My Favorite Hummus Recipe
I’ve been making this homemade hummus recipe for nearly a decade and it’s still my favorite. It’s smooth, full of flavor and perfect for dipping!
Back when Bart worked as an auditor, this homemade hummus recipe was my dinner many many nights in a row.
During his busy seasons, he’d work until 10 or 11 at night, and since I only had one small child who went to bed by seven (or, you know, 6:30 because she couldn’t tell time and it was February and dark ANYWAY and I was worn out from entertaining her solo all day long), I tried out a LOT of recipes during those evenings in our little Austin apartment.
I’d turn on an audiobook and get to work on whatever recipe had caught my eye.
I probably did more cooking in those years than the following 7 years combined.
Back in those days, I made this homemade hummus recipe using dried chickpeas that I cooked in the crockpot for about 3 hours on high (I never soaked them beforehand).
These days, I just use canned chickpeas because . . . it’s easier and faster.
And happily, we aren’t as poor as we were in those days where a can of beans felt like more than I wanted to spend.
Also, during that time period Smitten Kitchen shared a hummus recipe and mentioned that her secret to really smooth, amazing hummus was peeling the chickpeas.
And I thought, “Well, that’s only for insane people.”
And then the next time I made hummus, I found myself carefully peeling 2 cups of chickpeas. Give me my “insane person” badge, please.
It’s not necessary, although it does make for a nice smooth hummus. It just depends on if you’re looking for an excuse to spend 15 minutes of quality time with your audiobook. (Also, I find that cold chickpeas are much easier to peel. I suppose this lets you know I’ve peeled them more than once. How embarrassing).
One more note about this hummus recipe (are you thinking “HOW MUCH CAN ONE PERSON SAY ABOUT HUMMUS??” – because you should be). It needs a couple hours in the fridge.
Every time I taste it right after I make it, I think, “hmm, a little strong.”
And then two hours later, I’m all “WHOA, BEST HUMMUS EVER.”
Even Bart, who does not care for hummus much at all, will eat this one.
My favorite homemade hummus recipe
My Favorite Hummus
This homemade hummus recipe is one we have loved for years! It's smooth, flavorful and incredibly easy!
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 cups chickpeas drained, liquid reserved
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/3 cup tahini sesame paste (you can usually find this by the peanut butter in the grocery store)
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas
- 8 dashes Tabasco sauce
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth. Refrigerate for a few hours and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
(from Barefoot Contessa)
If you liked this homemade hummus recipe, you might also like these recipes:
- Jalapeño Popper Dip (this is my signature appetizer – it’s AMAZING)
- Healthy no-bake cookies
- Almond-flavored jam filled muffins
Photos by Heather Mildenstein
You are hilarious about peeling chickpeas. Should I admit the crazy things I've peeled?! All for Quinn- I've damaged her I'm sure. Grapes. Even green peas. One by one. Yes, I'm crazy 🙂
I've been eating a lot of hummus lately, too (though not peeling the chickpeas). It is great for a little snack when I am hungry and with veggies for lunch. But I might have to try your recipe. I use less garlic and no tahini or tabasco, but it looks good and would be a nice change.
Thank you for the advice on where to find tahini — I have been looking and looking, usually in the international and regular spice sections. So I'll have to look near the peanut butter!
Homemade hummus has been on my to-make list for quite some time now!
Depending on where you live, you might not be able to get tahini at a local store. I have to travel about 80 miles to get it at Safeway. After scouring the whole store, I found it in the deli section next to the sushi making ingredients. Good luck.
i never eat real meals when spencer is not around for dinner. i have more then once made a dinner out of oven fries.
I don't know what happened to my first comment. oh well, I was teasing you about peeling the garbanzos. Hint: reserve the liquid and put the beans in a colander (if you haven't already). Rinse with a hard stream of cold water. The skins should just come off.
Also, there are recipes online for making your own tahini. It is basically just sesame seeds and (olive) oil. I couldn't get it nice and smooth, but it tasted fine. We don't care if our hummas isn't perfectly smooth.
Also, I'm not a huge fan of really lemony hummus – just personal preference. The best I ever had was in a grungy little cafe in Sebastopol, CA. The Middle Eastern owner made it for us as we watched. (My son eats at this place at least once a week.)
Oh yum. I love a smooth hummus. But I dont know if I have it in me to peel all those garbanzos.
How long does this last?
I'm not a hummus fan but I really want to be. I definitely need to try this one.
This is my favorite hummus recipe too! I always roast the garlic before putting it in, it makes it sooo divine. I'll have to think about peeling the chickpeas. . . sounds like an awful lot of work, but if you say so . . . 😉
Thanks for this Janssen. I needed a new, yummy hummus recipe. I will try this soon.
This was the perfect inspiration. I was trying to come up with an appetizer for some friends that are coming over tonight and hummus with veggies is just it. Thank you. I can't imagine myself finding the time to peel the chickpeas though. I don't know where you found the time with 2 kids.
I make a lot of hummus, but I have to be honest that I have never peeled the chickpeas. I guess we prefer the hummus "rustic". (That's my favourite word to cover any lumps, bumps, and inconsistencies.)
I love hummus, but I've never tried making it! This sounds delicious.
I ADORE hummus. Have you tried sun-dried tomato hummus? It will change your life. I love it so much I don't even need anything to dip in it. Just give me a spoon!
I’ve only tried making hummus 1-2 times and it did not turn out very good, totally going to have to give this recipe a try! (and start peeling those chickpeas!)
Drain and add in a small can of beetroot, it makes a delicious beetroot hummus.
Plus it’s pink! – Infinitely more fun to eat and look at.
(try it on toast with slices of avocado on top ;))
Also, at lest in Australia, Tahini can be found in the health food aisle at most supermarkets.
A trick for peeling drained chickpeas is to dump them all out on a big kitchen towel, put another towel on top of them, and roll them around with your hands. Not hard enough to crush them, but just to scuff the skins off. It’s not foolproof, but it speeds up the pea-by-pea peeling process a bit.
We’ll definitely be trying your recipe. I especially love that there is no added oil in it. Thanks!
My favorite hummus is made by Boars Head and it is Everything Bagel Hummus! I will have to try this recipe and add in some everything but the bagel seasoning.