This is my go-to homemade hummus recipe that makes the creamiest hummus EVER. Once you taste this homemade version, you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff.

Good ol’ hummus. I must confess, I’m a tiny bit obsessed with it. You get that, right?

After all, what’s not to love about something that’s creamy and slightly salty, with those gorgeous lemon and garlic undertones? And don’t even get me started on the wonder that is tahini. *swoon*

Plus, hummus is naturally vegan, gluten free, dairy free and healthy. But most importantly: dangerously delicious. (I’m not kidding: put me in a room with a bowl of hummus and a spoon, and it’ll be gone faster than you can say “homemade hummus”. Actually, the spoon isn’t all that necessary.)

Homemade hummus is a work of love. Peeling each and every chickpea to get that ultimate creaminess… WAIT! Don’t run away!

I know that peeling chickpeas – individually, by hand – sounds god-awful and you might be thinking:

“Christ, better you than me! I ain’t doing that.” *shudder*

But bear with me. It’s. Worth. It.

Still with me? Okay, let’s get going.

Before we get to the bits and bobs of making the creamiest hummus ever – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my newsletter to keep up to date on the latest recipes and tips!

THE INGREDIENTS

We’re keeping things simple. Chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. But you can add any other flavours, herbs and spices you want – an extra pinch of chilli or cayenne pepper, a few sprigs of thyme or even a dash of turmeric will transform your hummus and give it extra dimensions.

But before we get blending… there’s an extra step that makes ALL the difference.

PEELING THE CHICKPEAS

Don’t shoot the messenger now. Peeling the chickpeas might sound terribly time consuming (it is) and unnecessary (it isn’t), but hear me out.

Sure, you could make homemade hummus without this extra step. It will taste great and you’ll like it. But the texture won’t be all that smooth and the hummus will lack a certain fluffy creaminess – the exact creaminess that is the mark of a truly good hummus.

If you peel the chickpeas first, however: BAM! Perfectly creamy hummus. Every. Single. Time.

So turn up that music, get comfy and start peeling. Mmkay? You’ll thank me later. (Promise.)

Side note: if your chickpeas are being stubborn and don’t peel easily, put them into a saucepan, cover with water and heat until just hot. This will make the outer skins much easier to remove.

MAKING THE HUMMUS

The steps are simple:

Blend the chickpeas, chopped garlic and lemon juice until…
… you get a smooth paste. (If there are some pieces left, that’s okay.)
Add the tahini and blend until smooth.
Season to taste.
Slowly pour in cold water while blending, until you get a fluffy creamy hummus.

I bet it all makes sense, apart from step #3, right? I didn’t know about this trick until a few years ago. Without the cold water, the hummus is quite heavy and while it might be creamy, it won’t be quite as fluffy as you’d want it.

When you drizzle in the cold water (always during blending!), magic happens. The hummus becomes fluffy, almost airy in texture, and its deliciousness increases exponentially.

And… that’s pretty much it. There’s nothing complicated about making hummus from scratch… just a bit of TLC. I like to serve my homemade hummus drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a generous pinch of smoked paprika.

It’s perfect as a dip with veggies or crackers, in a wrap or veggie burger, or (and that’s my favourite) straight from the spoon.

HOW DO YOU MAKE HUMMUS WITHOUT TAHINI?

Maybe you are allergic to sesame seeds, or you just don’t like the taste. That doesn’t mean you should be deprived of the glorious thing that is hummus. Instead, you can follow this homemade hummus recipe, but use one of the tahini substitutions listed below.

The best tahini substitutes:

Nut butters (almond, cashew, brazil nut, macadamia nut butter… the options are endless).
Seed butters (sunflower seed or pumpkin seed butter work beautifully).
Smooth peanut butter.
Avocado.
Olive oil.
Dairy or non-dairy yogurt.

CAN YOU MAKE HUMMUS WITHOUT CHICKPEAS?

Just as for tahini, while chickpeas are an integral part of a traditional hummus recipe, if you don’t like their taste or you have a sensitivity to them, you can use a different basis for your homemade hummus.

The best chickpea substitutes:

Lentils (give a smooth and creamy hummus).
Black beans, lima/butter beans and white beans.
Butternut squash or pumpkin (for a fall-themed hummus recipe).
Beets (will give your hummus a wonderful purple colour and pack it with antioxidants).
Edamame.
Carrots.

HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE HUMMUS LAST?

As long as you keep it in the fridge in a tightly closed container, the homemade hummus will keep for about 3-5 days. (But let’s be honest, no matter how much you make, it will be gone within a day.)

If you want to extend its “shelf life”, you can freeze it – in that case, it will last as long as 6 months.

CAN YOU MAKE HUMMUS IN A BLENDER OR WITH A STICK BLENDER?

You definitely can! It might require slightly more time (and maybe a bit more liquid to get things blending), but even with a blender or stick blender, you should get a wonderfully creamy hummus.

Hummus in all its various forms and incarnations is a delicious and healthy addition to anyone’s diet. This homemade hummus recipe can be easily tweaked and adapted to better suit your dietary requirements AND your taste buds.

Because when it comes to hummus, you can be as creative or as traditional as you want. You can make a rainbow hummus, a vibrantly purple beet hummus – or even go in the completely different direction and make a sweet dessert hummus.

The possibilities are endless.
Get creative.
Now pass me a spoon.

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