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.
Kandi Jo Munro
This is only the second time I decide to make hummus and didn’t know much about it. A friend told me I needed Tahini and I was like what is that??? Jajaj that was how lost I was so I decided to do research. After a failed attempt to make my own Tahini my roommate told me we had Tahini, in fact it was Trader Joes oranic Tahini. Then I came across your article and decided I started this I might as well go all the way. And I’m so glad I did! I put on some Middle Eastern Music and went for it! I learned so much! Next time I make it it will be much easier and I see what you mean by waiting the 10 minutes for the garlic flavor to mellow out. I will next time. Thank you so much for sharing what you learned!
p.s ( Sorry this is so long it’s just Im so excited about how my hummus turned out) :)
Kate
You’re so welcome, Kandi! I’m really glad you found this post helpful and I’m really excited how excited you are about the hummus. :)
Kimberly
My first time ever making Hummus and it was so creamy, light and sooooo delish! I topped with olive oil and seasoned the too with roasted red pepper and garlic spice. I will keep this recipe and use it every time. Thank you!
Sara
This recipe is true to its name: definitely the best I’ve ever made and worth a tiny bit of extra effort. Both my family and my guests agree. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Kate
Yes! I’m glad you think so too, Sara. You’re welcome! Thanks for your review.
Jen
I cannot believe I can have hummus at home that tastes like my fave from a restaurant! And so quickly and easily! And we just moved to a much smaller town where I’m not sure I could even get it at a restaurant, so…thank you! Incredible recipe, made by the letter first thing this morning. I should have gone to bed last night and instead spent two hours looking at your site. I’m hooked and can’t wait to make more!
Kate
I love all of this! I’m glad you liked it so much I will take restaurant quality for sure. Thanks Jen, for your review.
Diana
So so good. First recipe to christen my new food processor and am really pleased with how it turned out. Wiĺl never buy supermarket hummus again. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Diana! Thanks for the review.
Karen H
Wow, this recipe is amazingly good. I already knew about whipping the tahini first, but cooking the chickpeas is genius. No more peeling! Sooo worth the extra step. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome!
Lucas
Just made it, and as I was tasting it to adjust the flavor I couldn’t stop eating it! I added 1/2 cup of Kalamata olives and they created an even saltier, more complex flavor. I tasted the hummus and the flavors all hit, one after the other, each second becoming more flavorful. So much better than anything you can buy in the store!
Letting it chill before I dig in with chips, but I will never buy store bought hummus again. It’s so flavorful, so quick, and so simple.
Kate
I love that! It’s a hard one to stop eating for sure. Thanks for your review, Lucas.
Kyla
I just finished making this hummus. PERFECTION!!!
Hands down THE best hummus I have ever made and quite possibly even tasted! I omitted the garlic for this one as my husband loathes garlic. (He leaves for work in 2 days and Im making a real batch!) I can not believe how creamy and smooth this is. I will never look for another hummus recipe again. There is no need to look any further.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I will be sure to share this with everyone I know.
Kate
Hooray!! Love you agree it’s the best. Thanks for your review, Kyla!
Gisela Butler
The best ever…I added more lemon juice
Olives pitted from Costco
Cilantro which I had previously frozen in olive oil. Also with Avocado it’s great.the best.
Thank you Kate
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for the review, Gisela.
Morgan
Omg, I found this recipe randomly and was ECSTATIC to read that the hummus from Aladdin Cafe was your inspiration!! I am obsessed with it. Their hummus is seriously the best I’ve ever had. How close do you think this recipe is to theirs? Also, is shatta the same thing as the jalapeno stuff they top it with? I really want to figure that part out, too.
Jen B
I’ve never made hummus using ice water. This recipe turned out absolutely perfect. Love the fluffy consistency. I had a half a head of garlic that I roasted up and used. This will be my new go-to. Thank you! So delicious!
Lynn
I recently went to a local Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant and had the most amazing and creamy hummus. When I found this recipe, I was convinced I found their secret. I followed this recipe exactly as written and I found it rather bland, and overly tahini-ish. I added more chick peas, a little more salt, a little more garlic, and a little more lemon. I am hoping after it chills in the fridge overnight that the taste improves.
Christina
I’ve been dying for a good hummus recipe and I knew I stumbled across the right one when I read all of the research you did to get it just right. This was so quick and easy!! It came out perfectly smooth and the flavor is so delicious. There is nothing like fresh hummus, thank you for making it possible in my home!! Cannot wait to share this with my fellow hummus loving family and friends. :)
Liz D'Agostino
Just made my best hummus ever, thank you so much for your top tips. I used chick peas straight from the tin as I wasn’t organised enough but it was still amazing. I’ve never added iced water before and I used Cypressa tahini, lovely and smoky. My husband and I almost ate it in one sitting.
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Liz. It’s so easy to almost eat in one sitting! Thanks for your review and comment!
Lauren
Kate,
THANK YOU! I grew up in the Middle East, and cannot find a good recipe or store bought that meets my hummus expectations. This recipe turned out amazing! Thank you!
Kate
You’re very welcome, Lauren! I’m happy it turned out so well for you and exceeded your expectations.
joan
best hummus ever! better than store-bought ones. thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome! Thank you for trying it!
David
Made this last night and the texture is extraordinary. I used the Trader Joe’s Tahini and it’s very good. I’m going to reduce the amount of Tahini next time as it was just a little too prevalent for my taste at this ratio. Thanks for unlocking the secret of this amazing hummus to us. I’ve always wondered how certain restaurants accomplished this and now I know!
Kate
TJ’s is great! And you are welcome, David. I appreciate your review.
Ryan G.
I can’t wait to try this! From a Greek friend, I’ve been simply not draining my canned garbanzos. This works for the creamy factor, but the beans are still a bit gritty. I’m going to try the billing with soda tonight!
Kate
What did you think, Ryan?
Myriam Phillips
Hi Kate, Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! I have a question though… isn’t it better to buy the chickpeas already peeled? Thanks
Kate
No need to peel, using this method! :)
Myriam Phillips
No need to peel if you buy them peeled!
Alina Akiba
Smoothest hummus I’ve ever made. I added an extra clove of garlic and an extra tbsp of olive oil which I should not have done (but I was worried my blender would break from the lack of liquid until I decided to add more water). I also didn’t wait the 10 minutes you suggested for the lemon and garlic to marinate (mostly cause it was past my little ones nap time already and I didn’t want to make him wait even longer!). Regardless it came out beautifully. He got a taste before bed. Pretty good for his first taste of hummus! Definitely saving your recipe. :)
Kate
Love to hear that it still came out, Alina! Thanks for your review.
Wassila
I made it, and this is the BEST hummus I have ever eaten in my entirely life!!!!!! This is perfect!!!! Thank you so much =)
Kate
You’re so welcome! Thanks Wassila. I really appreciate your review!
Mel
The texture came out divine but my hummus was a little bitter, I think it must be the tahini. I’ll add a few more chickpeas to the mix and see if that mellows out the flavour. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Hi Mel! Thanks for your comment. What brand of tahini did you use? Yes, not all are treated equal that’s for sure.
Cindy L.
Thank you for your research on the best hummus and for sharing this recipe and tips, Kate! I’ve made this 6 times now and everyone loves it! Your tip to cook the canned garbonzo beans with baking soda ensures it’s creaminess and I use Soom’s Tahini, which is outrageously delish! For serving, I love to drizzle a good quality EVOO and sprinkle of smoked paprika. Cannot stop eating it!
Kate
6 times! That’s wonderful, Cindy. Thanks for sharing what you love about it!
David Noel
Hi Kate!
I love making your recipes! I’m looking forward to trying this hummus recipe out. I have a question though, if I wanted to make a spicy red pepper hummus, what ingredients could I add to this.
Thank you!
David
Kate
Hi David! I’m sorry for the slow response. Add a roasted red bell pepper (jarred is fine, but use a good brand like Davitas or Whole Foods’ brand). Then, add red pepper flakes to taste!
Michaele
Thank you for reseaarching and sharing an easy, great hummus recipe.
I am allergic to olive oil. If I could have added olive oil, the flavor would have been perfect. I used grocery store tahini and canned organic chickpeas. Both those ingredients weren’t the best quality, but the hummus was delicious anyway. The texture was perfect. I will make this recipe again using Soom tahini ordered from Amazon and Goya Organic chickpeas. It’s a great topping for a veggie burger in a bun with lettuce, tomato, and oucumbers.
Kate
I’m really glad this worked for you! Oh yes, great for a veggie burger. I appreciate it, Michaele!
Cevia
Oh my goodness, I LOVE this hummus recipe. I have not had hummus this amazing outside of Israel. The texture and consistency are wonderful. I did soak/cook my garbanzo beans. I added baking soda only while soaking the beans and cooked them in a preseure cooker for an hour. I do think this step is key. That, and good tahini, as Kate advised. Thank you so much! This is definitely a new all-time favorite recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome, Cevia! Thanks for your review.
karen
I just made this hummus and the texture and taste are wonderful! Thanks for all the detail and explanation in your recipe. I was rushing and forgot to rinse the chick peas after draining, but thank goodness they tasted ok, no baking soda aftertaste, phew! I have a small food processor so did it in batches, then stirred it all together afterwards, and it was great! A little runny but seemed to get thicker as it cooled.
Next time, I wont forget to rinse, and would like to try the sun dried tomato variation
Kate
You’re welcome! Oh no. But I’m glad it still turned out for you. Thanks for sharing and for your review!
Dora
Thank you! Your tips upgraded my Hummus by 100%! I also skimmed the chickpea shells after cooking. Best wishes from Munich, Dora
Kate
Thank you, Dora!
Jason D
Wow! Did not have tahini but wanted to make ASAP so used 1/4 cup sesame seeds in the chickpea boil and then 1/4 cup more in the lemon and garlic mixture after mellowing. Turned out amazing and daughter and I inhaled half the batch just now. Will compare to actual tahini. Thank you!
Kate
Great to hear! Way to be resourceful with what you have. I appreciate the comment and review!
Louise Hargadon
Hello from the south of France, best hummus I have ever made, so creamy and very moorish ! Love it…
Kate
Lovely, Louise! Ah, France is still one of my favorite places. I’m happy you think this hummus lives up to its name!
Hannah P
I love this! We had a Greek family food day at my parents (tzatsiki sunday!) and this was my ‘bring along’.
It went down an absolute treat, and I think my homemade tahini paste added an extra nuttiness too!
Thank you, I’ll be sure to use this recipe again.
Kate
Tzatsiki Sunday, that’s fun! Thanks for sharing, Hannah.
Diane
Really good! I started with dry garbanzos, soaked overnight, cooked via your instructions, used sesame seeds instead of the tahini and blended up in a Vitamix. Turned out smooth and delicious! Probably the best hummus I have ever made. Thanks so much!
Kate
Lovely! I’m happy to hear that, Diane.
Julie Simmonds
Hi Kate, I made your hummus recipe and took it to my Classical Studies Greek themed BBQ & Potluck. It is the best hummus recipe I’ve tried. It’s a little more work than most, but this is the recipe that I will use from now on. I made it a day ahead and the flavours melded nicely, so I recommend making it a little ahead of time.
Kate
Thanks for sharing and for your review, Julie! I’m glad you think it was worth it.
Terry O'Connor
I just now made this recipe and WOW is it ever fabulous. True to how hummus is supposed to taste. I believe the boiling of chickpeas with baking soda is the key to this recipe. It will be my ‘go to’ from now on. Thank you
Kate
Thank you, Terry! I’m so happy you think so. I appreciate the review.
Lucy73
Thank you for doing the painstaking research. I rarely write reviews but I had to let you know how beautifully smoooooth and mellow this hummus is. It is delicious! I have made hummus several times before using canned chickpeas, as well as dried and soaked chickpeas, with very underwhelming results. This is the best hummus I’ve tasted, homemade or otherwise, for so much less effort than many other recipes. Thank you! Going to browse the rest of your blog now.
Kate
You’re so welcome! You got to have delicious hummus. I’m so glad this is the best for you too. :)
Ana
Can I skip tahini? It’s not available in my country.
Kate
Hi Ana! You can, but your hummus will be a lot looser. I’m not sure I would recommend making this hummus recipe in particular since the overcooked chickpeas will contain even more moisture than regular cooked chickpeas, so that might magnify the issue. I’m sorry to disappoint!
Evonne Womack
Definitely tried it was a hit didn’t last a day.. Im actually making another batch right now.. Thank you so much for the canned peas solution when you want hummus you want hummus who has time for dry ones lol.. Thanks again Ill tag you on this new batch
..
Kate
You’re welcome, Evonne!
Jennifer Maron
Best recipe I’ve ever used. Thank you.
Kate
Love to hear that! Thank you, Jennifer.
Jennifer
This hummus is amazing! This will be in steady rotation in our house for sure. Thanks for all your hard work!
Kate
Thank you! If you would like to leave a star review since you like it so much that would be great!
Megan Carroll
The best ever. I’ve been making homemade hummus for years, and have put up with the grainy texture. But after a trip to Israel this summer, I was on a mission to recreate the silky, smooth texture of the hummus we ate there. Boiling the chickpeas did the trick!! I’ll have to see how it holds up with roasted red peppers, my favorite.
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad this one matches up, Megan. Yes! Boiling does the trick. Thanks so much for your comment and review!
Margaret Carroll
Re: the Ice Water. I watched a video with Solomonov explaining his hummus. He said heat makes the tahini seize up, therefore ice cold water keeps the temperature down, as well as thinning out the hummus so it’s smooth.
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Heather
Well all be darned… a hummus recipe that actually holds its promises. I’ve tried several hummus recipes, all of which leave me saying, “meh” because they’re eother too gritty, or the flavor is just off. I won’t buy store-bought hummus anymore because the price is criminal, so I thought gritty, off-tasting hummus was the new normal.
THEN ALONG CAME THIS. Oh my goodness. It’s soooo creamy and sooo fluffy and sooo delicious. I didn’t use lemon because I didn’t have any, but I did use 1/4 cup water + a small measurement of citric acid.
Thank you ever so much for a slam dunk. This is the new normal.
Kate
I’m so happy you think so, Heather! Slam dunk, I love it!
Usha
Great recipe. I add i stick of chopped celery in the food processor with the garlic. It makes it more airy and fluffy.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Usha!
Jojo
I haven’t tried this recipe, but I am planning too next week for our Halloween Nite. Great tips, because all the other recipes say just through the canned beans into blender without cooking. Had I followed one of those recipes, it might of been horrible! Ty, for the tips, I plan on using some gourmet herbs I bought to make a dip with. And homemade tortilla chips! Oh, and I am making a trip to trader joes tomorrow so I will be looking for there organic tahin! I’m sure it’s going to amazing and with nothing else but store bought hummus to compare it too, and after reading the reviews..lol this will probably be me only recipe!
Kate
I’m so glad you are loving the tips! Please be sure to let me know what you think once you make it. :) Have a great Halloween party!
Kaitlyn
I’m going to try this! Do you have a tahini you reccomend from Safeway or Fred meyer? Also do you discard the chickpea skins or blend everything together? Can’t wait to try this it looks amazing!!!
Kate
I don’t, sorry! See my references on tahini. Those are really my go-to. But, I bet there are other great ones out there! No need to discard the skins. See step 1 and the tips on the baking soda!
Nancy Contolini
The nutrition information is missing.
Can you provide it?
Kate
It’s below the notes section, you just need to click to expand. Make sure your settings are set to allow plug-ins!
Robin
Excellent hummus Kate. Although, my spouse said after trying it, I hope you will never buy pre made again. Oh boy good thing it’s fairly easy. I did start peeling peas after boiling because they began to fall off but decided even that was too much work. Will make tonight adding some sun-dried tomatoes. Though odd, the hummus was so good with warmed nana.
Kate
I think that’s great! Yes, simple and delicious. Thanks so much for your review, Robin!
John Staples
This is the best hummus, bar none! The baking soda trick works great. I tried it with canned garbanzos, as well as with cooked-from-scratch garbanzos. With the latter, it took forever to cook the beans. I originally thought I could bypass the baking soda step, but after adding and re-adding water to the pot, in frustration I threw in some baking soda in and it worked like a charm. I think I’ll stick with the canned variety from now on. Also, I added toasted sesame oil to this recipe. There’s something about it that nicely complements the lemon. Thanks for a great recipe!
Kate
I’m so happy to hear you think so, John! Thanks so much for your comment.
Abrar
I made this so good so delicious
Kate
Thank you for sharing!
Shelley
The best ever hummus, thank you so much for the extra tips, particularly boiling the canned chickpeas. Soooo creamy and yet so easy and quick – Yummy!! Many thanks x
Kate
You’re welcome, Shelley! If you would want to leave a star review since you loved it so much, that would be wonderful!
Pammyparsnips
That is seriously good hummus.
I only had one old dry lemon and some bottled lemon to hand and my tahini is not the stuff you rave about but still best I’ve made by far
Kate
Thank you!
Nupur karwa
Hi, this looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it. I will be using dried chickpeas and cooking them from scratch. Can you suggest how much dried chickpeas should I soak to get 1.5 cups of cooked chickpeas?
Kate
I would recommend roughly 3/4 cup dried. Hope this helps!
Matilda
When the store bought hummus got discontinued, I was devasted. I knew I could make hummus myself, but I was lazy.
I’m so glad to have stumbled upon your recipe. It’s so super easy, and have made it multiple times, and it has not disappointed.
I’ve added this recipe to my 18 Recipes for 2018 collection. Thank you again!
Kate
I’m glad you stumbled too and that you love this recipe! Hummus back in your life, hooray!
Donna
This was the creamiest hummus I have ever made. Taking the skin off the chick peas as a great tip. I got lots of compliments.
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Donna! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and review.
Zelina
Ok I read this recipe and decided to try it. My technique is generally the fail photo on a pinterest article. I was over the moon when this recipe turned out just as light and creamy as the article shows. I will never make hummus any other way. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Zelina!!
Alexia Parenzee
Thank you so much for doing the leg work so we can all enjoy this incredible recipe. I have made several attempts at home-made hummus after committing to -and purchasing- a 5 kg!!! bag of raw chickpeas a few months ago. So glad to have stumbled across your recipe because it is by far the best I’ve tried (and believe me – I have tried a few). Everyone in my house is LOVING this hummus
Kate
I’m glad everyone is loving this one! It’s so amazing. Thanks for sharing, Alexia!
Jane
fantastic. best hummus I have tasted and so easy to make. I am going camping and so I wondered if its possible to dehydrate the hummus and take it along
Kate
I’m not sure about dehydrating it. But that sounds interesting, Jane. Thanks for your review!
Trish
I’ve never made hummus before but I’m trying to feed my family more vegetarian meals. I made your recipe for my 18 year old son for lunch and he loved it. A better option for him than greasy chips. Thank you Kate for your comprehensive instructions. Trish, Christchurch New Zealand.
Kate
Love hearing this, Trish! Thanks for commenting!
Jade
To die for!
Thank you, ever so much, for this, our favourite make-it-at-home-and-pretend-we’re-out-with-the-cool-kids-for-tapas-and-wine-night dish. It’s also a big hit with guests, and we never seem to make enough, even though we triple the recipe.
Muah❤️
Kate
You’re so funny, Jade! I love it. Thanks for letting me know what you thought.
AMANDA CORNISH
First time I have made Hummus, really happy with the result. Thanks for a wonderful recipe and tips. Now I’m trying not to eat it all.
Amanda
Kate
You’re so welcome, Amanda! It’s so hard not to eat all of it immediately, I know!
Gabrielle
This is AMAZING hummus. Can’t wait to try some variations!
Kate
Thank you, Gabrielle!
Julia C Hoigaard
Your hummus recipe is the BEST!! I’ve made a lot of hummus in my time and have a reputation amongst my friends of making the best, but yours is heavenly!!!
Kate
I’m glad you agree with me, Julia! Thanks so much for your review.
Julia C Hoigaard
I did not cook my canned chick peas in soda. My beans were organic, though, which might have made a difference. I do, however and did blend for a long time which made it all light and fluffy and delicious. Next time I’ll use the Somali tahini from TJs
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Julia!
Dee
I reduced the tahini to 1/4 cup, and thought it still had too much. The creaminess in the photo is due to the significant amount of tahini the recipe calls for…1/2 cup , which imho is way too much. Without the extra tahini, the lemon is too strong.
I tried to adjust the seasonings, but this recipe didn’t work for me.
Kate
Hi Dee! I’m sorry you were disappointed by this one! To really get the best hummus, the ratios here are really important. Thanks for sharing!
Marie
I have been trying to make hummus for years and not been getting it right. Finally I came upon this recipe, tried it today and it worked really well! Only trouble is I like hummus so much I could be eating too much of this – but on the plus side it is quite good for you.
Thanks for this! This has probably made my day.
Kate
I love that this made your day! It is that good. Thanks for sharing, Marie.
Amy
Wow, this is the best hummus I’ve ever made! I think my kids might like it better with a little less tahini.
Kate
Thank you or sharing, Amy!
Sally
This recipe is great! One question though – if I’m using canned chickpeas is there any reason to not take the liquid I drain from the chickpea can and reserve some of it in the fridge while the chickpeas are cooking further? Couldn’t I then use this ice-cold “chickpea water” instead of the normal ice-cold water and achieve an even richer flavor? With the 20 minutes of cook time I would think 2-4 tbsps would easily get cold enough, right? Thanks!
Kate
Hi Sally, good question! I haven’t tried but that might work well!
Desiree
This really was the best hummus I’ve ever made! Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad you agree it’s the best, Desiree!
Terri
I have been searching for a non-gritty hummus for years. I’d tried removing skins (hours of my life I’ll bever get back, thank-you-very-much), straining the limits of my food processor motor to whip the hummus into a frenzy, and even cooking my own beans, however I’d never cooked them long enough or with baking soda.
But I had to laugh when I pulled out my tahini, only to discover it was the 365! My batch today was awesome, but I’ll be getting the Soom to try. Thanks for all the tips!
Kate
You’re welcome, Terri! I’m so happy you are excited about this recipe like I am!
Arby
Thank you! I love your site! So lucky to have chanced upon it! Hummus turned out great!
Kate
I’m glad you found it too! Thanks for sharing your experience, Arby!
Victoria Leigh
Just made this. So good!
Kate
That’s great!
Reiko
Thank you so much for sharing your hummus recipe! No more store-bought for me, this really is THE BEST hummus! I made a basic recipe this morning following your recipe/tips and it turned out so good! This will forever be my “go to” recipe – thanks again!!
Kate
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the review.
Barbara
Fabulous recipe … smooth, velvety texture, just as promised in your description. It’s a keeper!
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Barbara for sharing.
REBECCA SCOTT BODDIE
Thanks for this recipe, especially the tips. Can I use fresh lime juice instead?
Kate
Hi Rebecca, lemon juice is classic and I’m not sure how lime would taste. You could try it if you’d like to take the gamble!
Shawna Henthorne
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!! This is the smoothiest smooth that ever smoothed!!!!! I did not know that homemade hummus could feel creamy. Thank you for all of your labor and research that you painstakingly endured to give me this gift. <3
Kate
I know, right?! I’m glad you love this one, Shawna.
Gordon Campbell
I am not American, I live in the UK. What is a cup measurement, which cup do I use, 240ml 250ml, 300ml, do I fill the cup to the brim, how much is 1/2 a cup, so many questions. The rest of the world uses ml ltrs and grams kg or fluid oz and oz. This is a website accessable by the whole world, so please spare a thought for people outside the USA and include actual definable quantities.
Kate
Hi Gordon! I know that can be frustrating. I have found this conversion table helpful in the past! https://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/metric-conversion-charts
Gordon Campbell
Dear Kate,
Just found this article while trying to find out what a cup measurement is. I am cooking the chick peas now, the comments about this hummus look promising so I am looking forward to it. BTY in the UK cans are in 400g tins or 240g, about 8 1/2oz drained weight.
Kate
Im glad you found something that helped you, Gordon!
Gordon Campbell
Kate,
Finished making it, exquisite,
Kate
Great to hear! Thanks for the review, Gordon!
Michaela
OK! I tried this today using dried chickpeas that I soaked and over cooked, with baking soda… Removing most of the skins by rinsing in a large bowl… . I used 1.5 cup of dried for 3 cups cooked. I doubled the recipe and added a little too much ice water giving the hummus a lighter texture which I ended up liking. I would recommend finding a good tahini as I imagine mine wasn’t the best. Over all I achieved the light fresh taste and creamy texture. I will definitely make this hummus again.
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Reanna
This hummus is insanely delicious! It is exactly like the hummus from my favorite restaurant. Thank you so much for everything you did that went into this recipe and for sharing it!
Kate
You’re welcome, Reanna! Thanks for letting me know you love it.
Adrienne Johnson
I have always wanted to make hummus but felt that I sucked at it, even after following so many different recipes over the years. These little tricks are GAME CHANGERS!! I just make it and it’s forking delicious ;) THANK YOU!
Kate
Love that, Adrienne! Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Lisa Liddell
The best hummus ive tasted thanks for the recipe..
Kate
You’re welcome, Lisa! Thanks for commenting.
Kate
I didn’t exactly follow your recipe as I didn’t have tahini or cumin at home, but I had soaked and boiled some chickpeas for hummus 2 days ago so I wanted to just get it made. The tip about boiling them with a little baking soda is AMAZING. That right there made my super plain hummus actually really good. I haven’t made home made hummus in so long because it never seems as good, but now I’m a convert. I actually have a reason to buy a jar of tahini. See that’s why I didn’t have any, I never feel like it’s worth it to have if I hardly ever use it.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Kate! I’m glad you tried it.
Bob
Made this hummus today & it is excellent! As good as some of the best I’ve had in middle eastern restaurants! Super smooth,absolutely delicious! I agree the trick is fresh ingredients, good tahini ( I used Trader Joe’s) & mushy garbanzo beans! Highly recommend this recipe!
Kate
Hooray! I’m so glad you think so, Bob. Thanks so much for your review!
Jessica Machetta
I grew up in a family of amazing cooks who lived and died by tried and true recipes. My point is, I’m picky. This recipe is ON POINT and is getting added to my collection of those that are perfection. (My only change was that I added a little more garlic than the recipe called for. I do believe curing the garlic in the lemon juice is key.)
Kate
So glad this met your expectation and love it! I really appreciate the review, Jessica.
Selina
It’s absolutely perfect! Just what I was looking for! I’ve made it twice, once with canned and once following your instructions for cooking dried chickpeas in a hurry. Both were just what I was craving. Now I will always use this recipe. Actually I think in future I will double it since I really love hummus and go through it quickly. Thanks so much!
Kate
Love it! Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate the review, Selina.
Anna
This is absolutely delicious! I have tried several hummus recipes and this one wins, hands down. I just made a double batch because my family is coming in this weekend. I am sure they will enjoy it just as much as I do. If you’re looking for THE hummus recipe, this is it!
Kate
I’m glad you think this is the best, too! Thanks so much for your review, Anna!
Deborah Yeager
Excellent recipe! I used all of your suggestions and I believe this is the best hummus I’ve ever had. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome!
Kimberly
Best hummus ever! I really enjoyed. Like lick the bowl clean, enjoyed. I think I will pass this recipe on to local greek place in town, they need help with the hummus. I’m taking to my book club tonight. Thank you! Kimberly
Kate
Thank you, Kimberly!
Meghan Sheehy
This is a game changer. Thank you!!!!
Kate
You’re welcome!! I’m glad you are so excited about it, Meghan!
Marcela Amaral
Hi Kathryne!
I just wanna say THANKS A MILLION for sharing this recipe! My boyfriend and I just loved it! I decided to no add the olive oil just to make once more, and this time adding olive oil, and then compare the versions and see which one I like the most! =) I know that the real one hasn’t olive oil, and I think you also mentioned that here, so anyway, I just wanna see how it worked without, and I love it! Next time, with olive oil, and I will come here to tell you! Thanks again! Ah, just because almost everyone who left a comment mentioned what kind of tahini they used, I wanna share that too: I used Sebahat and it is a Turkish brand. I have no idea if it is good or not, but my hummus was really delicious!;-P
Kate
You’re so welcome, Marcela! Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Kara
Wow! I think I attempted this recipe a couple months ago but took all the shortcuts and it turned out okay. This time I followed it almost exactly and I’ll never buy humus again! Only thing I did differently was I used a garlic press and let it sit in lemon juice the entire time the chickpeas cooked. Then I didn’t have to wait the 10 minutes after they were blended. And OMG this is amazing! The ice water makes absolutely no sense to me but it sure works!!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Kara! Thanks so much for your review.
Lissa
I have tried this as my first ever hummus recipe. I’m so excited because it is simply delicious! I know my guests will devour it – I’m so confidant that my first batch is a double!!
Kate
Hooray! Enjoy your double batch, Lissa!
Shanna Macauda
This IS the best hummus! I’ve tried making hummus with other recipes and the consistency was never smooth and fluffy like this. I followed all your tips and it turned out fantastic. I will definitely be making this one again. Thank you!
Kate
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear it turned out so well for you, Shanna.
Hilary S. Laing
This is the best hummus, and I have tried several recipes over the years. The soft chickpeas and the addition of cumin make for a really creamy texture. Thanks for the recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome, Hilary! I’m glad you think it’s the best too!
Alys
Perfect!
I have made hummus a few times, and never has it come out better than your recipe.
Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Alys! I’m glad you loved it.
Michele
Love the hummus I made with this recipe. Light and fluffy. I’ve been using it to make egg salad (with sriracha) and it is amazing! Thank you for sharing.
Kate
You’re welcome, Michele!
John
I’m planning on doubling or tripling the amount of ingredients in this recipe to make enough of this hummus for a New Year’s eve gathering. Do I have to be concerned about any of the ingredients (e.g. lemon, garlic, or cumin) “taking over” flavor of hummus, or can I simply double or triple the amounts of all ingredients and still expect to get the same balance of flavors out of this recipe. Any feedback you can provide is greatly appreciate. Thank you.
Kate
This should double ok! I’m sorry for my delayed response. How did it turnout for you?
Sasha
I think my hummus is pretty sharp, but I’m always ready for an upgrade! I’m definitely going to try overcooking the chickpeas, although I prefer not to use baking soda in beans as it destroys nutrients. I think you may have a typo in your variations suggestions: I suspect the word “oil” is missing from your toasted sesame variation as you mention drizzling. (I’m definitely going to try that one, typo or no typo!)
Sophie-
Excellent recipe and appreciated the little tips.
Kate
Thank you, Sophie!
Carol
What a great time-saver using the canned chickpeas. I have overcooked fresh garbanzo beans before in the PC and used the resulting flavored broth in p/o vegetable broth for one of your soups. The difference was amazing! I also used the rind from Parmesan cheese which imparts a real umami type flavor. It was for a dinner party and was a smashing success. I love the shortcut with the canned chickpeas and can’t wait to try it. Your recipes and helpful tips are great. I’ve always been happy with the results as I’m sure I will be with this hummus. I also love the idea of taming the garlic with lemon juice. Will let you know once I try it. Thank you!
Kate
Please let me know what you think, Carol!