This really is the best hummus recipe! Not only is it fast and easy, but it’s also super creamy and delicious. It’s the classic hummus you know and love – made from a handful of wholesome ingredients – and it’s done in under three minutes with a high-powered blender!
Hummus, oh how I love thee. I’ve had my fair share of hummus while traveling across the Middle East, in fact, I’d like to think I’m a connoisseur. So it only made sense to recreate the best hummus recipe, that’s also an incredibly easy hummus recipe. Trust me, packaged hummus has nothing on this freshly made version.
I love to schmear hummus onto falafel flatbread with toasted pine nuts and herbs, scoop it with crisp cucumber slices for a quick healthy snack, dollop it on veggie bowls, and the list goes on (which I’ll talk more about below). Long story short, it’s a fridge staple and highly versatile!
Is Hummus Good for You? Yes!
Chickpeas are wonderful for gut health as they’re loaded with fiber and keep things moving through your digestive system (in other words, they help with constipation). But here’s the really good part. The type of fiber they’re loaded with is insoluble fiber – the kind that helps to lower “bad” cholesterol while feeding the “good” gut bugs in your microbiome.
That’s because insoluble fiber doesn’t break down until it hits the large intestine. And when it does hit the large intestine, those good gut bugs feed off the insoluble fiber, creating short-chain-fatty-acids, giving you energy and protecting the health of your colon.
Classic Hummus Ingredients
This recipe is everything you love about a simple dip and spread. There’s just six easy ingredients plus a few extra garnishes to create the most luscious hummus. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Canned Chickpeas: I’m using canned chickpeas for a speedier process. But keep reading for my thoughts between canned versus fresh chickpeas.
- Chickpea Liquid: Don’t skip this – aquafaba (the liquid left in the can of chickpeas) is the key to the creamiest hummus ever with its emulsifying and thickening properties!
- Tahini: An essential for adding a nutty flavor to the dip and creating a thicker texture. Bonus – it’s super easy to make yourself with my homemade tahini recipe!
- Lemons: The tartness of fresh lemons are used to brighten up the earthy flavors. And you know my motto, fresh lemons over jarred lemon juice is always preferred.
- Garlic: I add two garlic cloves for an extra garlicky hummus. But heads up – blending certain ingredients like garlic in your Vitamix blender really intensifies their pungency. So you can always start with one garlic clove and add more. Roasted garlic is also divine and sweeter in flavor.
- Cumin: A hint of this warm, earthy and fragrant spice is a virtual requirement in classic Middle Eastern cuisine.
- Garnish: An authentic or traditional way to serve hummus is with a swoosh of olive oil, a dash of paprika, and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Fresh Chickpeas Versus Canned Chickpeas
When it comes to hummus you’ll have purists say that properly soaked dried chickpeas should be used over canned chickpeas for the best, most traditional flavor. And they may be right. But I’ve tried this recipe both ways and the difference was negligible. Therefore, I opt for canned chickpeas as it’s faster and easier.
How to Make Hummus – Super Easy!
There are two ways to make hummus – in a food processor or high-powered blender. I personally prefer the blender method. Why? I find that homemade hummus in a high-powered blender (like my favorite Vitamix) comes out faster and smoother than a food processor.
Using a high-powered blender also means that you don’t have to remove the skins of the chickpeas as they’re easily pulverized into a creamy texture. Unfortunately, that’s not the case when using a food processor. Plus, who can beat a 3-minute blend, right?
Here’s the simple steps to make hummus:
Drain the chickpeas. Make sure to drain the chickpeas in a colander that sits over a large bowl. This is necessary to reserve all the chickpea liquid (aquafaba), so you can add some back to the blender.
Add the ingredients to the blender. Add the chickpeas, chickpea liquid, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt to the blender.
Blend until creamy. Turn your blender on high and use a tamper (as you would when making almond butter) to push the ingredients into the blades. After 30 seconds, it should be fully blended. If you’d like a thinner consistency, just add a bit more chickpea liquid or water until it’s your desired consistency.
Serve it up! For the finishing touches, create a swoosh with the back of a spoon to create a little divot for your olive oil to stay in. Then sprinkle some paprika and add freshly chopped parsley. Voila homemade hummus!
Ways To Serve and Use Hummus
Although hummus is predominantly a dip, there’s many delicious ways to add a touch of it to your meals. It’ll round out any of these Mediterranean recipes!
- Dip into it with fresh cut veggies like cucumbers, red bell peppers, or celery. For a more savory touch, dip it with my ultimate seed crackers or socca flatbread.
- Spread it onto a veggie-heavy sandwich or wrap. Some layering ideas can be butter leaf lettuce, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, avocados, or microgreens.
- Drizzle it onto just about anything for a nutty, fiber-fueled touch. Just mix it with a bit more water or aquafaba!
- Dollop it onto a macro bowl piled with rice, fresh and roasted veggies, or sliced baked chicken pieces.
Storage Tips
The beauty of hummus is that it holds up well in the fridge and is endlessly versatile. That’s why it’s one of my top meal prep recipes! Plus, if you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer – no one ever can deny a big crudite platter with hummus in the middle. And you can easily make it ahead of time!
To store: Scoop the hummus into an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze: Yes, you can freeze any leftover hummus in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Side note – I always have a stash of it in my freezer, ready to thaw and enjoy on a moment’s notice!
Classic Hummus Recipe Video
The process of making hummus is easy as can be. But if you’re a visual person, watch the quick step-by-step video below!
More Exciting Hummus Recipes
There’s a whole world of hummus(es) out there. It’s just a matter of what flavor you’re craving. Want a sweet potato hummus? Blend in boiled or roasted sweet potatoes. Want a super herby version? Toss in your favorite herbs like parsley and cilantro! Here’s a few ideas.
- Roasted Carrot Hummus
- Green Goddess Hummus
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Roasted Cauliflower Hummus (low-carb version!)
- Chocolate Hummus (tastes so good with fresh fruit!)
- Roasted Beet Hummus
This easy hummus recipe is a quintessential dip and I’m confident you’ll eventually know it by heart! Once you whip it up, let me know how it turned out in a comment below.
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 2 (15-ounce cans) chickpeas, drained with liquid reserved
- ⅓ cup chickpea liquid, or more, as needed
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For Garnish
- extra-virgin olive oil
- paprika
- freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a high-powered blender and secure the lid. Remove the lid cap and insert the tamper.
- Turn the blender on high for 30 seconds (or more for a creamier texture) and use the tamper to push the hummus into the blades. Add more chickpea liquid (aquafaba), if desired, for a softer hummus.
- Add the hummus to a small serving bowl and garnish with olive oil, paprika and fresh parsley.
Lisa’s Tips
- Don’t forget that you can also make tahini yourself (rather than buying in the store). Just follow my tahini recipe.
- The Vitamix blender I use is the Vitamix Ascent 3500 – and I love it!
- 1 cup of dried chickpeas = 3 cups of soaked and cooked chickpeas = approx 30 ounces canned chickpeas
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This post was created in partnership with Vitamix (a brand I’ve loved and used for years). All thoughts and opinions are my own. The original recipe was posted June 2017, but recently updated with new photos and information.
Luv it!!! It was so garlicky and good
Glad you enjoyed this homemade hummus recipe!
I’ve made this recipe with canned and dried beans (from an instapot) and it turns out fabulous every time! Love it!!!
Wonderful! Glad this hummus turns out perfectly every time, Alison.
This recipe makes perfectly delicious hummus! It’s very easy to whip it up in the Nutribullet. It is one of my fave Downshiftology dip recipes!
Glad your hummus works out perfectly in your Nutribullet, Jeannie!
I love making this hummus on a regular basis. So very good!
Thrilled to hear you’re loving this hummus recipe, Rodney!
So amazing and still cannot believe it was this simple. Also, thanks for the canned vs fresh and skin vs no skin when using a Vitamix or similar high powered blender. This was so easy and taste even better than the hummus at my favorite nearby Lebanese restaurant. I may try to add a little more garlic, and a pinch more salt, next time.
Hummus truly is such a simple dip to make, and you can always tweak it to your liking. Enjoy, Todd!
This is the easiest, fastest, best Hummus I have ever made. Thank you.
I’m so glad you’re loving this hummus recipe, Diane!
We hosted an appetizer event to appreciate the volunteers at our church and I made the hummus, doubled the recipe so we had enough, and it was absolutely amazing! I got so many comments on how delicious it was. The only change I made was using garlic infused olive oil.
Thank you again for a winner of a recipe!
What a great appetizer to make to celebrate this event! Glad everyone enjoyed it, Mary.
Loved the way mine turned out. I only had one can of beans so I cut the recipe in half and it was great! My first hummus!
Thank you
Amazing! I’m so glad your first ever hummus recipe was a success, Jamie.
I just made your hummus and it is the best and easiest and tastiest I have ever made. I used smooth peanut butter instead of tahini and it came out perfect. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Glad your hummus turned out great with peanut butter instead of tahini, Diane!
I’m going to make this tomorrow! What is the best store brand tahini I should get?
Hi Cindy – There are several great brands, I usually just look for an organic one. Enjoy!
This is the fastest, easiest and best hummus recipe I have found. My good friend, who is very picky, really enjoyed it, thank you.
Hi Diane – Happy to hear both you and your friend are loving this hummus recipe!
You have listed 16 servings.. 166 cal (per serving?)
How much is a serving..ounces, tablespoons, cups?
Hi Jane – each serving is about 1/4 cup.
This is my go to hummus recipe.
Perfect everything.
Thank you
Happy to hear you’ve found a new favorite hummus recipe to make every single time, Amy!
My go-to recipe! I haven’t purchased hummus since I discovered this recipe. It’s absolutely easy to make and so delicious!
Thrilled to hear you’re loving this homemade hummus recipe! It definitely beats the store-bought version any day. Enjoy, America!
I love how simple this recipe is! We ended up using 6 Tbs lemon juice and 1 tsp salt, but no other changes. Delicious!!!
Wonderful! Happy to hear you’re loving this homemade hummus recipe.
Delicious hummus, although what is a serving? 1 tablespoon? 2 tablespoons?
Hi Stacie – a serving is about 1/4 cup. Enjoy!
Yummy! I love this recipe! It’s so easy to grab my cubed Tahini from the freezer to make this in not time. Thanks for that tip too! My only regret is I cannot lick the blades to get all the deliciousness out of the blender, LOL.
Hi Kit – Happy to hear you’re loving this homemade hummus! Great idea on using tahini you had frozen in the freezer to make this.
Truly one of the best Hummus recipes! Better consistency in the Vitamix than a food processor.
Hi Lindsay – I’m so glad you found the perfect hummus recipe to enjoy! The Vitamix blender really does make a difference for the creamiest texture.
Excited to try this recipe in blender. I have a ninja blender. Hopefully it’ll work!
Fantastic recipe! Turned out great 🤩 thanks for sharing.
I’m happy you loved it, Jess!
Hi Lisa,
I tried the Hummus recipe for the first time and it turned out very good. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Nivedita, congrats on your first time making hummus! Glad it turned out great with this recipe.