, which I haven’t made in a long time due to the abundance of varieties now available at the store. I have to say though, there is nothing like fresh homemade – for hummus and other things! I do like a bit of olive oil and /or sesame oil, a splash of soy sauce or tamari is good too. Definitely fresh lemons, and garlic – I will have to try the garlic-in-lemon juice thing. I usually mellow my garlic a bit by warming it in a bit of olive oil first. Now I have to try your tips and make another batch…
Kate
Homemade is the best! Let me know what you think when you try it, Naomi.
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite
I am literally in awe of how creamy and luscious this looks!! Love the science behind it too…I’ve been disappointed one too many times by homemade hummus. You can bet this will become a staple in our house!
Kate
Well, thank you Brittany. :)
Viktoria
Oh I’ve made this hummus from based on Bon Appetit’s recipe: it’s the best hummus ever!!! I also add some ice cubes sometimes when I feel that it needs extra hydration:) Agree about the tahini, though, it’s quality is essential!! Thanks!!!
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Allison
Looks so smooth and creamy! So, to clarify, you don’t need to discard the skins? I always thought those would prevent smoothness even with overcooking. Thanks!
Kate
Not for this one! :)
Lin
I must be missing something here. So you use the baking soda to loosen the skins but not remove them?? How is that any different than leaving them on the peas? I don’t get it.
I’ve been using the baking soda method and always remove them by rubbing the cooked peas in a clean towel or between my hands under running water but I would love to eliminate that step.
Tahini is hard to get where I live in Mexico so I make my own and it’s pretty good . . . I think. LOL.
Thanks for all your recipes! I have made several of them and they’re always great.
Casey
This looks amazing! How long can this stay in the fridge?
Kate
It should keep well, covered for 3-4 days.
Lad
Do you remove the skins from the chickpeas before or after boiling (if using canned) or leave them on?
Kate
Just leave them on. :)
KYC
Hi,
This is exactly the way I make my hummus! The only difference is that I soak the dry chickpeas overnight and the next day I boil them with the baking soda. Its less “gassy”
Thanks for all your recipes!
Kate
Thanks for sharing! I appreciate the review.
Lillian Betancourt
Another great recipe Kate; thanks for sharing. I do however have one question. I understand why canned beans should be rinsed prior to use but should I be rinsing my own cooked-from-scratch chick peas? Thanks!
Kate
Hi Lillian, I’m not sure that rinsing is necessary if your cooking liquid isn’t very thick (like it is for canned beans). Hope that helps!
Sarah Rosenblatt
So interesting! Thanks for testing out all of these tips, Kate, I can’t wait to try it out!
Sarah Rosenblatt
Update: It’s TRUE! This *is* the best hummus recipe! I’m amazed at how light, fluffy, and smooth it is! Thanks again, Kate, this one’s a keeper for sure.
Kate
You’re welcome! Let me know what you think, Sarah.
Dani
I absolutely can’t WAIT to try this!
Kate
Love to hear what you think, Dani!
Kevin
Hi, can’t wait to try this! Question – do you ‘peel’ the chick peas (remove the skin) before processing?
Kate
No need to peel the chickpeas for this recipe!
Lindsay
brilliant!!!! thank you
Kate
You’re welcome, Lindsay!
Brooke
I’ve been using his recipe/method for about a year, i found it on food52, it truly is the best! People beg me to make hummus for every occasion now.
Kate
That’s great! Thank you, Brooke.
Sophia
This recipe is so great!!! Even with my low-powered blender it was very creamy. I made one plain version and one with avocado and cilantro. Both are so good. Can’t wait to use this base recipe and try out more flavor combinations!
Kate
I’m glad it worked for you, Sophia!
Elaina Swartzlander
The best hummus I’ve ever made was when I took off all the skins. It was delicious, but so much work I’ve never done it again. Thanks for finding a short cut!
Kate
Welcome!
Giselle
I love how researched your recipes are these days and your willingness to share extra knowledge/how to. Love it! Thank you!
Kate
I can’t help myself! I’m glad you find it helpful. :)
Ken
Made the hummus tonite. Cooking the chick peas a brilliant move. Silky smooth but will have to work on rest of ingredients I might have devated from your recipe sorry.
Tks. Ken
Kate
Thanks for the review, Ken!
Gaby Dalkin
OMG, hummus is my absolute favorite! Yours looks great :)
Kate
Thank you, Gaby!
résé
bonjour !
antigone xxi nous dit que le bicarbonate dissout la vitamine B1 ……
dommage !
super recette avec beaucoupd’astuces ! merci !
Daphne
So grateful for all these specifications you so generously
give us; YES INDEED THE BEST EVER HUMMUS RECIPE!
THANKS
Daphne
Athens Greece
Kate
Well, thanks Daphne! I’m glad you appreciate it and like it so much.
Virginia
Absolutely lives up to it’s name – THE Best Hummus Ever!! Love, Love, Love this!!!
Kate
Thank you!
Estee
Ninja IQ will poulvorise the chickpeas to a smooth paste, without boiling them… fun to make.
I love your recipes. They amazing! Thank you.
Kate
Thank you!
Pam
I just made this wonderful recipe and it turned out fabulously! I think I needed to add another half of lemon juice (which i didn’t have) and i did add more salt. I made it with the dried chick peas and soaked overnight and boiled for one hour. The color is fantastic and the flavors are superb, I did add 3 cloves of garlic compared to the 1 suggested in the recipe and next time I will add another 2 cloves I think. It was very easy to make as well!
Kate
Thanks for sharing your variation, Pam!
Julie
This is basically magic! We go through vats of hummus every week, and I’ve tried homemade recipes to save money… but I’ve never found a version I’ve loved, until yours. Thank you!
Kate
I will take that compliment! I’m glad it’s magic. :) I appreciate your review.
Deborah
I’ve made my own hummus for years, and have always used cumin and a dash (or more!) of cayenne pepper for extra zing. Good tahini being scarce in my area, I substitute olive oil. But I never knew about putting the garlic in lemon juice, and I especially never knew that cooking the canned chickpeas would make a creamier result. Just made a batch now following your suggestions and wow! It’s totally different, and so much better. Very glad to have found your site a few months back, and really enjoy your take on good food. Thank you!!
Kate
I like it, Deborah! A little spice is great. Thanks for sharing. I appreciate the review.
Maddie
This hummus is fantastic!! I had been making a recipe using chickpeas that had soaked overnight, then had to peel the skins off… wow, this is so much better and easier! Best hummus I’ve ever had. I actually forgot to rinse the chickpeas after they had boiled, and it turned out fine – no baking soda taste, no film. And I liked eating it while it was still warm. I used Trader Joe’s tahini. Thank you for this recipe — it will be my go-to from now on!
Kate
Wonderful! I’m glad this is just what you needed, Maddie. I appreciate the review.
Danica
I just love the care you put into your recipes. You really do your best to offer your readers a great, well-researched recipe instead of what some food blogs do, which is just slap up as many recipes as possible without really any testing. I know that I can trust your recipes to turn out. That said, I eat hummus weekly and am always looking to improve my recipe. I can’t wait to try this one, and completely agree about quality tahini.
Kate
I’m glad you appreciate it, Danica! It does take time, but I think it is worth it. :) Thanks so much for your comment and kind words!
Hussain Ahmed
I just loved it. Made it yesterday and it turned out incredible. I added two small beetroots to mine and my family is drooling over it. It was served alongside lamb kofte’s and lavash.
Merci Kate
Kate
Wonderful! Thanks so much for your review.
Susan
I am very excited to try this hummus! I had a wonderful hummus in Lake Tahoe that was creamy and delicious, that was sprea on a plate, sprinkled with cumin and diced preserve lemon! I am going to try the preserves lemin in this recipe!
Kate
Let me know what you think!
Lola
Just made the hummus recipe and it is delicious. Thank you for sharing it.
Kate
You’re welcome!
Susan
Kate, I learned to make hummus from a Lebanese boyfriend about 50 years ago, back when we had to mash our chick peas with a fork, so it was always textured. Nothing fancy, including no cumin (I don’t think cumin adds anything positive to hummus, mostly because it’s about my least favorite spice flavor). I very much like the idea of marinating the garlic in the lemon juice to soften the harshness. I never learned “proper” proportions for the tahini and beans (that I remember), and haven’t made hummus in years. I have saved your recipe, for in case I get the urge to make it. :-)
Kate
Thank you! Let me know what you think when you do, Susan.
kathy
If you add a couple tablespoons of oil to the pressure cooker, the beans won’t foam and clog the vent.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Kathy!
Emma
This hummus looks amazing!! What was the hummus plant you visited in Israel ? We’re planning a trip and that’s definitely the kind of activity we want to do! Thanks
Kate
Hi Emma! I was on a special food tour group, so I’m not sure it’s publicly available, but you could try. It was the same company as Sabra here in the U.S. but goes by a different name over there, which I can’t recall at the moment, sorry! The food is so amazing over there. I would definitely look for cooking classes or market tours!
Heather E.
I love your commitment to recipes! I was able to get Soom Tahini at Whole Foods. It is worlds beyond what I have in my pantry! I followed all the steps using canned chickpeas and was rewarded with the best hummus I’ve ever made! All the little extra steps are worth it and they don’t take that much extra time. I served with pita chips I made with whole wheat pitas and za’atar. Thanks for all your hard work!!!
Kate
Thank you, Heather! :)
Alison
The best hummus ever! I’ll never go back to store bought!! Thank you!!
Kate
Thank you, Alison!
Denise
I tried your hummus recipe and it was wonderful! Creamy like restaurant hummus, and full of fresh flavor. I followed your recipe precisely using a food processor and it was perfect. The only thing I did differently was double the recipe and it worked beautifully. This is the good stuff. Thank you!
Kate
Love that! Thank you, for your comment and review.
Ben FrantzDale
This is a great recipe. As for “I can’t find a scientific explanation, but it seems to help make the hummus light and fluffy, and lightens the color of the tahini to a pale ivory color.”
I assume what’s happening is we are formin an emulsion. Emulsions are pretty much necessarily ligh-colored because the the constituents have different refractive indices so light refracts at every tiny droplet, so smaller droplets means more scattering. Like milk and mayo. (Tiny things with different refractive indices is basically why anything is white, from paint to snow.)
As for the ice water, I was just watching a show called Carbivorous on Genius Kitchen talking about how sausages are made. In particular, for some, you add curing salts and then mix it to develop the myosin in the muscle tissue, which apparently is what gives things like hot dogs their unique texture. Apparently ice is added to keep the temperature down during this step because the myosin develops better below 40 °F and that ice melts and gets emulsified in with the fat. So I think the ice water here makes the hummus light-colored and smooth for the same reason it makes hot dogs light-colored and smooth.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Ben! I really appreciate your scientific insight!
Deidre
I had discovered this method of making hummus a few months ago but didn’t like the recipe that came with it. I hadn’t gotten around to finding another recipe to use but my procrastination paid off since your recipe, through no effort on my part, popped up in my inbox! I think I added a touch too much water (my fault I’ll try not to be so heavy handed next time) but it set up well in the fridge overnight. I thought the tahini overpowered the chickpeas but my husband said this was the best hummus and in our household he is the hummus lover! So this is definitely a keeper (although next time I might cut back just a pinch on the tahini, however I’m using a different brand of tahini so maybe that makes a difference). Thank you again for another wonderful recipe and thank goodness it doesn’t involve peeling the chickpeas!
Kate
I’m glad it won your husband over! The brand could make the difference, depending if there are any add-ins. Thanks for sharing, Deidre.
Colleen
OMG- I have been making (what I thought was) hummus for awhile now… THIS recipe is the best – the hummus turned out smooth, silky, and oh so delicious! I will never use another recipe again!
Thanks Cookie & Kate!
Kate
Wonderful! I’m glad you made it. If you would want to leave a star review since you liked it so much, that would be great!
Mary
This was FABULOUS!!!! Made it as is and divided it into 3 bowls. One as is, one with some homemade salsa drizzled over the top, one with some leftover basil vinaigrette that I had made. Wow! Will be my go to from now on. Thanks for sharing!
Kate
That sounds delicious, Mary! Thanks for sharing and for your review.
Sarah
This turned out really nicely – very flavorful, fluffy, and smooth. It is so much better than store-bought and nearly as good as the light, fluffy hummus served at my favorite middle eastern restaurants. I will probably add more lemon next time and I added quite a bit more garlic than the recipe. Overall, the best hummus recipe I have tried. Thanks for the detailed tips!
Kate
You’re welcome, Sarah!
Régine Bohar
I thought my hummus was pretty good – that is until I tried this one, starting with the garlic in lemon juice, followed by the tahini, ice water, etc. This is the best I have made (and I tried a number of recipes, including the no recipe kind). Thank you!
Kate
Thank you!! I appreciate the review.
Meredith Youngson | Earth & Oven
BOOKMARKED for life. Just the visual of how creamy this is tells me that its going to be a star in my dip-making repertoire. Proper hummus making is serious business.
Kate
Love that! Let me know what you think, Meredith.
Barb
Excellent! Like my favorite middle east restaurant and much better than the grocery store. Also easy and quick.
Kate
Thank you! I’m happy it compares to your favorite! :)
Lillian
This hummus absolutely lives up to its name! Hands down the best hummus I’ve ever had and I can’t believe I made it! I have yet to try a recipe from you that hasn’t turned out delicious.
Kate
I’m happy to hear that! Thank you, Lillian. Thanks so much for the review.
Colliers
This recept looks GOOD!…..
Kate
Thanks!
Sarah
Kate! This is the hummus of my dreams. An extra step or two (which really didn’t take that long) made such a difference. My hummus came out luxurious, silky smooth, and with perfectly balanced flavour. I have to admit that I knew I would love it and made a double batch on my first go – I’m happy I did! Looking forward to dipping homemade tortilla chips, spreading on sandwiches, sharing with friends, and maybe just eating with a spoon! Thanks for this awesome recipe that I’m sure I’ll be making for a lifetime!
Kate
Ha, that’s wonderful Sarah! I’m glad you thought the extra steps were worth it. I appreciate your star review.
Latifa
This was so good! The overcooking technique is one that a Palestinian friend used, years ago, but I had forgotten. All other hummus pales by comparison.
Kate
Thanks!
Jennifer Purves
You never miss Kate – this hummus is amazing!! Here in Toronto, the tahini I was able to find was made by Nuts to You Nut Butter Inc.
Kate
Great! I appreciate the review, Jennifer.
Jamie
What is this thing you call ‘leftover hummus?’
Hahahahahaaaaaa!!!!! :)
Kate
Love that! Ha. I know, right!
Estee
Kate as an israeli i can tell you: BRAVO!!! Excellent humus
Thanks ❣️
Kate
Wonderful it has your stamp of approval, Estee! THanks so much for the review.
Andrea
Perfection!! My hummus always came out clumpy too. This is incredibly smooth and delicious. I followed your directions to the letter. Thanks!
Kate
Hooray! I’m happy this worked for you, Andrea. Thanks so much for the review!
Lee
Tried it today and it is very good!! Creamy as advertised. I usually buy Hope flavored hummus but like the pure flavor of this one. Used Trader Joe’s tahini.
Kate
Wonderful! Thank you, Lee for your review.
Maureen
This recipe is awesome! As good as any restaurant hummus that I have ever had! Thanks for sharing.
Kate
You’re welcome, Maureen! I’m glad you like it so much.
Marci
I have labored over the Michael Solomonov recipe because I love the hummus he sells in his restaurant Dizengoff, but I think yours might be almost as good and a whole lot quicker! The soom tahini is the best, but probably don’t need two tablespoons of water with that brand because mine came out with a thin texture, but very good taste! Love your recipes.
Kate
Now, that’s a compliment! Thank you!
Cynthia
Ohmygosh this was so good! I basically ate an entire (large) bag of chips and all the carrots in my fridge snacking on this. I used dry chickpeas soaked overnight then boiled for an hour with salt and baking soda. So much cheaper than the canned stuff, and so easy! Thanks for this recipe, we’ll be making it again!
Kate
Yes! I can’t stop when I get this in front of me either. Thank you, Cynthia for sharing.
Kate Oren
So very obsessed with this recipe! I have made it at least 3 times in the last week. My kids and I devour it. Thank you for the boiling tip. Makes it so creamy.
Kate
Yes! I love that, Kate. Thanks so much for you comment and review.
Amanda
Did you try using the “aquafaba” from the can of beans mixed with the additional water when you cook them? Or does that have a funny reaction with the baking soda? Can’t wait to try this one!
Kate
No, it didn’t occur to me to try including the aquafaba! However, you’re going to drain the chickpeas well so I don’t think including it in the water would offer any added benefit.
Christina
The title says it all…this truly is the best hummus! I made a double batch right from the start and kept half plain and to the other half I added some cilantro and a couple of spoonfuls of trader joes Zhoug sauce (I can’t wait to try yours by the way) So delicious. Thank you for doing all the hard work on the front end. Your talent is so appreciated.
Kate
Thank you! I’m happy you agree. I appreciate the review.
Sarah Bakula
This recipe is delicious! I tweaked it a little omitting the cumin and adding 1 medium beet
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
Mark
Wow! I can make great hummus now!! After years of unspectacular attempts. Why has this been such a secret? This is what I did. I put that delicious hummus in a pita with some pickled onions, French carrot salad, and a bunch of spring mix. Then I drizzled the tahini sauce on top. IT…WAS…EPIC!
Kate
I will take one of those! Sounds delicious, Mark. Thanks so much.
Ashley
Thanks for all the great tips! I made this tonight to go with your roasted veggies over hummus and pita recipe. Best hummus I’ve ever made.
Kate
I’m so happy to hear that, Ashley! Thanks so much for your review.
Friedl
Cooking the chickpeas with baking soda is a great tip ! My hummus IS smoother than ever ! Thanks :-)
Kate
Wonderful, Friedl! I appreciate the review.
Pam
I LOVE hummus and I make a lot of it. I have to say that this is the best I’ve ever had. I could just sit and eat it with a spoon (actually, I did…). I did use canned chickpeas because I had them on hand. Okay, also because I might be a bit lazy. I’m anxious to try it with some roasted red bell peppers. I’m about to do that right now. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Love to hear that, Pam! Thanks so much for your review.
Heather Charlet
Incredible! Making it for the third time this week- but doubling the recipe!
Kate
That’s awesome! Way to go, Heather. I love that you have made it so much already.
Lynn Hayes
I love every recipe you post, Kate. This was delicious but mine turned out too I would probably try skipping the water next time (I use Soom tahini which isn’t very thick. Also the canned chickpeas pretty much disintegrated in 10 minutes. Otherwise it’s perfect. ❤️
Kate
You’re sweet, Lynn. Thanks so much!
Kate
Hi Anne, I’m truly sorry that I’ve offended you. Your tone is so accusatory that my cheeks are burning. If you would re-read my post from a less biased perspective, I don’t think you would find any claim that hummus is Israeli. I would also argue that traveling to Israel out of genuine curiosity about the Middle East and Israel’s historical significance does not implicate me in their settler colonial project or imply endorsement. All my best to you.
Emily
Yep, definitely the best hummus ever. You are officially the only blog I look to for recipes anymore! I have never been disappointed in a single one. :)
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Emily! Such a compliment for sure.
Val
OMG….this TOTALLY works! Just now made a batch..no more grainy, heavy hummus! THANK YOU! I’d given up! Now I’ll let other know too!
Kate
Hooray!! You’re very welcome, Val. Thanks so much for your comment. If you would want to leave a star review, I would really appreciate it. :)
Izzy
This method tastes SO much better than my previous ‘chuck it all in and blend’ method of making hummus! And definitely better than store-bought. Even managed to get delicious results using a humble pull cord food processor :) Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad you like it, Izzy! If you would want to leave a star review, I would appreciate it.
Fran
Made this recipe today and it was absolutely FABULOUS! No other hummous recipe will do for me now. Also no store bought hummous. Easy, creamy, delicious and price is good too Thank you! (For sure 5 stars)
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for the 5 star review, Fran.
Linda Lilly
I finally made it! Followed the directions exactly except I added a bit of roasted red pepper. It was so light and creamy and yummy …very different than my usual hummus which is heavier and less smooth. I’ll definitely make it again.
Kate
I’m glad you made it! Roasted pepper sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing, Linda.
Dawn James
This recipe is amazing. The men in my family love spicy hummus, could I add a couple of chili’s to this recipe?
Kate
Sure! Add any variations you would like, Dawn.
Seany
Just made this hummus. Took a little extra time than I had planned but man oh man was it worth it! letting it chill right now but after licking the bowl and the rubber spatula I give this recipe five stars! Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad you thought it was worth is, Seany! Thanks so much for the review.
Rebecca
I made this tonight for a “snackable” dinner (it’s way too hot to cook) and it was delicious!! I love hummus but I’ve never been super happy with what I’ve made in the past, so I almost always settle for store bought. This is my new favorite! Thanks, as always, for your fantastic vegetarian recipes.
Kate
I love that! Snackable dinner. Thanks for sharing and for your review, Rebecca!
Priti
I really do rarely comment, but I have been using your recipes for the past few months, and have attempted many versions of hummus, and this was easily the best I have ever made.
Thank you!
Kate
I’m so glad you did! :) Thank you!
Krithika
This came out really well! Very creamy and tasty. I have been enjoying my hummus with carrots and pita chips for the last week, so satisfying.
Would this freeze well? I don’t think I’ll finish it in the next few days.
Kate
I don’t freeze all my recipes, but you could search through the comments and see if other readers have had luck!
Tina
Best hummus I’ve ever made
Kate
Wonderful! Thank you, Tina.
Lad
Made it, pinned it, loved it. Guessing because the chickpeas are boiled and bloat it makes a lot more hummus than if they are not boiled, straight out of the can. I used canned chickpeas and boiled for 25 mins. Was skeptical about processing the skins but they really blend right into the hummus and are undetectable.
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Deirdre Nalepa
This hummus turned out amazing! I made the ‘plain’ recipe, took half out, and threw in some sundried tomatoes in the remaining half. Both were great. My kids (3,5,7) are hummus snobs and they literally devoured this for dinner. You’ve gained a follower; thanks for the awesome recipe!
Kate
Thanks for sharing and for your review!
laura
I’m so glad you made this modified recipe based off Solomonov’s! I had previously made his original recipe twice, and how he calls for making the Tahini sauce first with the strained garlic lemon juice just was too labor intensive for me when I wanted hummus quickly! Your recipe is just so much simpler and cuts out what I feel are unnecessary steps without sacrificing any of the flavor or great texture.
The second time I made it, I added an extra clove of garlic because I felt it needed more zing, and like you, I liked it with extra lemon juice and salt. I left out the olive oil and it was still great. Thanks!!
Carol Richards
Oh my goodness! After hours of research on how to make the best hummus, I decided to use your recipe. It came out PERFECT, and even though i had never made it before, everyone who tried it said it was exvellent!
I will never waste my time with a different recipe..your suggested variations will allow me to experiment without risking the end product…thank you!
Kate
Lovely! Thank you, Laura.
Terri
This was amazing (easily the best hummus I have ever made). I have tried several versions before (usually from dried chickpeas) but they were not as creamy as this one. Also, loved your post on zhoug sauce… any chance you would try recreating the Trader Joe’s eggplant hummus?
Kate
Hooray!! That’s great to hear, Terri. Thanks for your review.
Christina
I made it without using the baking soda in the water! It was still creamy and delicious! I doubled recipe for a bigger crowd! Empty bowls scare me! Sprinkled olive oil, sesame seeds and paprika on top for appeal!! Might want to intensify flavor next time a bit… It’s a win!! Thanks so much!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Christina!
Pam
I made this today. Upped the garlic, lemon juice and cumin. Crazy amazing lovely silky hummus!
Kate
That’s great, Pam! Thanks for your review.
Christine
Hi Kate As a hummus devotee as your goodself, I thought I would share my variation with you.
To Add to your great recipe
1 med red onion peeled chopped and sauteed with 2 large cloves of garlic AND 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger.Saute these until tender. Cool for a few minutes before adding blender. I also add 1 heaped teasp. Cumin and two heaped teaspoon ground coriander. For extra creamy texture 4 tablespoons coconut milk instead of ice water. I think you will LOVE. Greetings from Australia Christine
Kate
I appreciate it, Christine! Thanks for your review.
Alyssa
I almost never comment on recipe posts, but this one is just too good! By far the best hummus I have ever made- I will never use another recipe, or buy hummus from the store again! Thank you!!
Kate
Thanks for your review!
Elspeth
Best, most authentic hummus I’ve had! It is unbelievably light and has the smooth texture that I’ve only ever found in Egyptian restaurants. Also very budget-friendly – a can of chickpeas is less than $1 in most places.Thank you for sharing the recipe and doing all the research!
Another delicious additionfarnish (that isn’t middle eastern at all) is adding Trader Joe’s Chili Lime seasoning to taste, or just sprinkling generously on top.
Kate
You’re welcome, Elspeth! Thanks for your review.