Classic Hummus Recipe {delicious results every time!}

Looking for a Classic Hummus Recipe that tastes ultra creamy and delish? Well, you’ve got it!  Never wonder how to make hummus from scratch again…it’s easy peasy! With chickpeas, zesty lemon juice, tahini and garlic, this basic hummus recipe will be your go to whenever you’re craving a healthy, dippable snack.

Hey guys, if you know me, you know how I love dips, especially any type of bean dip.  I legit make a version every week, especially on Friday so hubby and I can have a healthy snack in the fridge whenever the little hunger bug strikes.

Hummus is basically a bean dip, or chickpea dip (to be exact), and can pretty much be found in any grocery store you visit these days, right alongside other snacks. It’s made with cooked chickpeas and a few other ingredients and is a great healthy dip option that you can feel good about.

I’ve shared hummus and bean dip recipes with you guys before, but today I’m getting back to basics….a super easy basic hummus recipe that can be enjoyed as is or as a starting point for more additional flavours.

I tested this classic hummus recipe about 1.5 million times to get it just right, lol. Ok, seriously not that many times, but A LOT. What can I say? I’m devoted to food!

What Goes in a Classic Hummus Recipe?

At the base of every hummus recipe, it’s core ingredients are –

• Chickpeas
• Tahini (sesame seed paste). You gotta have hummus with tahini, if you ask me! It just adds that little somethin’ somethin’ (but, if you’re not into it, I got you…more on that down below).
• Lemon juice (use fresh lemon juice, not the bottled stuff)
• Olive oil (the best you can get your hands on)
• Garlic (fresh garlic, not the powdered stuff for this recipe)
• Salt and pepper
• Water, stock or canned chickpea liquid (to loosen the chickpea dip)

You can sometimes find cumin in a basic hummus recipe, but I decided not to use because I wanted a clean slate, a super simple hummus that you could enjoy as it or easily modify with other flavours as you see fit.

What type of Bean for Hummus? Do I Used Canned or Dried Chickpeas?

Chickpeas are the bean of choice for hummus. You can make hummus with dried chickpeas or canned chickpeas.

If Using Dried Chickpeas

If using dried for hummus, you just have to cook them prior to using in the hummus recipe to soften. Some tips to keep in mind –

If you soak prior to cooking, your cooking time will dramatically be reduced

It’s a-ok to overcook chickpeas for hummus. It’s actually better to have them overcooked than on the firmer side; it will make for a creamier hummus.

Ensure chickpeas are fully cool before using in this hummus recipe. Why? When chickpeas are on the warmer side, they tend to soak up more liquid (found this out via testing 😉 )

If Using Canned Chickpeas

If opting for canned chickpeas for hummus, just rinse and drain. I like to go for an ‘unsalted’ variety so I can better control the salt content, but use whatever you have on hand or prefer.

Canned chickpeas typically come in a couple of sized cans – 15 ounces and 19 ounces. Around here, 19 ounce cans are popular.

Just keep in mind that this recipe uses a 19 ounce can OR 2 cups of chickpeas. If you use a little less (or tad more), you may need to adjust the water added so that you get the creamy consistency you like.

Can I Make Hummus Without Tahini?

An authentic hummus recipe calls for the inclusion of tahini.

However, not everyone is a fan (or you may not have any on hand, but really have a hankering for homemade hummus). I totally understand!

So, you can whip up hummus and just leave out the tahini. The end result won’t quite have the same richness (and you may need to add a little more liquid to thin), but it will still taste delicious.

Tip—>If you are omitting tahini, I would definitely add a little cumin to the hummus to amp up the flavour.

Alternatively, you can replace tahini with a nut butter, like a natural peanut butter or cashew butter. Of course, it will impart a slightly different flavour than tahini would, but will add body.

Tip—>I would recommend starting with a little less nut butter and adding to taste if that’s the route you want to go.

How to Make Hummus Super Creamy?

The first tip is highly debatable….removing the outer skin on those chickpeas. Some people don’t notice and difference, while others do.  I totally think it makes a difference to remove that outer skin and it only takes about 10 minutes to do, so why not?

Remove the ‘skin’ of the chickpeas by gently pinching between your thumb and pointer finger and it will easily slide off. Just discard that.

If you don’t want to ‘pinch’ the skin off each individual chickpea, Cooks Illustrated has another tip using baking soda that you may want to use.

Check it—>

Tip—>If you do opt to leave the skins on the chickpeas, that’s a-ok. However, in testing, I found that when I made with the skins on, I tended to use a little more water to loosen the hummus.

The second tip I have for making hummus super creamy is to blend, blend, blend.  When you think everything is combined, blend a little longer.  I’m not talking a super long time here, just probably a total of 3-5 minutes blend time.  When you blend well, it makes things super creamy and kinda fluffy….i.e. super chip dippable!

The third tip is cold liquid, whether it is in the form of water or veggie stock.  The liquid helps to loosen things up so the chickpea dip is not as dense. 

Tip—>Start with 3 tablespoons of cold water or stock and add a little more if you want a looser consistency.  Remember, when hummus is stored in the fridge, it will slightly tighten (but will loosen again when out for about 15-20 minutes).

How to Make this Classic Hummus with Tahini

I testing this recipe various ways, like how the ingredients were added and how much of each.

Close to the method I did here was just putting all the ingredients in at once and blending. The method below, however, yielded a slighter creamier result, in my opinion.

• Give the chickpeas a head start breaking down by placing them in a food processor for a minute or so. They’ll look super dry. Stop and scrape sides of processor.
• Add salt, pepper and minced garlic…

• Along with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Blend for about 3 minutes. You’ll notice it’ll start to get more ‘hummus-like’, but will be relatively dense. Stop and scrape sides of processor.
  
  Tip—>I opted to go for a simple hummus recipe here, but if you like you could blend in about 1/2 tsp of cumin at this point too.
  
• Then, with processor going again, drizzle in cold water and blend about another 2-3 minutes. Stop and scrape sides of processor, if necessary.
• Scoop into a bowl, garnish (if desired) and enjoy!
  
  Tip—>If you want a looser consistency, drizzle in more water. And, if you want more seasoning (aka salt), blend more in.

Look how creamy this hummus recipe is—>

And, it has almost a ‘fluffy’ or ‘air-like’ consistency…

Can I Use a Blender for Hummus?

Yes, you can.

When I tested with a blender, I added everything at once (except water) and blended. I stopped to scrape sides of blender and then started again, drizzling in water until the desired consistency was reached.

I prefer a food processor, though, as it has more surface area and typically larger blades for breaking down the hummus.

Plus, I personally find it easier to scrape the sides/get the hummus out of a food processor versus a blender.

Bottom line—>use what you have and make it work. Your hummus will still be deeeelish!

How to Garnish this Classic Hummus Recipe?

I kept things super simple garnish-wise because I was just doing a base hummus recipe.

Some delicious garnish options are –

• Chopped parsley (or cilantro)
• Sprinkle of paprika
• Cumin
• Chickpeas
• Pine nuts
• Sesame seeds
• Hot sauce adds a lovely oomph OR a sprinkling of chili flakes
• Drizzle of olive oil.
  
  Tip—>If you have on hand lemon olive oil as a garnish works lovely here, otherwise just use regular good ol’ olive oil. 

How Long Does Homemade Hummus Last?

Because there are no preservatives, I try to enjoy this scratch made hummus within 3-4 days (that shouldn’t be a problem 😉 ).

More Tips for Making the Very Best Hummus Recipe

• As mentioned, remove the outer skin of hummus.  It may take a little time, but so worth it.  Your hummus will be so much more creamier if you do this.
• Blend, blend, blend and then blend again.  Did I say blend? You get the picture.  As mentioned above, blending ensure the hummus whips up super creamy dreamy and almost air-like.
• Hummus will firm a little in the fridge.
• Use cold water for the liquid component of this simple hummus recipe. Alternatively, you could use unsalted veggie stock.
• I used 1 medium sized clove of garlic here.  If you like things more garlicky, add more to taste…or if you like things less garlicky, consider adding a smaller clove.
• Use the best quality ingredients you can get your little hands on. After all, this is a simple, basic hummus recipe and every ingredient really does stand out so you want to use the best….meaning good tahini, great olive oil and real lemon juice.
• A high powered food processor will help make this classic hummus recipe super duper creamy!

What to Eat with Hummus?

• Chips
• Veggies, like carrots, bell pepper, celery, cauliflower and broccoli
• Naan
• Homemade tortilla chips
• Use as a sandwich or wrap spread

Like this Chickpea Dip? You May Enjoy These Other Healthy Dips Too!

• Mediterranean White Bean Dip – This easy white bean dip is garlicky, creamy and topped with scrumptious ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber and black olives.
• Easy Black Bean Dip – Made with black beans and chipotle and garnished with ingredients like tomato, green onion and bell pepper, this satisfying dip comes together in only 10 minutes.
• Beet Cashew Dip – Made with only 6 ingredients, this vibrant dip is delicious with veggie sticks or chips.

Hope you love this classic hummus recipe as much as we do!

Stay tuned for another healthy hummus recipe coming up taking this basic hummus recipe to the next level!

Until next time, take care and chit chat again soon,

~Dawn

P.S. If you think this healthy hummus recipe will make your belly happy too, please be sure to hit that little Pin button. Many thanks, you guys! XO

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5 from 16 votes

Classic Hummus Recipe

Looking for a Classic Hummus Recipe that tastes ultra creamy and delish? Well, you've got it!  Never wonder how to make hummus from scratch again…it's easy peasy! With chickpeas, zesty lemon juice, tahini and garlic, this basic hummus recipe will be your go to whenever you're craving a healthy, dippable snack.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle East

Keyword basic hummus, chickpea dip, easy hummus recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 126kcal

Author Dawn – Girl Heart Food

Ingredients

• 19 oz can of chickpeas (see note below) -Roughly 2 cups or one 540 ml can (I opted for 'unsalted'). Alternatively, use an equivalent amount of chickpeas that have been cooked.
• 1/2 tsp salt -or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 clove garlic -minced (or to taste)
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp lemon juice -from approximately one lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil -plus more for garnish
• 3 tbsp cold water -or unsalted vegetable stock (or more for a looser consistency)

Other Garnish Options

• olive oil -regular, lemon or chili oil
• paprika
• cumin
• chickpeas
• sesame seeds
• cilantro
• parsley
• pine nuts
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp cumin -optional

Instructions

• If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain. Then, remove outer skin of chickpeas (picture in body of text above). This is not necessary, but I find it gives a smoother consistency to the hummus. You can skip this step if you like or are pinched for time.
• Place chickpeas in food processor (if you want to garnish the hummus with some, reserve a few for later, otherwise they all go in the processor. Cover and blend about 1 minute. Once stopped, scrape sides of processor.
• Add salt, pepper, garlic, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. If you opt to use cumin, you could add at this point too. Blend again for another 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of processor, as necessary.
• With processor going, drizzle in water and blend about 3 minutes. When everything is smooth, creamy and combined, taste for seasoning and blend in a little more if you like. Also, if you want a looser consistency, blend in a little water or stock.

  Note: start with 3 tablespoons of water or stock and add more later if you want things more looser. It's easier to add than take away. If you didn't peel the chickpeas, it is likely that you will have to add a little more water.
• Pour into bowl and drizzle with more olive oil and suggested garnish, if desired. Enjoy! Yields 6-8 servings.

Video

Notes

• 19 oz can of chickpeas are popular where I am, but a lot of other places they’re found in 15 oz cans (or about 1.5 cups worth of chickpeas).  If you opt for the smaller can, just start with a little less stock or water, about 2 tbsp and add more, if you like.  The difference in can size won’t make a huge difference in the quantity you yield or anything.
• Remove the outer skin of hummus.  It may take a little time, but so worth it.  Your hummus will be so much more creamier if you do this.
• Blend, blend, blend and then blend again.  It whips up super creamy dreamy and almost air-like.
• Use cold water (or veggie stock) for the liquid component.
• I used 1 medium sized clove of garlic here.  If you like things more garlicky, add more to taste.
• Nutritional information based on 8 servings.
• For more recipe tips, see body of post above.

Tried this recipe? That’s awesome!Mention @dawn.girlheartfood or tag #girlheartfood

Nutrition

Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg