BEST Hummus Recipe | 3 ways

The BEST Hummus recipe is one that will give you perfectly smooth and light hummus that is full of flavor and begging to be used as a dip or a spread. I have the 3 BEST hummus recipes for you!

For a lot of people, the New Year brings the resolution to eat healthier and get more vegetables in their diet. Hummus is the perfect way to do that and you don't have to buy it at the store. I have the BEST Hummus Recipe to share with you today!

Homemade hummus is better than store-bought in so many ways. If you make your hummus at home, you can control the ingredients, create and adjust the flavors to your own personal taste, and save money.

Homemade Hummus Ingredients

The ingredients for homemade hummus are simple to have on hand cost a lot less than buying pre-made hummus that contains preservatives, sugars and exorbitant amounts of oil.

While you can choose to flavor your hummus in so many different ways, a basic and classic hummus only requires a few ingredients.

You will need:

• Chickpeas (canned or dried, if you want to cook them yourself)
• Tahini (not absolutely required but it improves the taste and texture)
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Salt, pepper and other spices
• Water
• Any garnish that you choose

And that's it! Those simple ingredients will make a delicious and healthy hummus!

Canned or dried Chickpeas in your Hummus?

I normally use canned chickpeas in my hummus because they are so easy to have in the pantry. I make sure to buy chickpeas that do not contain additional ingredients like salt or oil.

If your canned chickpeas contain additional ingredients, it is best to rinse them once or twice after straining the chickpeas from the water in the cabinet.

Using dried chickpeas is a much more affordable option if you are on a tight budget and also allows you to ensure that extra oils and salt are not added to your chickpeas.

But the savings does come with a trade-off, which is time.

Dried chickpeas will need to be soaked in water for several hours or overnight. They will triple in size so make sure to soak them in a large container.

After soaking the chickpeas, they still need to be cooked before they can be used to make hummus.

There are several methods to this - either on the stove, in a crockpot or in and Instant Pot.

Stovetop method to cook chickpeas

After soaking the chickpeas for 6 to 8 hours or overnight, drain out the water and replace it with fresh water. Use enough water to complete cover the chickpeas, with water about an inch above the top of the chickpeas.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of baking soda. The baking soda will help to break down the chickpeas, allowing for a very smooth hummus!

Bring the chickpeas to a boil on the stove and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes or 2 hours, until very tender. Use according to the recipes below.

Cooking chickpeas in a Crockpot

Place 7 cups of water, 1 pound dried chickpeas, rinsed and sorted to remove bad beans, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda in a 2 ½-quart slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours, or low heat for 8 to 9 hours, or until tender. Drain, season and serve, or use in your desired dish.

Cooking chickpeas in an Instant Pot

Soak 1 cup dry chickpeas in 3 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Soak 6 hours or up to overnight. The longer they soak, the faster they will cook.

Drain the chickpeas Add chickpeas and baking soda to a bowl and cover with cool water by about 3 inches (ensuring they’re well submerged). Soak overnight, or for at least 6-8 hours at room temperature.

Drain and rinse chickpeas and add to the Instant Pot. Cover with just enough water to cover them , about 2 ¼ cups.

Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes, or up to 17-18 minutes for super buttery, tender chickpeas. For chickpeas with some bite, try 13-14 minutes.

Quick-release the steam in the instant pot, being careful not to have your arm or other body parts near the steam. Drain off any excess cooking liquid. Use in the recipes below.

White Bean Hummus

Although traditional hummus is made with chickpeas, other variations can be delicious. My favorite variation is made with white beans.

I usually use cannellini beans but you can also use Navy Beans or Great Northern Beans.

Canned beans are fine to use or you can use the same steps above for cooking chickpeas to cook dry beans before using them to make hummus.

White beans have a very neutral flavor and can be seasoned and spiced any way you like. The recipe below is a favorite in my house but feel free to add roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes, or your favorite spices.

This one is honestly my favorite and what I consider to be the best hummus recipe that I have ever made!

How to make smooth and fluffy hummus

Obviously, blending the chickpeas until they are smooth is an important step in the best hummus recipe.

But if you want the best texture, adding COLD water after the first set of ingredients are blended while help to whip the hummus to the smoothest, creamiest texture.

Which one of these recipes is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

BEST Hummus Recipe | 3 ways

Recipe by Tanya Ott

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Ingredients

• Classic Hummus

• 1 -14oz- can chickpeas, drained

• 1 Tablespoon tahini

• Zest and juice of one lemon

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ¼ cold water

• Olive oil, to drizzle, optional garnish

• Smoked paprika, to sprinkle, optional garnish

• Red Pepper Hummus

• Red Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into 6 or 8 pieces

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

• Salt

• 1 -14oz- can chickpeas, drained

• 1 Tablespoon tahini

• Zest and juice of one lemon

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon pepper, white or black

• ¼ cup cold water

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil to drizzle, optional garnish

• Chopped green onion, chopped red pepper, chopped sundried tomatoes, optional garnish

• White Bean Hummus

• 1 -14 oz- can White Beans, drained (reserve the juice)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ¼ cup tahini

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup bean water from the can

• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¼ 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

• Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste

• Chopped parsley, chopped basil, toasted pine nuts, toasted pepitas, za'atar, marinated artichoke hearts, etc. as optional garnish

Directions

• Classic Hummus
• Add all of the ingredients except the water and garnishes to a food processor. Blend until smooth and then stop. Scrape the sides down and blend again.
• Slowly drizzle in the cold water with the food processor running. Blend until the hummus is smooth, about one minute. The cold water helps to create a fluffy and light hummus.
• Place the hummus in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika for garnish just before serving.
• Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Serve with chopped vegetables, pita chips, or use as a sandwich spread. You can also thin it slightly with water and use it as a salad dressing or sauce on pasta.
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Chop red pepper into large pieces and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Turn face down (with the skin up) and bake for 20 minutes, until soften.
• As soon as the pepper comes out of the oven, place in a glass jar with a lid or a ziploc bag. Seal to keep the heat and steam in.
• After about 10 to 15 minutes, the peppers should be cool enough to handle. Remove them from the jar or bag and peel the skins off. This step is not mandatory but it helps to get a smoother texture in the hummus.
• Add all of the ingredients except the water and garnishes to a food processor. Blend until smooth and then stop. Scrape the sides down and blend again.
• Slowly drizzle in the cold water with the food processor running. Blend until the hummus is smooth, about 1 minute. The cold water helps to create a fluffy and light hummus.
• Place the hummus in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garnish of your choice just before serving.
• Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Serve with chopped vegetables, pita chips, or use as a sandwich spread. You can also thin it slightly with water and use it as a salad dressing or sauce on pasta.
• White Bean Hummus
• Add all of the ingredients except the water and garnishes to a food processor. Blend until smooth and then stop. Scrape the sides down and blend again.
• Slowly drizzle in the bean water from the can with the food processor running. Blend until the hummus is smooth, about 1 minute. The cold water helps to create a fluffy and light hummus.
• Place the hummus in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garnish of your choice just before serving.
• Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Serve with chopped vegetables, pita chips, or use as a sandwich spread. You can also thin it slightly with water and use it as a salad dressing or sauce on pasta.

Notes

• You can use dried chickpeas if you prefer to not use canned. You will need to soak the chickpeas in water for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Then drain the chickpeas, cover with fresh waterand add 1 teaspoon baking soda. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Check out some of my other recipes in my RECIPE INDEX.

One of my favorite appetizers is this Whisky Mushroom Crostini.