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The perfect Hummus Recipe –loaded up with creamy tahini, garlic, lemon and beautiful garden veggies. Adaptable, easy and can be made in 10 minutes. Make this with canned chickpeas or dried chickpeas. Vegan, creamy and authentic! Video
I know what you’re thinking. Your hummus is already perfect. 🙂 And guess what? It totally is! That’s why, until now I’ve never posted a recipe for basic hummus on the blog, because I know how amazingly perfect your hummus already is!
We each have our own idea of what makes the best hummus – there are so many variables, so many preferences. It is very personal!
To me, the best hummus is ultra-creamy, loaded with tahini –I want to taste that tahini or I’m just not satisfied! I like an extra kick of garlic, and I’m liberal with salt and lemon. I love to finish it with flaky salt, olive oil, sumac and zaatar and then sprinkle the heck out of it with fresh herbs.
But this is what pleases my palate- the way I grew up eating it, so it speaks to me.
And I get it, your version may be totally different and that is OK. That’s the amazing thing about hummus. You can make it exactly how you like it. No rules here. EVER.
So I’m NOT going to try to change you, or your already perfect hummus today, just present you with some ideas. 🙂
The BEST Hummus Recipe | 60-sec Video
Why make hummus from Scratch?
Store-bought hummus, even high-quality, organic brands, often contain highly refined seed oils (canola, soy, sunflower, safflower, etc.). These, when overly consumed can be highly inflammatory to the body. See for yourself – check the label. Most organic hummus is not made with just olive oil. When we consume these every once in a while it is probably fine, but when overly consumed (refined seed oils are in almost all processed foods, even organic, vegan ones!) can be highly inflammatory to the body. So that is why I try to make my own hummus most of the time. Do as you like. 😉
My Favorite Hummus Recipe
This hummus recipe (yes, of course, I’ll share my idea of “perfect hummus”) is also about how to make it pretty with a few catering tips on how to really bump up the flavor. Because I know you like that sort of thing. So take what you want from this and make it your own.
Basic Hummus Ingredients:
Here are the ingredients for basic authentic Hummus. (See the recipe card for specific measurements)
- chickpeas (or sub any bean!) dried, or canned
- tahini paste
- lemon juice
- garlic
- cumin (or coriander)
- olive oil (optional, but good)
- salt
- pepper (white pepper is delicious here)
Ways to Elevate Hummus:
And here is what you can add to make your hummus spectacular! (just pick 1 or 2)
- preserved lemons (1-2 tablespoons blended in)
- olive brine or caper brine (1-2 teaspoons blended in)
- smoked paprika (1/2 teaspoon for smoky flavor)
- zaatar, sumac or Dukkah, sprinkled over top or blended in
- zhoug – garnish or blended in (1-2 tablespoons)
- gremolata – garnish or blended in ( 1-2 tablespoons)
- harissa paste – garnish or blended in ( 1-2 tablespoons)
- Romesco Sauce – garnish or blended in
- Preserved Lemon Gremolata ( 1-2 tablespoons, overtop)
- Chimichurri Sauce (garnish)
- Yogurt or Labneh ( 1-2 tablespoons blended in) for extra creamy
- Tender herbs- parsley, mint, dill, basil – sprinkled overtop or blended in
- toasted pinenuts – garnish
- Sundried tomatoes- overtop or blended in
- toasted sesame seeds– garnish
- marinated or warm roasted tomatoes- garnish
- warm olives-create a well and pile it in the middle
- fresh rainbow veggies – (carrots, cucs, radishes, snap peas, jicama, celery, tomatoes, etc)
- warm ratatouille– garnish- pile it overtop.
- marinated feta cubes (or baby mozzarella balls)
- Marinated Fava beans
- Marinated Veggies
- kalamata olives or jumbo Caperberries
How to Make the BEST Hummus:
Here is a basic overview of how to make Creamy Authentic Hummus (Detailed instructions are provided in the recipe box below!).
BLEND HUMMUS: Place lemon juice, garlic cloves, tahini paste olive oil and water in a food processor– whip this up until creamy. Then add the salt, pepper, cumin, chickpeas and blend until really really smooth. Add more cold water, a tablespoon at a time until it is the consistency you like and blend the heck out of this! Blend for at least a full minute or two!
PLATTER: Spoon the ultra-creamy hummus into a wide shallow bowl or onto a plate or platter, creating a “well” for the olive oil (or other sauces) with the back of your spoon.
Add your toppings: If using garden veggies, peel the carrots, prep other veggies, cutting all into small bite-sized “crudites” and arrange like the photos, tucking into the hummus -0r just play around with this and do your own thing.
Drizzle with olive oil. Scatter with fresh herbs. Sprinkle with spices- sumac, zaatar or dukkah!
Remember to create that “well” for the olive oil!
Here below is my “basic” hummus garnish. Olive oil, sumac, zaatar and herbs. Simply served with pita bread.
But more often I’ll often play with what I have on hand.
Today it was these lovely farmers’ market veggies, cut into bite-sized pieces or crudites.
Just start tucking them it- perhaps find your own style. Play around with this- it is fun!
Sprinkle the hummus with fresh herbs, and zaatar spice.
And there you have it. Creamy authentic hummus, made in about 10 minutes. So easy, so much fun. Such a beautiful way to serve up the bounty of veggies we have during the summer months! A delicious, healthy high-protein snack to have on hand.
xoxo
More Favorite Dip Recipes:
- Tandoori Hummus
- Labneh Recipe
- Lemony Artichoke White Bean Dip
- French Onion Dip
- Authentic Baba Ganoush
- Smokey Harissa Red Pepper Dip
- Muhammara Dip
- Epic Tzatziki
- Killer Guac

Perfect Hummus
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: appetizers, vegan, dip
- Method: blended
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to make the BEST Hummus! This authentic hummus recipe is light and creamy and so easy to make! Use canned or dried chickpeas and serve it up with fresh garden veggies or a plethora of optional additions. Vegan, GF.
Ingredients
BASIC HUMMUS INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 –3/4 cup tahini paste (See notes. Make sure it tastes fresh, not bitter or rancid.)
- 2–3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup water, more to desired consistency
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (I love white pepper here, up to you)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (1/2 cup dried chickpeas, cooked- see notes)
Optional Additions: (Just pick one or two! keep it simple!)
- preserved lemons (1-2 tablespoons blended in)
- olive brine or caper brine (1-2 teaspoons blended in)
- smoked paprika (1/2 teaspoon for smoky flavor)
- zaatar or sumac -sprinkled over top or blended in
- zhoug – garnish or blended in (1-2 tablespoons)
- gremolata – garnish or blended in ( 1-2 tablespoons)
- harissa paste – garnish or blended in ( 1-2 tablespoons)
- Romesco Sauce – garnish or blended in
- Meyer Lemon Gremolata ( 1-2 tablespoons, overtop)
- Chimichurri Sauce (garnish)
- Yogurt or Labneh ( 1-2 tablespoons blended in) for extra creamy
- Tender herbs- parsley, mint, dill, basil – sprinkled overtop or blended in
- toasted pinenuts – garnish
- toasted sesame seeds– garnish
- marinated or warm roasted tomatoes- garnish
- warm olives-create a well and pile it in the middle
- fresh garden veggies – (carrots, cucs, radishes, snap peas, jicama, celery, tomatoes, etc)
- warm ratatouille– garnish- pile it overtop.
- marinated feta cubes ( or baby mozzarella balls)
- Marinated Fava beans
- Marinated Veggies
- kalamata olives or jumbo Caperberries
Instructions
BLEND HUMMUS: Place lemon juice, garlic cloves, tahini paste olive oil and water in a food processor– whip this up until creamy. Then add the salt, pepper, cumin, chickpeas and blend until really really smooth. Add more cold water, a tablespoon at a time until it is the consistency you like and blend the heck out of this! Blend for at least a full minute or two! Taste, adjust salt and lemon. Add any additions you like.
PLATTER: Spoon the ultra-creamy hummus into a wide shallow bowl or onto a plate or platter, creating a “well” for the olive oil (or other sauces) with the back of your spoon.
Add your toppings: If using garden veggies, peel the carrots, prep other veggies, cutting all into small bite-sized “crudites” and arrange like the photos, tucking into the hummus -0r just play around with this and do your own thing.
Drizzle with olive oil. Scatter with fresh herbs. Sprinkle with spices.
Voila!
Notes
If using dried chickpeas, soak 1/2 cup chickpeas in cold water (for 8-24 hours), then cook them in salted water until tender. Cool, then follow instructions. I always make a double batch if going with dried chickpeas and cook these ahead.
Tahini Paste. In winter I use 3/4 cup tahini for a richer, creamier version. In summer, I use a 1/2 cup. Most recipes out there call for a 1/4 cup- do as you like. I prefer hummus that is “heavier” on the tahini, because I love the taste of it and this is how I grew up eating it. Truly authentic. If you go with a 1/4 cup tahini- you will most likely need less garlic and less water. Taste as you go. 🙂
A TIP on Sauces: Sometimes like in the photos above, I’ll “loosen up” a sauce (like harissa paste, gremolata, or zhoug, etc) by adding extra olive oil to it. Then I’ll put it in a squeezy bottle and drizzle it around the hummus. An extra burst of flavor!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 198
- Sugar: 1.6 g
- Sodium: 376.4 mg
- Fat: 15.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.5 g
- Fiber: 3.5 g
- Protein: 4.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: hummus recipe, perfect hummus, the best hummus recipe, creamy hummus, how to make hummus, authentic hummus, authentic Hummus recipe
This hummus is amazing! It’s the best hummus I’ve ever tried. My husband really liked it too. Thank you for another amazing recipe! This one will be a repeat. Does it freeze well?
★★★★★
It freezes perfectly! So glad you are enjoying.
Truly perfect! I made mine from chickpeas that I cooked and got rid of the “skins”. I added the preserved lemon (made it from your recipe). Happy times!
★★★★★
Yum with the preserved lemon! Glad you enjoyed.:)
I tried making hummus before and went back to buying it because it wasn’t very good. I’m so glad I gave homemade hummus another chance because this recipe is like a flavor bomb–it’s so good!!
★★★★★
Awesome to hear Lesli!
I have tried many hummus recipes. This one is the best by far. So delicious!
★★★★★
Great to hear Denise!
Awesome hummus recipe, great texture! The adaptions make hummus even more versatile!
★★★★★
Great to hear Marley!
OMG This is amazing and I thought I made a damn fine hummus before trying this recipe. We’re licking it out of the blender. Thx Sylvia
So happy you enjoyed this!
Please Oh Please do a recipe for Jalapeno Hummus. I’ve tried several recipes and I’m getting there with making my own but I’m curious what yours would be. Thanks for all the great vegan recips, btw!
Funny timing as I was just eating jalapeno hummus the other day and thinking the same thing Rick!
I have made hummus several times using various recipes and this is by far the best, I followed the guidance on using more tahini for winter, I also had high quality organic olive oil in the pantry for this and used 2 tsp of caper brine plus a sprinkling of paprika at the end. And the result was honestly out of this world. The whole portion got eaten by my Christmas guests before lunch. My friend, who is a hummus fiend and regularly pays enormous sums to local restaurants for takeaway hummus, said it was the best hummus he had ever tasted. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
★★★★★
Awesome to hear!
I love this hummus recipe! It tastes like it came from Israel! My boyfriend loves it so much, I make it for him almost every week- and I double the recipe too😉
Awesome Anne- great to hear!
Really good recipe and I will use your suggestions for serving. I’m afraid I used to just put it out plainly, no toppings. Specially want to try with chimichurri. Thank you for all of your great recipes. I read you often but this my first comment.
Thanks Madonna! Chicmichurri would be great here!
I have made this a dozen times and I just love it. Great flavor.
★★★★★
Thanks, Barbara- glad you are enjoying this hummus recipe!