This homemade hummus is creamy, smooth and ready in under ten minutes flat. Once you make it yourself you will wonder why you ever bought it from the supermarket, and you can adjust the garlic, lemon and tahini to exactly how you like it.
I make a batch almost every week. It lives in the fridge ready for veggie sticks, crackers, wraps and lunchboxes, and it disappears just as fast as I can make it.
Ingredients you will need
- 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup tahini, well stirred
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt to taste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ice cold water
Makes about 2 cups, enough for a generous sharing platter or a week of lunchbox snacks.
How to make homemade hummus step by step
- Add the tahini and fresh lemon juice to a food processor. Blend for about 1 minute until the mixture becomes pale, thick and almost fluffy. Scrape down the sides and blend for another 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed garlic, olive oil, ground cumin and a good pinch of salt. Blend for another 30 seconds until well combined.
- Add the drained chickpeas. Blend for 1 minute, then scrape down the sides and blend for another minute. The mixture will look quite thick at this stage.
- With the processor running, add the ice cold water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. Creamy and smooth but still thick enough to hold its shape on a plate.
- Taste and adjust, adding more lemon juice, salt or garlic as needed.
- Spoon into a bowl, drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil, and finish with a sprinkle of paprika, a few whole chickpeas and a scatter of chopped parsley if you like.
Homemade Hummus
Course: Snack, DipCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy2
cups10
minutes95
kcal10
minutesA silky smooth homemade hummus recipe made with tinned chickpeas, tahini, fresh lemon and garlic. Ready in under 10 minutes and far better than anything from a supermarket tub.
Ingredients
2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup tahini, well stirred
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons ice cold water
Directions
- Blend tahini and lemon juice for 1 minute until pale and fluffy. Scrape down and blend 30 seconds more.
- Add garlic, olive oil, cumin and salt. Blend 30 seconds.
- Add chickpeas and blend for 2 minutes, scraping down halfway.
- With processor running, add cold water one tablespoon at a time until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust salt and lemon. Spoon into a bowl and top with olive oil, paprika and parsley.
Notes
- Blend tahini first: This is the single most important step for silky smooth homemade hummus. Do not skip it.
- Remove chickpea skins: Slip the skins off the chickpeas before blending for the absolute smoothest texture.
- Use cold water: Ice cold water helps create a lighter, fluffier homemade hummus than room temperature water.
- Season generously: Hummus needs more salt and lemon than you think. Taste and adjust until it sings.
Three quick tips: grainy hummus almost always means it needs longer blending, push past the point it looks done and give it another minute. Bland hummus needs more salt and lemon, not more of anything else. And if it turns out too thick, more ice water fixes it faster than more oil does.
Storage: keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (press plastic wrap onto the surface to stop a skin forming), or freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight. Give it a stir and a splash of fresh lemon after thawing to bring the flavour back.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I make homemade hummus without tahini?
Yes, though the flavour will be quite different. Replace the tahini with the same amount of natural peanut butter or sunflower seed butter for a nut-based alternative. The texture will still be smooth but the taste will be less traditional.
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of tinned?
Yes. Soak 200g dried chickpeas overnight, then cook until very soft, about 1 to 1.5 hours. Soft, well-cooked chickpeas blend more smoothly than tinned ones, so this method gives an even creamier result if you have the time.
Why does my homemade hummus taste bitter?
Bitterness usually comes from too much raw garlic or low quality tahini. Use just one clove of garlic to start and taste before adding more. Always use a good quality, smooth tahini for the best flavour.
This is one of those things that once you make it yourself, you cannot go back to the tub from the supermarket. Faster, fresher and so much better in every way.
Happy cooking from my Newcastle kitchen.
Ella x
