Description
This best hummus recipe offers a creamy, smooth, and flavorful Middle Eastern classic made from cooked chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. It’s perfectly balanced with cumin and can be customized with a variety of garnishes, making it ideal for dipping, spreading, or serving as a versatile appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Chickpeas
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (if you’re using canned chickpeas)
Hummus Base
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons), more to taste
- 1 medium-to-large clove garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- ½ cup tahini
- 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water, more as needed
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Garnishes (Optional)
- Drizzle of olive oil or zhoug sauce
- Sprinkle of ground sumac or paprika
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook Chickpeas: Place the chickpeas in a medium saucepan and add the baking soda. Cover with several inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for about 20 minutes, adjusting heat to prevent overflow, until chickpeas are bloated, skins falling off, and very soft. Drain in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cool water for 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Prepare Lemon-Garlic Mixture: In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Process until the garlic is finely chopped, then let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes to mellow the garlic flavor.
- Add Tahini: Add tahini to the lemon-garlic mixture and blend until thick and creamy, scraping down sides as needed.
- Incorporate Ice Water: With the processor running, drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice water. Scrape down sides and blend until very smooth and creamy. Add up to 2 more tablespoons ice water if needed.
- Blend Chickpeas and Spices: Add cumin and drained chickpeas to the processor. While blending, drizzle in olive oil. Blend for about 2 minutes, scraping sides occasionally, until smooth. Adjust with more ice water if needed for creamier texture.
- Adjust Seasonings: Taste and adjust by adding more salt (about ¼ teaspoon) and extra lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon) if desired.
- Serve and Garnish: Transfer hummus to a serving bowl or platter. Create swooshes with a spoon and top with your choice of garnishes such as olive oil drizzle, sumac, paprika, zhoug sauce, or fresh parsley. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Using baking soda helps soften the chickpeas faster during boiling.
- Resting the lemon-garlic mixture mellows raw garlic’s sharpness for a smoother flavor.
- Add ice water gradually to achieve desired creamy texture without thinning the hummus too much.
- Garnishes add color and subtle flavor variations — feel free to customize.
- Leftover hummus can be refrigerated for up to one week in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: hummus, best hummus, chickpeas, tahini, Middle Eastern dip, vegan appetizer
