The Best Easy Homemade Hummus
Hummus shouldn’t be complicated, right? Easy homemade hummus that is creamy and simple to make is just what you need for a healthy delicious snack!
With an easy recipe and a few simple tricks, you can make the best hummus right in the comfort of your own home.
There are so many varieties of hummus out there. We were planning our annual Nativity dinner, and I really wanted to serve some pita bread and hummus. I could have bought hummus I suppose, but why would I do something easy like that? Ha!
I wanted the hummus to be simple and classic. I started with a recipe from Bon Appetit and then went from there. The result is fabulous…totally in love! It has the best flavor and complimented our Nativity dinner perfectly.
Complete Nativity Dinner Menu:
What Ingredients Do You Need for Homemade Hummus?
The basis of this hummus is chickpeas, so we start with that and then add a few ingredients to make this classic hummus recipe:
- Chickpeas
- Baking Soda
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Sea Salt (fine)
- Tahini
- Ice Water
- Cumin
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Smoked Paprika
How to Make Homemade Hummus
Chickpeas
Food Processor
Using a food processor to grind down the chickpeas and other ingredients is critical for this homemade hummus. Other kitchen tools just don’t seem to get the right texture. Unless you have a high-powered blender like a Blendtec. That works great too.
Add the lemon juice, garlic and salt to the food processor and start it. Let it run until the garlic is finely chopped. Allow the mixture to rest for about 15 minutes so all the flavors can meld together.
Tahini
Next we add the tahini to the food processor. Tahini is a condiment that is made from toasted ground hulled sesame. It is common in Middle Eastern cuisine. Blend the tahini with the garlic mixture until it is thick and creamy. You may need to stop the food processor a few times to scrape down any tahini that sticks to the sides and bottom. You want the mixture to be thoroughly combined.
Ice Cold Water
The hummus mixture is going to seem just a little too thick still. While running the food processor, slowly add the ice water. The ice cold water helps smooth out the hummus. Blend the mixture until it is super smooth, pale and creamy.
Tip: If your tahini was extra-thick, you might need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons more of ice water.
Final Step
The last step for this homemade hummus is to add a punch of flavor with cumin. Add the cumin and the drained chickpeas to the food processor. While everything is blending together, drizzle in the olive oil. Stop the food processor when necessary to scrape down the sides.
Blend everything for about 2 minutes until it is super smooth. If it still seems too thick, add more ice water one tablespoon at a time until it seems to be the right texture.
What Do You Traditionally Eat With Hummus?
You all know I can’t resist dipping! We love to dip almost anything in hummus! Of course, you have your traditional pita chips or sliced up pita bread, like we did for our Nativity dinner, but we also love pretty much any raw vegetable with hummus – carrots, celery, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, cauliflower, or broccoli. Pretzels are also yummy, and if you like a little sweet and salty combo, try apples in hummus!
Does Hummus Need To Be Refrigerated?
Because this easy homemade hummus is all made from fresh ingredients, it does need to be stored in the refrigerator. It will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Can You Freeze Hummus?
Hummus freezes extremely well. Store it in an airtight container and don’t fill it completely because it will expand as it freezes. When you’re ready to eat it, move it to the refrigerator overnight or to the countertop for a few hours.
How Can You Tell If Hummus Has Gone Bad?
The best way to tell if hummus has gone bad is to smell it. Hummus that has started to go rotten will have a sour smell. This hummus won’t really have a super strong smell when it is good. It just smells like garlic and cumin. So if it smells like something other than that, I would toss it.
Is Hummus Good For Weight Loss?
Hummus is a great healthy snack because it is high in plant-based protein and nutritious fiber. Dietary fiber has been shown to curb hunger and boost levels of fullness which can help with weight loss. As with all things, balance is key especially when it comes to diet and weight loss.
Whether you’re creating a Nativity dinner or looking for a new healthy snack, this easy homemade hummus should be on your list to try! It’s simple, classic and I’ll go make a batch right now!
More DELICIOUS DIPS You Can’t Resist:
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Healthy Herb Veggie Dip
- Chorizo Dip Queso Fundido
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Lobster Shrimp and Crab Dip
- Mexican 7 Layer Dip
- Cheesy Slow Cooker Sausage Dip
- Bacon Ranch Corn Dip
- Pepperoni Pizza Dip
- All our DIP RECIPES!!
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Hummus
Ingredients
- 15 oz. Chickpeas one can, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 2 1/2 TBSP Lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 Clove Garlic large, roughly chopped
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt fine, plus a little more to taste
- 1/2 Cup Tahini
- 2-4 teaspoons Ice water or more as needed
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Cumin ground
- 1 TBSP Olive oil extra virgin
- 1-4 teaspoon Paprika smoked, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas in a medium saucepan and sprinkle in 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’ skins are falling off.
- In a fine-mesh strainer, drain the chickpeas and run cool water over them for about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- 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 can seep in, about 15 minutes.
- 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 so that everything ends up well combined.
- While running the food processor, drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice water, blend until the mixture is ultra smooth, pale and creamy. (If your tahini was extra-thick, you might need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons more of ice water.)
- Add the cumin and the drained 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 until the mixture is creamy.
- Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl or platter.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
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