Best Homemade Hummus Recipe

I have found the perfect recipe for homemade hummus. Smooth, creamy, and utterly snackable. It comes together in just a few minutes, and keeps in the refrigerator. Toss some in a mason jar and it becomes a power snack for your walking tour! We love it so much. This homemade hummus recipe has become a household staple.

 

Why Homemade Hummus?

During our days of coronavirus shelter in place, the number of meals we make at home has definitely increased. It’s easy for me to lose an entire day in the kitchen. (In a good way. I love to cook.) But we are still busy at the desk working from home. So I’ve been trying to supplement our heavier meals with easy, healthy snacks or light suppers. Something that tastes great, doesn’t take a lot of time, and preferably can be made in batches so there’s always some in the refrigerator when the nagging urge to nosh strikes. This easy hummus recipe is the answer I was looking for.

We have also been maintaining a whole foods diet, keeping the amount of processed foods we bring into the house to a minimum. Because of this we know exactly what is going into our food and our bodies. In these days of so much crazy uncertainty, every little bit we can do to maintain good health for our bodies is reassurance for the mind. Hummus is a good source for plant-based protein and important vitamins and minerals such as iron and B vitamins. And, of course all the antioxidants and beneficial fatty acids from olive oil

Besides all that, homemade hummus tastes way better than the stuff you can by at the store. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week, and it’s a perfect togo item for summer picnics. We packed some with us for our recent hike on the Amalfi Coast.

Why This Homemade Hummus Recipe?

In the past, I could never get my homemade hummus quite right. The chickpeas wouldn’t break down completely, and it was too lumpy. The acidity of the lemon was too sharp. The garlic was too strong. All the olive oil made it seem heavy. After searching on Google and experimenting with different recipes, I found what truly is the best, easiest hummus to make at home. This homemade hummus is smooth, light, and perfectly balanced. The recipe comes from whole food blogger cookieandkate (C+K). It was inspired by Aladdin Cafe, informed by Israeli chef Michael Solomonov, and shared in Bon Appetit magazine. 

C+K gives a thorough explanation and description of each step with pictures, video, and variations. If, however, you’re like me, you just want the meat of the matter. In that case, you can find the recipe below. C+K leads with using canned chickpeas, which can save an hour at most. I prefer to start with dried chickpeas and avoid the cans. Follow the steps exactly, no matter how idiosyncratic they seem. If you’d like to know the why – look to C+K. 

Best Homemade Hummus Recipe

Ingredients

5 oz or ¾ cup dried chickpeas
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons)
1 medium clove of garlic, smashed to remove skin
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
½ cup good quality tahini (recommended: Soom or Trader Joe’s Organic)
2-4 tablespoons ice water, more as needed
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Olive oil to garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, combine dried chickpeas and baking soda. Fill the pot with water and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Then reduce heat to maintain a medium boil, skimming off the surface foam as needed. Add more water if needed to keep the chickpeas covered. Maintain a boil or high simmer until the chickpeas are very mushy and falling apart, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse under cool running water, and drain well.
  2. While the chickpeas are boiling set up your food processor. In the food processor bowl, add the lemon juice, garlic and salt and pulse several times until the garlic is finely chopped. Let rest for 10 minutes or more to allow the flavors to blend and mellow.
  3. Add the tahini to the food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. With the processor running, drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice water. Blend until the mixture is smooth, pale and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. If the tahini was very thick you may have to add one or two additional tablespoons of ice water to get the desired super creamy texture.
  5. Add cumin and chickpeas to the food processor. With the processor running, drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
  6. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
  7. Spoon the amount to be served onto a small plate or shallow bowl. Garnish with good quality olive oil. Serve with sliced raw carrots, celery, or fennel; roasted or steamed broccoli or cauliflower; or offer as a side to roasted lamb or chicken.

Store the remaining homemade hummus in the refrigerator, covered, up to 1 week.

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