The BEST Homemade Hummus!

Fresh, flavorful and perfectly smooth and creamy, this homemade hummus will be your new favorite dip to eat with veggies, crackers, or just with a spoon! Once you taste homemade hummus, you will never go back to buying grocery store hummus again!

For a long time, hummus has been one of my favorite, go-to dips. Although I’m also a big fan of guacamole, queso and sour cream onion dip, in our house, these options are usually saved for special occasions because they’re not exactly the healthiest foods in the world. Well, the guacamole isn’t bad for you. But the others…they’re questionable. So, on a regular basis, when I need a wholesome dip for my crackers, I reach for hummus.

Now, some of you are probably wondering: what exactly is hummus? While there are many flavor variations, a basic recipe for hummus typically consists of garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), tahini, which is ground sesame seed paste, lemon juice, salt and ground cumin. These ingredients are then pureed and, if made in a factory, packaged and sold to grocery stores. Grocery store hummus is pretty delicious, but, once you’ve compared it to the homemade version, you probably won’t be buying it again!

Take a look at the ingredients you will need the make the BEST homemade hummus ever! I promise you won’t regret trying it!

Ingredients

Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)~ You will need one 15oz can of these beans. I have found that name brand chickpeas typically yield a slightly smoother hummus, but I have also used generic brand beans and they yield a product that is just as delicious. Although I have not tried it, I have seen other recipes that use canned white northern beans or even black beans instead of garbanzo. If you try a bean variation, be sure to let me know in the comments how it turns out!

Tahini~ This is a product that a lot of people are unfamiliar with. I honestly didn’t know what it was until I started making hummus! Basically, tahini is sesame seeds that have been processed until they reach a “nut butter consistency”. It’s similar to the consistency of almond butter or natural peanut butter. Because tahini typically separates, you want to make sure to stir down the oil that floats to the top of the jar so that you are using the actual nut butter too, not just the oil.

Fresh Lime Juice~ Most hummus recipes call for lemon juice, but I have always preferred the flavor of lime instead. I highly recommend trying lime juice, but you can most definitely substitute lemon juice if you wish. Please use fresh juice, not bottled, for the best flavor.

Minced Garlic~ You need about 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic or 1 1/2 tsp of minced garlic. I use jarred minced garlic in water because it’s convenient, but I have also tried fresh garlic and that works too. Just be mindful that sometimes fresh garlic cloves can vary in how strong their flavor is, much like onions. Also, size of cloves vary, so I would mince fresh garlic and measure 1 1/2 tsp instead of just adding 3 cloves.

Salt and Ground Cumin~ You definitely need to add salt to ensure that your hummus has flavor. Cumin is the key ingredient in hummus and it is imperative to ensuring the quality of this recipe. Omit at your own risk!

Water~ I add a few tablespoons of water to help thin out the hummus a bit. If you wish, you can use oil instead of water for a richer flavor. Canola, vegetable or olive oil are all great choices.

The Dance

Homemade hummus is super easy to make! You only need a food processor and a few minutes before you have a delicious, healthy dip.

Before I begin processing the ingredients, I like to add my garbanzo beans to a small pot, cover them with water and add one teaspoon of baking soda. I then bring the beans to a boil before lowering them to a simmer and cooking for about 10 minutes. After cooking, I drain the garbanzo beans in a fine mesh strainer before adding them to my food processor. The beans should be soft and easy to mash with a fork. Although cooking your beans is not required, I always do this extra step because the results are so much smoother and creamier. If you’re short on time, you can skip cooking the beans, but for best results, I recommend doing this step.

After cooking the beans, add them to your food processor, along with the tahini, lime juice, minced garlic, salt, cumin and water or oil. Process the ingredients for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.

Serve the hummus immediately with fresh veggies and crackers, or spread on sandwiches or wraps for a healthy lunch. You can also store hummus in the refrigerator or even freeze leftovers until ready to use. My favorite way to enjoy homemade hummus, however, is right after processing, when the beans are still warm from being cooked. Warm hummus sounds strange, but it is so good! However you choose to serve this dip, I know you will love it as much as I do!

The BEST Homemade Hummus!

Fresh, flavorful and perfectly smooth and creamy, this homemade hummus will be your new favorite dip to eat with veggies, crackers, or just with a spoon! Once you taste homemade hummus, you will never go back to buying grocery store hummus again!

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 2 cups*

Calories 70 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Food Processor

Ingredients

  

• 15oz canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 1 tsp baking soda** for cooking the beans
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice can use lemon instead
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp water can use olive oil instead for richer flavor

Instructions

 

• In a small pot, add 15oz can of garbanzo beans and 1 tsp of baking soda. Cover the beans with water, stir and then bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring the beans down to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. The beans should be soft and easy to mash with a fork. Drain them in a fine mesh strainer before adding to your food processor.
• To the garbanzo beans in the food processor, add the tahini, lime juice, minced garlic, salt, ground cumin and water. Process the ingredients until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
• Serve immediately with crackers and fresh veggies or on a sandwich or wrap. Or store in the fridge until you're ready to eat. Enjoy!

Notes

*This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of hummus or about sixteen 2 tbsp servings. Calorie count is for 2 tbsp of hummus.

**Why add baking soda? Baking soda helps the beans break down more easily, making them particularly soft and mashable. There’s a lot of science going on here, so feel free to look up this concept. It’s pretty interesting!

***Store hummus in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-5 days. If you still have leftovers, you can place hummus in the freezer and freeze for up to 4 months. Be sure to thaw overnight in the fridge before eating.

Keyword easy, healthy, hummus, snack