Make light, creamy hummus like a pro with pantry staples and a few simple tricks—in 10 minutes!
In search of economical, nutritious snack ideas? Or perhaps you could use a new trick or two for your weeknight dinner lineup? And we all have the occasional last-minute appetizer emergency too.
In all these instances, a great basic hummus recipe can be your answer.
Hummus (or hommos or houmous, depending on where you’re from) is a traditional Middle Eastern dip that relies on just four main ingredients: chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. Garnishes often include a drizzle of olive oil, some whole chickpeas, fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of paprika.
Given the ease, flavor, healthy appeal, and versatility of this simple dish, I’ve accumulated many flavored variations of the traditional dip on my site. Want to make hummus on game day? Buffalo Wing Hummus has you covered. Enjoy vibrant color? Roasted Beet Hummus is stunning. There’s even a tip to enhance store-bought hummus and some ways to elevate the easy appetizer to main dish status. (Keep reading for specifics.)
But a classic, plain hummus recipe is good to have up your sleeve.
My basic hummus recipe adds a few extras to the classic four ingredients to deliver complementary flavor with spices you likely have on hand. For both textural and visual appeal, I also like to have fun with the toppings. And if you’ve admired the ultra-creamy, ivory white hummus found in Middle Eastern restaurants, there are tricks for that too.
The following ways to zhuzh up your hummus start with the traditional, move on to the creative, and finish with deliciously satisfying ways to make hummus the foundation of a wholesome meal.
Toppings & Garnishes:
- Drizzle of olive oil
- A dusting of ground sumac or paprika (which provides color but is virtually flavorless, so I use smoked paprika)
- Whole chickpeas
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Serve with fresh pita or pita chips, veggie dippers (like cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, and celery), crackers, and/or crusty bread
- Sesame seeds or a seeded spice blend, such as dukkah, za’atar, or everything bagel seasoning
- Middle Eastern hot sauce, such as zhug, or red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper
- Pomegranate seeds and crumbled feta or goat cheese, plus a sprinkle of parsley or mint
- Chopped olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers with feta or goat cheese
What to Serve With Hummus:
- As part of a mezze spread: Pair with marinated olives, warm pita, and a simple tomato-cucumber salad for an easy, no-cook appetizer board
- As a side dish: Serve a bowl alongside grilled chicken, lamb, or kebabs—hummus does double duty as a sauce and a dip without a lot of effort
- For entertaining: Set it out with roasted vegetables, stuffed grape leaves, Marinated Olives, and warm flatbread for a crowd-pleasing starter (I’d eat this for dinner too!)
Make It a Meal:
- Add a thick swoosh to a plate and top with sautéed ground beef or lamb, tomatoes, and feta
- …or roasted vegetables and optional pickled red onions
- …or chickpeas, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, walnuts, and feta or goat cheese, and serve with fresh pita
- Use in Mediterranean Chicken & Hummus Bowls
- Top with Chicken Shawarma (recipe coming soon)
- Make a bowl by adding a grain, greens of choice, and your favorite ingredients from above
- Spread over boneless skinless chicken breasts, sprinkle with crumbled feta, sesame seeds, or everything bagel seasoning, and bake until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 160℉ with a quick read thermometer
Hummus Variations :
The recipe below is for classic hummus. However, you can make variations by blending in any of the following ingredients or using the linked recipes:
- Green Goddess Hummus: ¾ cup loosely packed fresh, leafy herbs like basil, parsley, and dill
- Olive Hummus: ⅔ cup pitted Kalamata olives (or ⅓ cup each Kalamata and green olives)
- Roasted Garlic Hummus: cloves from 1 to 2 heads of roasted garlic
- Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus: ½ cup loosely packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and drained (could add 1 teaspoon dried oregano instead of the cumin and smoked paprika)
- Toasted Sesame Hummus: 1-2 teaspoons blended into the hummus, and then sprinkle the finished hummus with toasted sesame seeds and another teaspoon of sesame oil
- Roasted Beet Hummus
- Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Doctored Up Hummus
- Cilantro Lime Hummus (Tahini-Free)
- Pineapple Serrano Hummus
- Buffalo Wing Hummus
Hummus questions answered and explained…
Why blend the lemon juice and garlic first? Blending the garlic with lemon juice first gives the acid a chance to mellow its sharp bite before the rest of the ingredients join in. For an even milder result, try the optional trick in the recipe notes: mince the garlic and let it sit in a small bowl with the lemon zest and juice for 10 minutes before adding everything to the processor.
Note that blending such a small amount often creates splatter, so you’ll need to scrape down the sides and lid of the food processor.
It’s worth noting that the “perfect” amount of lemon juice in hummus is such a personal thing—feel free to add more to taste. I also find that the tartness provided by the lemon juice mellows over time, so if you’re making the hummus ahead and it will sit in the fridge for a day or so, you may wish to add an extra ½ – 1 tablespoon per can of chickpeas.
For brighter flavor without more tartness, I like to zest half the lemon and add that too.
Why add ice cubes and ice-cold water? Cold water and ice do more than you’d expect here. The cold temperature allows for a superior emulsion between the tahini, oil, and water. The ice also introduces tiny air pockets as it melts during blending, resulting in a lighter, fluffier texture. And the cold helps counteract the heat created by the food processor’s friction, which otherwise can cause the oils in the tahini to break and turn the hummus darker and denser. Together, that’s what gives restaurant hummus its pale, almost-white color and ultra-creamy texture.
I’ve made hummus with the bean liquid and olive oil instead, but I find the ice method produces superior results.
Should I peel the chickpeas before making hummus? Removing the papery skins will make the hummus a touch creamier, but the recipe below already creates smooth, creamy hummus, so I don’t bother for what I consider a negligible difference.
Will boiling the chickpeas make hummus creamier? This method, which I describe in the next paragraph, is recommended in some recipes and will create a somewhat smoother hummus. But like the answer above, the difference isn’t meaningful, so considering the added time requirement, I skip it. Instead, I have found that simply blending the hummus for 4-5 minutes once the chickpeas are added and drizzling in a few tablespoons of ice-cold water with a few ice cubes, as outlined in the recipe card, will yield an incredibly smooth, creamy hummus.
(If you’d like to try: Cover the chickpeas with 1 to 2 inches of water, stir in ½ teaspoon baking soda, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until they mush easily when pressed with a fork. Again, while this method yields enhanced smoothness, the hummus made without this step is still wonderful. Given the added time requirement, I don’t bother.)
I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛
Classic Hummus
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) fresh lemon juice + zest of half of the lemon*
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped**
- ⅓ cup (85g) tahini***
- 1 (15oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1½ cups cooked chickpeas)
- 2 tablespoons (28ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon each ground cumin and kosher salt, plus more salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional but adds subtle smoky flavor)
- a pinch or two of cayenne, optional
- 4 ice cubes plus several tablespoons of ice-cold water (or a few more ice cubes)
- Optional garnishes: a drizzle of olive oil, additional chickpeas (roasted chickpeas are nice for crunch), paprika, red pepper flakes, crumbled feta, za’atar, a swirl of harissa paste, everything bagel seasoning, and/or fresh parsley
- For serving: pita bread or pita chips, crackers, and/or raw veggies
Instructions
- Before you start: See recipe notes for optional trick to mellow the garlic, tahini recommendations, etc. Zest the lemon into the bowl of a food processor and then add the lemon juice, garlic, and tahini; process for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the lid and sides as needed. You’ll end up with a pasty mixture. Add the chickpeas, olive oil, seasonings, and ice cubes. Process until very smooth, 4-5 minutes total, adding cold water, a tablespoon at a time, to achieve a light, creamy consistency. Continue to scrape down the sides as needed. Depending on your preferred consistency, you may add up to 4-5 tablespoons of cold water. Tip: Recently, after adding a couple tablespoons of ice water, I’ve started dropping in ice cubes—just one at a time to fully control consistency—instead of more water. This keeps the hummus colder and therefore lighter.) Add more salt and/or lemon juice to taste. (I use Morton kosher and typically add another ¼ teaspoon at this point.) Note that the flavors, especially the lemon, will meld and mellow as the hummus sits. Transfer to a bowl, top with desired garnishes, and serve with pita, pita chips, veggies, or dippers of choice.
- Storage: When refrigerated in a tightly covered bowl or airtight container, the hummus will last for 5-7 days (although when returned to the fridge promptly and stored in a cold spot, I’ve kept it for 2 weeks). Hummus may also be frozen for 3 months or so.
Notes
- For a filling plant-based meal, make a thick swoosh of hummus on a plate and top with roasted veggies, chickpeas, and crumbled feta (or halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumber, pitted and sliced kalamata olives, and feta for a no-cook option) and enjoy with side of pita bread.
- For an easy, creative way to serve chicken, spread a thick layer of hummus over a boneless, skinless chicken breast, sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning, and bake at 400℉ for 16-20 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 160℉ on a quick-read thermometer.
- Make Loaded Hummus Toast!
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