Authentic Hummus Recipe (5 Minutes!) - The Kitchen Girl (2024)

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This easy hummus recipe goes with everything! You only need 6 ingredients and 5 minutes to make the BEST homemade hummus everyone loves!

What is hummus?

Hummus is a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine consisting of chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic, salt, and water. It's traditionally served as a dip with pita bread. In modern global cuisine, hummus is a popular spread for crackers, vegetables, sandwiches, flatbread, and artisan bread.

Why you'll love this recipe

• It requires only 6 everyday ingredients.
• You'll stretch dollars with this hummus recipe, especially if you cook the chickpeas from scratch.
• Homemade hummus tastes better than store-bought.
• Ready to eat in 5 minutes.
• This nutritious snack is naturally vegan and gluten free!
• You can freeze hummus into portions and thaw as needed.
• This recipe is customizable by simply adding various ingredients. I've included a list of ideas below.

Ingredient notes

Ingredients amounts are in the printable recipe below.

• chickpeas - Also called garbanzo beans. These beans are the primary ingredient in any classic hummus recipe. You can use canned chickpeas for convenience or cook dried chickpeas from scratch.
• tahini - This is a ground sesame seed paste you'll find at most grocery stores. The texture is similar to a nut butter with a savory, nutty flavor – perfect for hummus. Tahini is easy to make from scratch too!
• fresh garlic - Let me emphasize that fresh garlic, not granulated, is a key player in flavoring hummus. You can add as much or as little as you like.
• lemon - I recommend fresh lemon juice over the packaged variety for authentic lemon flavor.
• sea salt - The right amount of salt is important for balancing all of the flavors. Avoid over-salting, especially if you're not using reduced-sodium chickpeas.
• cold water - During blending, this helps to adjust the texture and consistency of the dip.
• (optional) garnish ingredients - Add visual appeal when serving hummus by drizzling a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling paprika, parsley, and a few cooked chickpeas.

How to make hummus

Homemade hummus is so easy to make, you'll hardly need this recipe, especially after you've made it a few times. In the meantime, enjoy these step-by-step photo instructions. You'll find the full, printable recipe below.

Step 1. Place chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor or high speed blender such as a Vitamix.

Step 2. Blend ingredients on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes cohesive. Add small amounts of ice water to help this process along.

Step 3. Taste the hummus and, if necessary, increase the salt by adding a few pinches to balance the flavors.

At this point, you can also decide if you want to stop blending and enjoy the thicker texture or continue blending and add small amounts of cold water to create a thinner texture.

Step 4. To serve, transfer to a bowl and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of paprika, fresh parsley, and a few whole chickpeas. Or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Do you boil canned chickpeas for hummus?

It depends. Canned chickpeas are fully cooked but quite firm, which can give hummus a grainy texture. To soften the beans for a creamier texture, you can boil them in 1 ½ cups water or bean liquid for 10-20 minutes. This also makes the beans easier to peel if you plan to do so.

Do you peel chickpeas for hummus?

Peeling chickpeas is not a requirement for this hummus recipe, but doing so results in a silkier texture. The process is tedious, but it's as simple as squeezing each bean between two fingers to remove the thin outer skin. Cooking chickpeas can make this easier because the skins detach more easily once they cook to optimal softness.

Can you freeze hummus?

Yes! You can freeze hummus up to 90 days in freezer-safe containers or longer if vacuum sealed. I recommend packaging it in 8 or 12 ounce portions for modular storage and efficient thawing. Thaw in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours. For quicker thawing, place the sealed container in cold water (in the refrigerator) for an hour or so.

Hummus recipe tips

Dried chickpeas are cheaper than canned beans. I find that, once cooked, they taste nuttier and sweeter, which creates a more authentic flavor.

If you own a pressure cooker, I recommend using this Instant Pot Chickpeas recipe to cook dried chickpeas. These are usually ready in an hour from a completely dry state and even quicker if soaked.

You're welcome to substitute the water with olive oil or chickpea liquid (aquafaba) when blending hummus for this recipe. However, I find that water makes the hummus just as creamy without the added calories.

Serving ideas

There are countless ways to serve hummus. We love to use it as a spread on crackers, a veggie sandwich or veggie wrap, and most definitely on falafel. Serve hummus as a dip for pita chips, tortilla chips, or crostini on a charcuterie platter next to some salty olives. So good!

Also, consider adding toppings like roasted pepitas, hemp hearts, chopped olives or olive tapenade, crumbled goat or feta cheese, everything but the bagel seasoning, or za'atar seasoning, to name a few.

Recipe variations

Once you've mastered this easy hummus recipe, you can make variations. Here are some ideas.

• roasted red pepper hummus - This is the kid-friendly version because the sweetness balances out the natural bitterness from tahini and garlic.
• roasted garlic - This is a delicious substitute for fresh garlic and offers a milder, sweeter flavor.
• cilantro and lime - Add fresh cilantro and lime for classic Mexican flavor.
• Jalapeño - Add fresh OR pickled jalapeno to spice things up. Start small and adjust as needed.
• avocado - Add some California cuisine vibes to your dip by adding fresh avocado to it.
• beet hummus - add cooked beets for a healthy, fun twist!

Recommended dips

• Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Guacamole Dip
• Greek Yogurt Onion Dip
• Herb Artichoke White Bean Dip

📖 Recipe