Everyone needs a great hummus recipe! Creamy, earthy, utterly addictive.
Made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon, olive oil and garlic, it’s a great standby pantry dip for unexpected guests or midnight munchies! Creamy and smooth, it’s completely incomparable to the thick, sour store bought hummus.
Hummus recipe
Whenever I’m planning gatherings, I like to keep the stress levels down by using a combination of some store bought things and some homemade things for pre dinner nibble platters. I buy cured meats, olives and crackers (though these homemade gourmet crackers are in high demand in my circles).
But I always put hummus on the “make” side of the list.
Though there really are some great dips at supermarkets nowadays, hummus is not and never will be one of them. It’s too sour, it’s too thick, it lacks the signature creaminess of real hummus.
The first time you try homemade hummus will be a game changer. I absolutely swear to you.
And it’s so darn EASY.
I want to tell you that I always make hummus with dried chickpeas that I’ve soaked overnight and cooked until tender but that would be bollocks. The truth is, hummus is the sort of thing I want to make right now and that means grabbing a can of chickpeas. At best, I’ll pressure cook the chickpeas – which means waiting one whole hour. But it’s better than waiting until tomorrow. 😉
There’s only one thing that you may not have in your pantry right now but it’s available at all major supermarkets nowadays here in Australia – tahini.
Tahini is just sesame paste, and if you don’t use it, then it’s not hummus. I’m not saying it won’t be tasty, but it just won’t be hummus. 🙂 It lasts for ages in the pantry, and it’s a great standby for all those Friday evenings when the clock ticks over to 5 pm (4 pm?) and you’re ready to put your feet up with some nibbles and a glass of wine…. (I literally just described what I’ll be doing in 2 hours).
How to serve Hummus
As for how and what to serve with hummus? Well, how about like THIS…. I mean, truly. If there was ever a way to get excited about eating loads and loads of veggies, this would be it!!! Thank you Bon Appetit, for the beautiful inspiration. 🙂
But of course, there’s always the option to stick with the classic – serving with flatbreads, or crispy baked store bought pita bread. I like to cut them up, spray with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake until crispy.
If you want to get a bit fancy, try sprinkling with a bit of dukkah too (it’s a spice mix with seeds that’s sold at supermarkets nowadays).
I make the consistency of my hummus the way it is served in the Middle East which is much looser than the dip you buy in stores. The consistency is more like a very thick ketchup. But it is much thinner than the store bought version.
In the Middle East, it is served spread out on a plate, then you use the back of a spoon to make swirls in it, drizzle over olive oil (which pools in the swirls). Then sprinkle over some reserved chickpeas and a pinch of paprika. One day, try this traditional Hummus with Spiced Lamb – it’s incredible!
My biggest tip is to serve it at room temperature! It makes such a difference, the flavour is better and it’s creamier.
We made it to the end of the week. It’s Friday. Go on. You deserve some end-of-week nibbles and wine!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Hummus
Ingredients
- 400 g / 14 oz canned chickpeas (1 can), drained (reserve liquid and a few chickpeas for garnish) (Dried Chickpeas - Note 1)
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml liquid from the canned chickpeas
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml tahini (sesame paste), mixed well before using (Note 2)
- 1/3 cup / 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Garnish
- Pinch of paprika, more olive oil and reserved chickpeas
Instructions
- Reserve 10 or so chickpeas for garnish.
- Place remaining chickpeas, garlic, lemon, tahini and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blitz until it becomes a paste.
- Add salt and pepper - if using canned chickpeas, add salt gradually because the saltiness varies from brand to brand. Add reserved liquid from can. Blitz for a couple of minutes until pretty smooth - it won't be 100% smooth.
- Adjust lemon and salt to taste, adjust thickness with more liquid. It should be a soft dropping consistency, like ketchup.
- Serve the traditional way: dollop a big scoop of hummus on a plate or shallow bowl. Use a spoon to spread it and make swirls on the surface. Top with reserved chickpeas, drizzle generously with more olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.
Optional- easy ways to make extra smooth hummus (Note 4)
- Method 1: Drain chickpease, place in large bowl and fill with water. Grab handfuls and rub between your hands in the water - skins will rub off and float to surface. Skim off, drain and use per recipe.
- Method 2: Tip contents of can INCLUDING liquid into heatproof bowl. Cover loosely with lid or clingwrap, microwave on high for 3 minutes. Drain then use per recipe (hot chickpeas blitz smoother)
Recipe Notes:
* Originally published May 2014. Updated with recipe video and tidying up the steps plus extra tip for how to make smoother hummus plus using dried chickpeas.Nutrition Information:
More dip recipes
- Guacamole (done right!) or Avocado Hummus Dip
- French Onion Dip (from scratch) OR Retro Soup Mix 2 Minute French Onion Dip
- Hot Corn Dip – you’ll love the flavour in this creamy, bubbly dip!
- Cheese and Bacon Dip
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Mexican Queso Dip
- Smoked Salmon Dip (flavour you can’t buy in tubs!)
- See all Dip Recipes
Life of Dozer
He came to the hairdresser with me the other day when I went to get my usual upkeep done (I live in a very dog friendly neighbourhood!). And he somehow managed to get a splotch of my black hair dye on his face.
That’s PERMANENT hair colouring….
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Delicious
I don’t have tahini , I substitute with peanut butter and flavor is amazing ! With baked whole wheat pita bread yummy
Yum, sounds fabulous Elaine! N x
Hi Nagi! How long will the hummus keep in the fridge? (If no one touches it 😆)
Hi B, I keep mine up to 4 days 🙂 N x
Wow this is so creamy and delicious. Very easy to make, will never use store bought again. I used a bit less tahini as I have learnt from past experience making hommus it can make it bitter. Serving this with baked pita chips and veggie sticks tomorrow to friends before dinner.
I couldn’t be happy to read your explanation about how to serve a home made hummus – spread it on a plate and drizzle with olive oil and paprika, I am an Israeli and we treat our hummus with utmost respect 🙂 I will add that we sometimes serve it with hard boiled egg (quartered and sprinkled with coarse salt and pepper) and Zhug (a lovely very spicy paste, made from hot peppers, fresh coriander and tons of garlic. Of course a fluffy freshly baked pitta is a must xx
How do I fix the bitter taste?
Hi Liz – it shouldn’t be bitter! What type of tahini are you using? N x
Hi Nagi,
I use the organic tahini from Woolies. Read from some sites that tahini might cause the bitter flavour and to just add only a little. Tried just a teaspoon and that seems to have worked. My hummus was perfect!
So good! We took the extra step to remove the skin and I think it made a big difference!
That’s great Amy!