Ever wonder how to make Hummus the RIGHT way? After you try this easy method, you’ll never go back to store-bought again. You only need 5 Ingredients and it’s naturally Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan, and Healthy!
Ahh, hummus. So many of us love you, but so many of us have also never had “real” hummus.
I recently went on a trip to Israel and am not ashamed to say that I ate hummus every day while I was there. And I was there for 12 days.
To be honest, I was not a huge Hummus fan before my trip. I thought it was okay, but not great. Then I ate “real” hummus and realized that it’s very yummy and magical and why yes, I could see myself eating this every day for the rest of my life.
During my travels, I learned many things. Some of those include that (1) Hummus can be a dip, but is more often a meal. (2) Hummus should not be thick and chunky; good hummus is fluffy, creamy, and silky smooth. (3) You really, really, really just need to get over your laziness and use dried Chickpeas to make your hummus instead of canned, because it is so. dang. worth it.
It’s really not that hard, I promise. I even broke it down into super easy steps for you guys!
Step One: Soak Some Chickpeas
This step is easy, but does require some foresight. Simply add your dried Chickpeas to a large bowl and cover with water — make sure you add enough though, as the beans will double in size as they absorb water.
Step Two: Cook Your Chickpeas
Drain and rinse your chickpeas (do not use the same soaking liquid), then place them in a large pot or pressure cooker and cover with water. You’re also going to add in 3-5 cloves of Garlic (because cooked Garlic > raw Garlic), and some Baking Soda, which helps to loosen the “skin” of the beans and makes them easier to peel.
Step Three: Peel the Chickpeas (seriously, just do it)
I know, I know. You don’t want to peel your Chickpeas. You probably didn’t even know that there was a part of a Chickpea that could be peeled! But our Garbanzo Beans are different than Middle Eastern ones, and you need to peel your Chickpeas if you want smooth hummus. The Baking Soda hack makes it pretty easy – most of the skins should just slide right off, but if not, just gently “pinch” each bean between your fingers. And don’t forget the cooked Garlic Cloves! If you’re determined (and have a good soundtrack going), you can easily get this done in ~20 minutes.
Step Four: Make a Chickpea Puree
Add the peeled Chickpeas and cooked Garlic to the Food Processor, then seal it shut. Then, you’re going to slowly pour in a mixture of Lemon Juice and Salt into the processor while it is running – this will help turn the Chickpeas into a puree.
Step Five: Tahini + ICE COLD Water
Hummus is not Hummus if there’s no Tahini. And the Tahini quality matters too – it should be smooth and runny. Generally speaking, the less English on the bottle, the better 😉
After you add the Tahini to the Food Processor, you’re going to blend it with the Chickpea Puree while pouring in Ice Cold Water (!!!) into the Food Processor. This reacts with the fat in the Tahini and helps make the Hummus light and fluffy. You’re also going to blend the Hummus for around 5 minutes, so everything gets well emulsified and incorporated.
Step 6: Top and Enjoy!
Spread your Hummus onto a plate (bonus points if it’s still warm), and top with whatever you’d like. Traditionally, Hummus is topped with Olive Oil and a few whole Chickpeas. However, you can also add some Smoked Paprika, Cumin, Za’atar, Sauteed Mushrooms, Tahini Sauce, and/or fresh Herbs! Anything goes here — it is your hummus, after all.
Don’t forget the fresh Pita though! You can also be a next-level hummus eater and use slices of raw Onion. (I’ve tried it, it’s actually quite tasty!) 
A Few Final Thoughts:
- There are quite a few ways to make hummus, but this is the method that I’ll be sticking with. I’ve done some pretty extensive research and interviewed quite a few people — special thanks to Noam and Bentzi for your tips!
- I would definitely recommend “processing” your hummus for the full 5 minutes to make sure it’s nice and fluffy. However, I’ve been told if you blend it for too long, it spoils faster. I’m not sure how true that is because it never lasts over 5 days here, but you’ve been warned 😉
If you’re looking for some other Vegan Dip recipes, you’ll also love this Best Ever Vegan Spinach Dip and this Healthy Buffalo “Chicken” Dip! Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
Print
How to Make (The Best) Hummus
Prep Time: 40 Minutes- Cook Time: 16 Minutes
- Total Time: 56 minutes
- Yield: 3-6 Servings 1x
Prep Time:
Yield:
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Ever wondered how to make hummus the RIGHT way? After you try this easy method, you’ll never go back to store-bought again. Plus it’s naturally gluten-free, oil-free, vegan, and healthy!
Ingredients
- 12 oz dried Chickpeas (about 2 cups), soaked in water overnight
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 3–5 cloves of Garlic
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 –3/4 cup Tahini (based on preference)
- 1 cup Ice Cold Water*, divided
- Optional Toppings: Olive Oil, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Za’atar, etc.
Instructions
- Soak Your Chickpeas in water for 12-24 hours, then drain and rinse them.
- Cook The Chickpeas with 3-5 cloves of raw Garlic (according to preference) and the Baking Soda (this softens them and makes them easier to peel).
- INSTANT POT: (recommended) Cover the Chickpeas, Garlic, and Baking Soda with water until it is 2-3″ above the beans. Stir, seal, and cook on Manual HIGH pressure for 10-12 minutes; let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before breaking the seal.
- STOVETOP: Add the Chickpeas, Garlic, and Baking Soda to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 40 – 120 minutes, until the beans are tender.
- Peel the Chickpeas. Drain and rinse the cooked beans, until no bubbles remain. Set the cooked cloves of Garlic aside and peel the Chickpeas. The skins should slide off quite easily when you gently “pinch” each bean. Discard the Chickpea “skins” once finished.
- Make a Chickpea Puree by adding 3 cups of the peeled Chickpeas and cooked Garlic to the Food Processor, then seal it shut. Mix the Lemon Juice and Salt together in a small bowl until the Salt dissolves, then slowly pour this mixture into the Food Processor while it is running to puree the Chickpeas until they are smooth.
- Add Tahini and Water. Add in 1/4 cup of Tahini to the Food Processor, then seal it and add in 1/3 cup of Ice Cold Water while it is running. Let the Food Processor run for 4-5 minutes, to help make the hummus fluffy and smooth. Add in extra Tahini and Water in 1/4 cup increments, if you would like your spread to be thicker or have a higher fat content (and be creamier).
- Serve with the remaining peeled Chickpeas and any toppings of your choice. Leftovers will keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- As this recipe requires very few ingredients, try to use the highest quality possible.
- To make “Ice Cold” Water, simply place a few ice cubes in a glass of water for ~ 5 minutes, or stick a glass of water in the freezer for ~ 10 minutes.
- Your Tahini should be smooth and runny — not a thick paste. Generally speaking, the less English on the bottle, the better. However, I also like and recommend both Soom Foods and Pepperwood Organics.
Want to save this How-To Hummus Guide for later? Pin the recipe to your Pinterest boards:
196 comments
Hey Caitlin! Great recipe. So I tried this, and when I got to the instant pot part, things went awry. I set my instant pot to 16 minutes like you said, but it didn’t actually start timing it till awhile after I closed the lid and it started cooking. I read online that this is because it has to build pressure up before it begins to cook, but when it was finished and I set it to venting water shot out of the top and created a huge mess. When I opened it the chickpeas were exploded, but the skins sure came off easily! (it must’ve been the baking soda ????) But yeah, just wondering if you had any tips/advice/troubleshooting for this issue. Thanks and awesome recipe, I’m looking forward to trying it again.
That usually means you did not add enough liquid to the beans! When that happens to me, I just cover the vent with a towel to contain the water 🙂
I had the same issue. I set the timer of the instapot for 12 minutes. Opened the vent naturally for 10 minutes, the opened the vent, hugeee mess. Chickpeas exploded 🙁 I made sure the water was 2-3 inches above the chickpeas but I still had the same issue. Help!
I let mine naturally depressurize for 15 minutes then opened the valve. I put the towel over as I usually do and within 1 minute’ I had juice overflowing everywhere. I have been burned about 4 times, and my kitchen is covered in bean juice… looking forward to trying the hummus though, hope it’s worth it. Next time might use canned beans or stovetop. Lol.
I have made this recipe before on the stove and it turned out great. Thought I would save some time with the instant pot. It was a total disaster! Bean mush squirting everywhere. Took me longer to clean up than cook. I definitely had enough water. Just had to throw it out. I will stick to the stove top from now on.from now on.
Ugh, I tried to make this recipe. I had the chickpeas cooking in a pot, was cooking lunch for today. Turned around and the chickpeas had turned to mush. 🙁 I will attempt, maybe at the end of the week. At first they were peeling on their own, they were off to a good start.
Thanks for great hummus recipe . I just made it .its so delicious ????
Absolutely the best oil-free homemade hummus I’ve made! Worth the extra time to make the chickpeas from dry.
★★★★★
I just made this and then ate tons right away! It is delicious! The only thing I might do differently next time is have the texture be a little thicker. I wonder if I added too much water or too much tahini, because the hummus seemed a little thinner/more runny than I was expecting. Is it supposed to be like that or did I make a mistake?
Hi Emma! It shouldn’t be runny – perhaps add a bit less water next time! The tahini would not have made it runny
Amazing texture. Totally worth the time peeling the chickpeas. You are officially my favorite food blogger!
Also, I’m intrigued by the chocolate hummus mentioned by Cassie.
LISTEN LINDA!!! I have been telling people for years that you have to peel the chick peas to get creamy hummus! I learned this from my amazing mom. We’re not any cool ethnic family, we’re just white people and my mom is pretty smart in the kitchen. But she sits there and peels the chick peas before hummus and everyone says she’s crazy but the hummus is SO. GOOD. I’m excited to find out this is actually a technique from….Israel?? I guess I’m not sure the origina, but you are right on the money with this!
Thanks!
I loved following you throughout your trip on Instagram! You make some of the best vegan recipes out there. Thanks for the hummus inspo!
★★★★★
Thank you for following along, Stephanie! 🙂
I m so satisfied with this recipe, the best i ve ever made !! Can you post a tahini recipe tho? It s not in stores in Morocco and the one i made at home tasted a bit off.
Also Za’atar is basically oregano in arabic
Thank you Ines!!! I’ve actually never tried to make my own Tahini!
Love this! Were do you get your plates from? They are so nice!
Thank you! They are handmade – the larger one is from “Earth and Element”, and the smaller ones are from “Ogusky Ceramics”
Thank you! Gonna have to check them out
Could I start with canned chickpeas or is starting with dried part of the secret?
You can do it with canned, but I honestly wouldn’t recommend it. Using dried is definitely part of the secret to success!
THE BEST HUMMUS. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ve never had a fluffier hummus in my life! I also love that there is no added oil but it still tastes great! This is my new go-to recipe.
★★★★★
So happy to hear that, Angela!
Seriously the BEST hummus I’ve ever made. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! So glad you liked it Jessica 🙂
Omg I need to make this! Do you think it would work with dry split chickpeas?
Yes, that would work – I also think that split chickpeas are already peeled, so you wouldnt have to peel them 🙂 WIN!
When I saw the title of this recipe, I thought, “Oh it’s one of THOSE recipes that claims to make the best of something, but I’m sure there is always room for interpretation.” NOT in this case! I think you actually DID make the best hummus because you drew inspiration from Israel and demonstrated a full photo tutorial of the cooking process! This hummus looks amazing and it will definitely serve as the base for my customized hummus. Now I want to make a beet hummus, turmeric garlic hummus, caramelized onion hummus, and even chocolate hummus!
haha! Well thank you, Cassie. All of those variations sound amazing!
Will it turn out different if you use a high-speed blender like a Vitamix? I have been searching for an amazing from scratch hummus recipe and I am hoping this one is a winner but I do not have a food processor.
Hi Byrn! I think it should work fine, especially if you use your tamper to press the hummus down. You may need to make it in smaller batches depending on the size of your base. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Wow , this is amazing)))) I always soak and PEAL my chickpeas before cooking, that way it takes like 30-40 minutes for them to cook. I will definitly try this recipe. Thank you for sharing!!!
You’re so welcome, Dora!
Can I put some in the freezer? It seems to make a pretty big batch! Big batch and freezing seems like a nice idea so I don’t have to peel the chickpeas a lot of times, so do you think freezing and defrosting them would work?
The texture will most likely be different when you thaw it again, but it shouldn’t be too noticeable 🙂 let me know if you try it out!
My mum has been making it this way for years but doesn’t add the garlic when blending the chickpeas. By blending the chickpeas alone you can freeze at this stage and whenever you defrost a batch just add all the other ingredients to the thawed blended chickpeas.
Neat idea!
I made this today, and it’s a winner!!! Thank you! I made hummus twice before but I never really liked it. And since I always tahini, baba ganoush was the other tahini based food I often make. I got curious with your claim of the best hummus so I tried it this morning. My friends loved it! I’ll be making this often now. Thank you so much!
P.S. The baking soda tip was a real help.
★★★★★
Nusa, I have been making big batches of hummus following the Zaharia recipe with a bit of a twist. This recipe is similar. (Love seeing an easy recipe like this!) I divide the batch into Oxo baby food containers (4oz) and it freezes and defrosts beautifully. We were shocked it worked and my husband even prefers it post-freeze. Give it a try!
Hi Caitlin! What do you mean by cold water divided? how much did you use of the cup? also how much tahini did you use?? 🙂
It’s in the recipe notes 🙂 You start by adding 1/3 of a cup, and then can add more based on personal texture preference
Love this! But I noticed your tahini suggestion says the less English the better. I typically would agree, but Soom Foods makes an incredible tahini, the best in the States! I would highly recommend using theirs. Michael Solomonov is known for making his hummus with Soom tahini. It’s killer!
Yes, I agree as well! I suggested their brand in the recipe notes 😉
I had so much fun with this recipe. This is my first time making Hunmas and mine turned out Great!
I made some adjustments: My store didn’t have dried chick peas so I got canned & yes I realized I needed to remove the skins. I whipped & stirred & whipped and it was so silly & yummy. I used the garlic in the recipe plus I added fresh mushrooms and it tastes incredible. I’m glad I found this as a first timer knowing it would turn out perfect.
Thank you.
Heidi Wilson
★★★★★
Glad to hear it worked with canned Chickpeas as well, Heidi!
No ways. Hummus needs olive oil and why on earth not! Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil. It makes all the difference. It’s the essential flavour and complex aromas. That slight bitter pepper yet fruity happening. Like the essential aroma and flavour of coffee you couldn’t leave it out in your latte. Strictly speaking hummus is not an Israeli or even Jewish dish. There are however as many twists to making it as there are cooks. For me its the classic ingredients that make or break it. You need all of the very few ingriediants, they must be pure and your lemons fresh then you cannot go wrong. Trust your tongue and adjust.
Made this today! It’s by far the best hummus I’ve ever made! I have been meaning to for years but I’m lazy ???? it took me 45 minutes to shell the beans but the payoff was worth it! I topped it with cumin and paprika, love it
★★★★★
It’s totally worth it! Thanks for making it, so glad you enjoyed it!
I just made this last week for a Health & Wellness seminar my friend Alicia gave & it was AMAZING! A couple dozen or more people said it was the BEST hummus they ever had. The only thing I changed was adding some roasted garlic. (I’m Italian–couldn’t help it). I had the same “Hummus Revelation” you did, when my cousin’s family (her husband is Egyptian) took me to their favorite restaurant in Patterson NJ. Totally ruined me on store bought hummus. Nope- never again. Your recipe is Absolutely worth the effort. Thank you so much for this recipe! Have directed everyone to your site.
Haha…yes! Store-bought just can’t compare. I’m glad everyone enjoyed it, Tamara!
Hi, I just wanna thank you for sharing this recipe. I tried it now and it is so so so awesome! It’s been my dream to be able to make great hummus at home as it’s my very fav thing! And this turned out to be just that! Thank you so much!!
★★★★★
Thank you! We absolutely love hummus!