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 purĂ©e.”
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:Â 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.Â
How to cook dry chickpeas in a hurry for this recipe:Â 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.
Agata Luff
Hello ! I absolutely agree that the Hummus recipe has to make this list. It’s perfection!!! I had hummus at a lovely Mediterranean restaurant and instantly became obsessed with making hummus. When I came home that same evening I set out trying to find the absolute best recipe for a classic hummus. Yours is it! I have been making hummus for a long time, but I have been making it wrong (who knew that chickpeas should be boiled?!?!?) I followed your recipe explicitly and I’m so glad I did. When you mentioned Yotam Ottolenghi in the write up, I knew it had to be a winner.
Thank you and Cookie for all the fantastic recipes. Happy New Year
Kate
I agree! Thanks for sharing, Agata. I appreciate the review. Happy New Year!
Rodney Scyphers
This might have been the best hummus I’ve tried. I really appreciate your attention to details such as the texture and a bit of science to explain things. You are right about the tahini; used the last of a bottle and opened another by a different company and was surprised with the difference in flavor. More lemon fixed it. Will be visiting new middle eastern grocery store for resupply. Much thanks.
Kate
You’re welcome, Rodney! I’m glad you liked it. I appreciate the review.
Lisa
Question: You write about how there is “no need to peel the chickpeas” but does this mean I was supposed to pick out the shells before putting them in the food processor? I tried taking some out but then got lazy and left a bunch in and blended them in. What was I supposed to do with the shells that peeled off in the pot while they were cooking? I think this turned out great anyway. Added a sprig of rosemary like my favorite Skokie restaurant Libertad uses with their hummus. Thank you for making everything looks so beautiful
Kate
You don’t need to worry about the shells! The additional cooking with the baking soda helps break them down. I’m glad you loved it!
Isabel
Boiling the canned chickpeas with baking soda is a game changer! Definitely worth it if you don’t mind a little more work for a lot more flavour/texture! I ended up adding more lemon juice, salt, and cumin, too.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Isabel! I’m glad you though it was worth the effort.
Patricia
Incredibly delicious! It was the best dish at our dinner table.
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Patricia! Thanks for your review.
Catherine McDonnell
Best hummus ever. Great recipe n turned out light n tasty as promised.
Kate
So great to hear!
Steve
Great recipe! Boiling the chickpeas makes all the difference along with the ice cold water. Creamy and fluffy!(the shells left in the strainer were not an issue) I used Brad’s Organic Tahini and it tasted excellent!
Kate
It really does! Thanks for sharing your experience, Steve. I appreciate the review!
Susie Veale
Your “Best Hummus” recipe was brilliant. I’ve only made hummus once before and wasn’t impressed, and have bought many brands over the years, but yours was fabulous – and so easy! Super-smooth, light and creamy and delicious. I’ll never buy it ready-made again. I served it at a party this New Years’ Eve here in Australia and it was proclaimed the absolute best. Many thanks, and congratulations!
Rachel
I love hummus. This is the creamiest best tasting hummus I’ve ever eaten. Even my husband, who usually won’t touch hummus, really liked it (like seconds and thirds!). I took it to a family dinner and my hummus bowl was wiped clean. I’m saving this recipe!
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you husband even liked it. Thanks for the review, Rachel!
Kelly
This is a great recipe – thank you for posting!! I’ve made it multiple times and my mom has also. We all think its the best hummus we’ve ever made.
This last time I made it, I used my instant pot to cook dried chickpeas for 50 mins at high pressure (per Melissa Clark’s instant pot hummus recipe). After naturally releasing the pressure, I added baking soda and used the sautee function to boil the chickpeas for 20 mins. It got really foamy after a few minutes, but I stirred, and that never happened again. It worked great and I didn’t have to dirty a separate pot (I am so lazy about cleaning).
Thanks again!!!
Kate
Thanks or sharing how this worked in your instant pot! I appreciate your feedback and review, Kelly.
Lolab
I just chucked the baking soda in at the start and had no problems, I think as long as you do NPR it’s fine
Valery June
This was my first time making my own hummus and it turned out better than expected. So delicious. Now I won’t want to buy it in the grocery store anymore.
Kate
I’m glad you tired it and loved it, Valery! Thanks for your review.
Linda Maxwell
What a delicious hummus!! I loved it, smooth creamy and zingy, thank you from me and my 2 year old :-)
Kate
You’re both very welcome! I love that your little one liked it too!
Kim
My new go-to hummus. Next time I’m going to sub the tahini for tahini ingredients (starting with 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds + 2 Tbl oil) and work on it until it’s right. I’ll always boil my chickpeas for hummus in the future. Thanks.
Kate
You’re welcome, Kim!
Jessica Cizek
I made this and it was one of the best hummus recipes I’ve EVER had!
Kate
Great, Jessica!
Thomas
I followed the recipe closely with Simple Truth Organic (Kroger house brand) Tahini and Chickpeas. It turned out fantastic. Great canvas to start tweaking the garlic, cumin, lemon, and salt to exactly fit my tastes. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Thomas!
Sue A Warner
Why is Hummus sooooo addicting? Once again, the best!!
Kate
I know! Thanks for your review, Sue.
Tim from the UK
OMG this is the best Hummus recipe ever. It’s soft smooth and tastes incredible. Thank you so much for sharing it, my go to recipe now.
Going to use it tonight in a roasted Spanish vegetable filo parcel…. I know it will be amazing
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you think so. :) I appreciate the review!
Christina
I’n dying to try this but am sensitive to citrus. If I use a rice vinegar instead will it be palatable? Or are there other suggestions to substitute for the lemon juice?
Kate
Hi Christina, that’s a good question. Tahini is nice and tangy on its own, so I wonder if you could get away with substituting water for the lemon juice. That might be worth trying. Or you could use half water and half rice vinegar to be more cautious with the vinegar flavor. Hope that helps!
Gabby
Just want to let you know that I’ve been making hummus the wrong way for 6 yrs!!! I got the recipe from a Palestinian friend but he was not very detailed as to how to make it and suffered 6 yrs over it.
Your recipe fixed that! OMG! the texture and color!! and the chemistry!
I still have to play with the tahini and lemon quantities, I don’t think the flavors are completely balanced but I’m getting close.
Thanks!
Kate
Oh no! But, I’m glad this recipe did just the trick. Thanks for sharing, Gabby!
Daisy Acosta
can I make this in a blender? any suggestions when using a blender?
Kate
Hi Daisy, you can! You might need to stop more often to scrape down the sides if the mixture gets stuck. This works better in a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix).
Peter Lacey
A nice clean recipe, and I like the science beyond part of it.
However, I much prefer a little texture to my hummus so I was mindful of blending everything else before adding the chickpeas for a quick spin. I also added some more cumin, and a little smoked paprika plus a handful of fresh coriander/cilantro.
I was hopeful of saving some for tomorrow, oh well I’ll have to make more!
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Tracey
Wow!!! I’m so glad i found this. Adding the ice water is a great idea! This is the best hummus I’ve ever made and it will deff be a keeper for my recipe book. Thank you so much. I highly recommend this recipe.
Kate
I’m happy you found it too, Tracey!
Den
Yesssssss. Smooth as silk. I boiled dried chickpeas and left skins on. It was perfect. I’m never skinning another chickpea…ever. Thank you.
Kate
I love your description! That’s perfect hummus. Thanks for sharing, Den!
Lorraine Lousier
This IS the best hummus! I added @ 1/4 C of chopped kalamata olives to the recipe and it is fantastic. The smooth texture and flavour make this the best hummus I’ve ever made. Thank you for your all your hummus tips. On a funny note, the finished product looks like chocolate mousse due to the olives.
Matthias Schmidt
Fabulous…first try I blended all at same time and it works as well. To make a difference you can add cooked beetroot, very delicious
Kate
I love hearing you agree it’s best! Thanks for sharing your take, Lorraine!
Kim
This is the best recipe! It was easy to make and perfectly smooth. I will be making this again!
Kate
Thanks so much, Kim!
Julie Humphress
Your hummus recipe is amazing. I have tried to make it for years with dismal results. Oh so smooth and fluffy with wonderful flavor, this will be a staple in my house. My husband is still licking the processor bowl.
Kate
That’s fantastic. I can just see it now, ha! Thanks for sharing, Julie. I appreciate your review.
cyndi chester
This is awesome
Kate
Thank you, Cyndi!
Susan
This process was way too complicated and took 2 hours too long. Please say in your description this is not for the novice or busy working parent. Spent 2.5 hrs simmering, waiting, blending. Why boil for 20 min with baking soda and strain through a mesh seive?? Should have warned us that this process would take an hour. And ice water?? Thanks for taking the time to post this but it should come with a warning for those who don’t have the luxury of spending more than 3 hrs to make hummus and end up with a sink full of pots, sieves, etc to clean up afterwards.
Kate
Hi Susan, I’m sorry to hear that you were disappointed by this recipe. I’m not sure why yours took so much longer. Did you start with canned chickpeas? Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Darlene Record
Susan, I can’t believe you used canned beans like the recipe called for. Within 20 minutes these hard canned beans became soft and perfect for hummus. The baking soda ensures that!!!
Roma
Made this today and it came out great!!
I don’t think I drained my chickpeas well enough (or too much ice water) so mine came out a bit thinner, but otherwise flavors and smoothness was perfect!
Thank you for posting this!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Roma!
Olivia
This is the best!! Literally have tried to make homemade hummus many times before and always failed- but this is delicious and I love it!
Kate
That’s wonderful, Olivia! Thanks for trying my recipe and for your review.
DB
Kate: I wish you had a filter to focus on comments made by people who’ve actually used your recipe. Minimalist Baker does this and it’s ever so helpful. Having to wade through several “this looks good, can’t wait to make this” adds no value to my experience as a recipe-follower.
I really want to hear from those who’ve actually made the recipe!
Anyways, I find your recipes incredibly useful. Just a thought to improve the user experience of your site and take it to the next level.
//
The Hummus Recipe:
I made this recipe.
I made it exactly as written.
I sourced Soom hummus from Amazon.
I used Garden of Eden canned garbanzo beans. I doubled the recipe. My can of garbanzo beans was 29 ounces. I knew it was going to be a good so I made a lot to share with my partner.
I only had to boil my canned Garden of Eden garbanzo beans for 10 minutes. They were literally disintegrating and imploding. I was worried about losing the beans as I drained and rinsed them — they seemed so soft and fragile.
I had to add double the ice water to get the consistency that I wanted.
Sheer perfection. Creamy, luxurious, delicious.
This sparks joy. This is the cashmere of hummus.
Thank you Kate!
Kate
Hi DB, I appreciate the feedback! I encourage people to comment and welcome excitement and questions from readers, as well as their experience with the recipes. I can understand your frustration, though! I do try to have my blog be informational and easy to navigate for you. I will take this under consideration, although a lot goes into the backend of a blog for different functionality.
I’m SO happy to hear you love this hummus recipe, too! :) :)
DAWN
I’m about to make your well researched hummus recipe! I’m so excited . I read in the past that cumin aides digestion, adding it to beans while cooking and the new rinsing, adding as seasoning etc can prevent it producing gas when we eat it
Kate
Thank you, Dawn! Let me know what you think.
Dawn
It was so creamy and delicious! I didn’t add Dukkah or anything, but that would have been perfection. I’ve been loving spreading it on pizza bases with basil pesto and using with lemon juice as a salad dressing. Thanks for all your research!
Richard
So happy I found your Best Hummus recipe – I’ve been so dissatisfied with my attempts using various recipes. This turned out to be the best hummus I’ve made! I used half of a lemon and that was perfect for me. I like your technique of mixing the lemon juice & garlic (I used a garlic press), and then combining it with the tahini and ice water. I mixed that up by hand in a bowl and it came out just as creamy as you describe. The finished hummus is just so good…thank you!!!
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for trying the recipe Richard.
Julie
Thank you Kate! The hummus was sublime, no exaggeration. I’ve been making hummus for years and I’ve never been able to get it to be light and creamy. The recipe was so easy and quick. Seriously, I absolutely love it xo
Kate
Great to hear, Julie! Thanks for your review.
mes oignons
So far the best hummus I made, thank to you ! A Lebanese friend of mine told me that you have to “work” the tahin with water to make it creamy and pale, so I knew this part ;-) And you brought the rest, the garlic in lemon, and the cooking of the can. So big thumbs up. You make my day.
Kate
Thank you, Mes!
Priti Kode
I am from India.If you test hummus made from indian chickpeas recipe called Chole a indian curry, you will be in heaven.But it is little bit spicy.
Ragards
Priti
SUE
Made this tonight. It was my first attempt at hummus and I will definitely make it again. I followed the recipe exactly and while the taste is good it came out sort of runny. Based on your research any ideas why this might have happened? Should I add a handful more chick peas to thicken it up? Thanks for your suggestion!
Kate
Hi Sue, that’s strange that it turned out a little runny. It should thicken up quite a bit if you use very cold water (which is counter-intuitive that a mixture would thicken up when you add water, but it’s true here). If you make it again, be sure to use ice-cold water. If it’s still too runny, then some more chickpeas should help, yes.
Barbara
Hi Kate, mine turned out runny as well and I followed the recipe except left out the garlic. Didn’t have more chickpeas on hand so had to throw it out. Tasted very acidic as well. Is it possible I did not rinse and drain the chickpeas enough? They got quite mushy after cooking them for only 15 minutes yet they stayed lumpy in the processor. Not sure where I went wrong but will try again since I am a hummus addict.
Sarah
You threw out some perfectly fine food because it was too runny? That is extremely sad. :( Next time, you could at least use it as a delicious pasta sauce. (That’s what I used the leftovers for, just added a bit of water, and it was fantastic.)
Barbara
Correction: it was not perfectly fine food. The taste was really off. The next time I made it, following the recipe with diligence, as soon as I added baking soda to the chick peas there was again a strong acidic scent that was very off putting. I immediately rinsed the chick peas of the baking soda. Then I simmered them in plain water. This gave me the flavour I was looking for but they did not get very soft. The next time I made it I simmered the chick peas with some sea salt and a bay leaf for flavour. It did take longer to soften them but I did not have that nasty taste. Also, finally achieved that nice fluffy smooth hummus that I love. This is a staple for me now, make it all the time.
Priti Kode
I am from India.If you test hummus made from indian chickpeas recipe called Chole a indian curry, you will be in heaven.But it is little bit spicy.
Ragards
Priti
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Lee Ann
Simply amazing! So worth the extra 20 minutes. Creamy, dreamy! Thanks so much!
Kate
You’re welcome, Lee Ann!
Nicole DiAntonio
Wait a minute…. Aladdin Cafe!?!? Do you live in Kansas City as well? I follow your blog regularly and I got so excited when I saw the restaurant.
If you are local, please email me! I am a reporter/anchor with Fox4 and we would be interested in having you on our morning show.
You can reach me at Nicole.DiAntonio@fox4kc.com
Kate
Hi Nicole! Yes, I live in Kansas City! I’m so happy to hear you follow the blog regularly. I’m not sure if I have thought about a morning show, but why don’t you send me an email at hello@cookieandkate.com regarding it? Thanks for your support!
Katie
Just made this recipe…. so good!! I added extra olive oil and salt to my personal taste. It’s so good! And it makes a whole lotta humous… I’d say this would feed at least 6 people. Thanks for the recipe, definitely will make again!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Katie!
Carly
This hummus was excellent! I didn’t have enough lemon juice so with the right amount it would be even better. I really like the step about leaving the garlic and lemon juice to sit to take away the harsh raw garlic flavour. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for your review, Carly.
Cee Grant
This recipe really worked … where has this baking soda trick been all my life? And it made a large amount, enough to last the week. Never buying store-bought again!
Kate
Right! It’s a great trick. Thanks so much, Cee!
Jody
This hummus turned out fantastic! This is my new thing…actually following a recipe. It works! Thanks Cookie and Kate!
Kate
I’m glad you followed the recipe and you loved it! Great new thing. :)
Esther Truoloco
Images are so great. These are insisting me to make this tonight. So, i am definitely going to try this!
Kate
Let me know what you think, Esther!
Becky
I have a question. When using canned chickpeas, do I rinse them first and then put them in water and baking soda to boil? Or,Do I leave it in the stuff from the can and just add baking soda
Kate
Yes, rinse them first!
Hayley
WOW! We’re having people over tomorrow night for dinner and I wanted to add one more dip to round things out as I wasn’t sure I had enough chilli. This is my first time making hummus and notwithstanding the fact that I tripled the recipe this came out AMAZING! Now I’m worried it won’t last til tomorrow night!
Celene
Made your recipe and shared it with friends and family … everyone loved it!! Wow! Thanks for sharing ;)
Awesomeness
Mark
Hey Kate and Cookie,
For years I have been telling my wife and daughter that they should make their own hummus because it was so easy and inexpensive to make vs. buying it. Of course they kept telling me… “Go for it Dad!”, and I kept putting it off because, of course, I didn’t really know how to make good hummus… Found your recipe, I loved it because it made me look so good for wifey and daughter! Thanks!
Kate
You’re welcome, Mark!
Renee
Absolutelycreamy, I’ll save that trick with the boiling. Taste was not great…probably cause i only had bottled lemon juice. Will try once more with real.
Kate
Thanks you for your comment, Renee!
KATHLEEN Sanderson
Brilliant…I was contemplating making some from the Michael Solomonov method with dried chickpeas in search of the previously elusive creamy smooth huumus when I came upon your recipe…just buzzed up a batch and it is everything!…thank you
Kate
hank you, Kathleen!
Sarah
Yummy! I overcooked my chickpeas in the instant pot on accident by forgetting them after I released the pressure, they sat on the keep warm setting for two hours and made for the creamiest hummus I’ve made yet!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
Kris
This is delicious! I started with a recipe from another vegetarian cookbook but the hummus was lacking. My husband looked up this recipe and it’s right on the money. We made it twice in a week it’s so good!
Kate
Twice in one week!? That’s awesome! Thanks so much, Kris for your review.
Lady Jane
I just made this and it is WONDERFUL… thank you. I have been looking for a good easy recipe…that is close to Lebanese style….I will be visiting your site often…I would welcome a good recipe for Baba Gaboush that has that roasted flavor of the eggplant…
Kate
I’m so lad you loved it! Thanks for the review.
Darlene Record
Awesomely creamy and delicious!! Best hummus I’ve ever made. Will do this one again and again!!!
Kate
Thank you!
KG
Thank you for doing all the research and testing to give us the best hummus recipe! I’ve had a lot of really good tasting hummus in my day, but this was absolutely the best hummus I’ve ever eaten! Thank you!!
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad you found it helpful and that you really liked it!
Mali Kile
Very nice recipe. Easy and very creamy. Thank you for sharing it.
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks so much for your review, Mali.
Michael
Thanks for posting this! Used your recipe as the model for my first time making humus it turned out great!
Kate
You’re welcome, Michael! I’m glad it turned out great.
Terry Flaig
OMG, by far the absolute best homemade hummus! Followed recipe to the tee and it turned out perfectly! Can’t wait to take it to the Super Bowl party!!
Kate
Great to hear you loved it, Terry!
Bob DeLorenzo
Hi Kate,
Having some friends over to watch the Super Bowl and I wanted to add hummus to the snack offerings. Decided to give your recipe a try. UH-MAY-ZING!!
Really good, so smooth and creamy. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Oh, give Cookie a pat on the head and a treat for me. :)
Kate
I love it! Thanks for sharing, Bob.
Jase
Hands on, the best hummus I have ever tasted in my life! And I have made, bought and tasted A LOT of it. Can barely keep myself from eating the entire bowl :D
Thank you for taking your time and putting in effort to do the research and selflesssly share it with us.
Lulu
Made this the other night and it was truly amazing! Tasted just like the hummus I get at my favorite Mediterranean place. Thank you for the great recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Lulu! Thanks so much for your review.
Missy
Made this for dinner with friends. It was absolutely yummy! Thank you for your research and your sharing! And just like everyone else, don’t think I can buy store bought hummus again!
Krista
This is the first time I’ve ever left a comment on a recipe page. But this hummus is amazing. I have only ever had store bought hummus. But then I made this and OMG it is amazing. So so so much better than what I have been buying. Thank you!
Lisa
Good Morning Kate!
I have everything but the tahini on hand and there’s a snowstorm going on here; I’ve seen other recipes substitute natural style peanut butter.
Your thoughts??
Krista
This is fantastic hummus! So much better than store bought. Thank you so much!
Kate
Thank you so much for the tip on boiling the chickpeas! Very helpful!
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad you found it helpful, Kate. I really appreciate your review!
Ionut
I’m going to try this. Would you mind telling me the quantity of each ingredient in grams? Thank you!
Kate
Hi! Sorry, I don’t cook in grams. I recommend using a converter online. Myrecipes has a good one from my understanding.
Christy
How many days in advance can I make this?
Kate
Leftover hummus keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.
Kim
Love this! I suddenly remembered in the middle of making another batch that I never left a review or comment. Here it is. This is my go to recipe and I’ve had many different recipes but this one tops them all! Thank you.
Kate
Thanks for coming back to review, Kim!
Steve David
Truly best hummus i ever tasted. Made it exactly as written, starting with dried organic chickpeas. Used the tahini ordered from amazon which was not only smoother and a bit thinner than other tahini I’ve used, but also had a much livelier sesame flavor. Did add some extra lemon juice. Will make again today and perhaps add a little more garlic.
Kate
Hooray! Thanks for letting me know how much you love this hummus, Steve.
Rosey
Lemon allergy! Can I sub aquafaba for the lemon juice?
Kate
Oh no! I’m not sure with that one as I didn’t test it. Maybe another citrus like lime or orange juice, or use half as much white vinegar or white wine? I’m not sure how these would impact the overall taste and texture.
Rosey
I tried it and it was fine. A little tahini-y, but delicious none the less. Sorry I should have specified citrus allergy so orange or lime wouldn’t work. I would try vinegar next time, but it was delish just using aquafaba as a swap for lemon. Thanks!
Lucas
Thanks for sharing, it is really good! :)
Kate
You’re welcome, Lucas! I’m really glad you liked it.
Steph
Amazing hummus!!
Kate
Thanks, Steph!
Vera Locke
Yes fabulous! Yummy x took mine out of jar an added more tahini … and more lemon juice ! Iced water added …. simply delicious !
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Vera!
Jason Pennington
I noticed your comment about the Alladins guy who stubbornly refused to share their hummus secrets…I thought it was funny and ironically timed due to the fact that one of my best friends is the kitchen manager at one of their locations. We made a big batch last night and it was incredibly simple. I’ll keep his trust by not “spilling the beans” but suffice it to say that it was slightly more simple even than your recipe which…I will be trying as well as soon as my current batch is shared, eaten, and enjoyed. Looking forward to it!
Kate
You can’t blame them I guess. :) Thanks for your comment!
Nadia
Holy Jeezus. I’m so happy!! This was amazing. Used garlic that I roasted in the oven till soft.. besides that, exactly as per your recipe. Amazing! Thank you!!
Kate
Thanks for your feedback, Nadia!
Saskia
Honestly- I made your classic hummus and the variation with sun-dried tomatoes, and paired it with home made fresh pita bread…HEAVEN.
Thank you!!
Kate
I’m so happy to hear that, Saskia! Thanks for your feedback.
Luz
Never made hummus before….I will never buy hummus again after making this recipe. Soooooooo good and authentic. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Kate
Great, Luz!
Ramona
Oh my my!!! The best hummus E V E R! I barely veered from the recipe but I did add a bit more garlic and lemon but not much. I’ve been making hummus for years and never realized I was making mediocre hummus. I’m blown away at how amazing this recipe turned out. Thank you for doing all the trial and errors and saving us from having to figure out all the little details. It truly IS the most amazing recipe! I will never go back to that old recipe I used to call hummus!
Kate
Best hummus for the win! Thanks for sharing, Ramona. I’m so glad you agree and love this recipe!
Laura
Thank you for this recipe! I followed it exactly per the recipe and your tips and it tastes like “the one.” I ALWAYS end up tweaking recipes I find online, but I will not touch this one. You made this pregnant lady excited about food for a little bit!
Kate
This makes me so happy to hear, Laura! Thanks so much for your review.
Susanne Walsh
You are a genius! The trick in letting the garlic mellow with the lemon is amazing! This is the best hummus I have ever eaten! Thank you so much for “cracking the hummus code” and sharing it with the world! Best of luck to you in your future cooking endeavors!
Kate
Thanks, Susanne!
Mark Wood
This is by far the best hummus I’ve ever had, I’m no aficionado but I know when something tastes good and this recipe just works. I’ve made it twice now and both times it was awesome.
Kate
That’s great, Mark! Thanks so much for your review.
Shannon
I really don’t think I can resort to eating storebought hummus again after eating this—I was licking it out of the bowl it was so good. Not that I anticipate having much left over, but I am wondering how long you think it can keep in the fridge once made?
Kate
It’s so good, Shannon! I’m glad you agree. Leftover hummus keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.
Dennis Yesse
creamy hummus, go figure! Thanks Kate,taste and texture is right there. Thanks for doing all the work.
Kate
You’re welcome, Dennis!
Hayley
This hummus recipe is literally amazing! I have made this probably once a week since discovering this recipe, my daughters love this as a snack. And it’s so much easier not having to peel the chickpeas!
Kate
I’m glad you all love it, Hayley!
Madame G
At last!!!!! I finally made hummus that tastes good! Thank youuuuuuuuu! It was perfect and creamy.
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Madame!
Stefania
This is the best hummus recipe by far! Thanks for this! Love the tip of cooking the canned chick peas. Worked like a charm.
Kate
Great, Stefania!
Karissa
The tips and tricks on this post are awesome! And yields a super smooth hummus. But the recipe calls for way too much cumin. It is completely overwhelming. Next time I will use my own spices to correct the problem. Thanks for the tips though!
Kate
I’m happy you found it helpful, Karissa! Thanks so much for your review.
Misty
Would there be a good substitute for the lemon? That is one of the foods my husband is supposed to avoid…but this recipe is so good with the lemon.
Kate
The lemon helps make this! Sometimes vinegar works(1/2 the amount) in place of the lemon, but I’m hesitant to say that here. Maybe try it with and without as you test it? Let me know!
Dianne
Hello,
I just made this and I am enjoying it.I wanted to try it exactly as the recipe states first. Next time I will double the garlic, salt and add a tad of cayenne. The texture was good the flavor needed more for my liking. Thank you for sharing.
Kate
You’re welcome, Dianne! Thanks for your review.
Terri Long
Omg , this is the best. I’ve tried and failed several times. This came out perfect.
Kate
Great to hear, Terri!
Kirsten
This hummus recipe is absolutely fabulous. I made it according to directions and got a lot of raves from my friends when I served it at a get-together. My only regret is not making it a day before. I think the flavors on the second day were so much better. I will use this recipe whenever I want to make hummus; it is delicious! Thank you for sharing all the tips. I loved the creaminess of the finished hummus.
Kate
Love to hear it was a hit at your gathering, Kirsten! The flavors do really get more delicious as it sits.
carol moore
excellent – boiling the chickpeas did indeed make a creamier hummus. I upped the salt, cumin and garlic a little and added a good handful of parsley. Delicious
Kate
Thank you, Carol!
Lynn Daniel
This receipt of yours is really the best! So smooth and it has a beautiful taste. I love it. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Kate
Thank you, Lynn!
Kirsten Parris
I love this hummus recipe, and it is the best one that I have tasted. I make this recipe all the time. I use the organic chickpeas and tahini from Brandless and this last time, I was out of fresh lemons, so I used fresh lime juice and liked the flavor a lot. Thank you for this recipe. I don’t use any other!
Kate
Thank you, Kirsten!
Shelby
This recipe is excellent. I’ve never left a comment on a recipe page before, but I feel I have to for this one.
I made a double batch, following the recipe closely, except I doubled the garlic :). I don’t have a food processor, just a regular blender, so it did take a few extra rounds of blending and scraping to get the proper texture, but I think it was still well worth it. The ice water and boiling the canned chickpeas really make this recipe.
I brought this hummus to a friend’s housewarming, and it was a huge hit! I will definitely make this again, maybe adding some other herbs and spices next time for fun.
Tip: For those looking to find Soom tahini in Chicago, you can find it at Plum Market.
Kate
Thank you so much for your detailed feedback, Shelby. I’m excited you loved it.
Ali
This is SO good. How many days will it stay fresh in the fridge?
Kate
Leftover hummus keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. I’m glad you liked it, Ali!
Ellen
Mine was very creamy, but a little bitter. I added some mirin to blanance it. After reading the comments here, I tasted my tahini and I think that’s where the bitter is coming from. I’ll have to try again with a different brand. Thanks for the insight!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Ellen! The tahini has so much to do with the final product. Let me know what you think when you try it again!
Sandra Moreau
Made it; love it! It took a bit more water than what is called for though. I added sundried tomatoes with some of the oil; awesome!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Sandra!
Sondra Harr
I searched best hummus recipe and yours was the first one that came up and and for good reason! I have been making my own hummus for many years but homemade hummus always seem to be lacking something I couldn’t find in the store-bought brands. Boiling the can of chickpeas made all the difference in the world and I will never have to buy store-bought hummus ever ever ever again! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and all the tips along with it!
Kate
I’m so happy you came across my hummus and loved it, Sondra! Thanks for your review.