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    Home » Dips and Appetizers

    Basic Hummus

    Lindsay Moe

    361 shares
    pinterest image for basic hummus
    pinterest image for basic hummus
    pinterest image for basic hummus
    pinterest image for basic hummus
    pinterest image for basic hummus

    A basic hummus recipe that is easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients. Learn how to make it super creamy and customize it with your favorite flavors! You’ll be eating hummus with everything!

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own.

    a bowl of hummus on a wood table with lemons and chips
    Jump to Recipe

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to make basic hummus
    • What to eat with hummus
    • Tips for customizing
    • More dip recipes
    • Recipe

    Basic hummus is anything but boring. It’s like a blank canvas waiting for you to put your spin on it.

    Hummus makes a great snack, dip, spread, or dressing for salads. It’s full of protein, tastes light and fresh, and is a great healthy alternative when it comes to snacking, tailgating, or for bringing to a potluck.

    This classic hummus recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free, making it a great choice for almost every diet!

    Ingredients

    • Garbanzo beans
    • Tahini
    • Lemon juice
    • Garlic
    • Olive oil
    • Cumin
    • Salt
    ingredients for basic hummus

    How to make basic hummus

    Remove the skins from the chickpeas. This is an optional step, but will result in the silkiest hummus possible.

    To remove the skins, place a chickpea between your thumb and finger and give a gentle squeeze. The chickpea should slide easily out of the skin, which you can then discard.

    Process all ingredients in a food processor (affiliate link to the one I own) until smooth, adding a drizzle of water or oil as needed to reach the desired consistency.

    Do I need a food processor to make hummus?

    A food processor is necessary to make super creamy hummus, however you could also use a high powered blender. You will likely need to start and stop a few times to scrape down the sides of the blender and ensure everything gets mixed in.

    Are garbanzo beans the same as chickpeas?

    Garbanzo beans and chickpeas are the same thing and can be used interchangeably. I find them in several places in the grocery store, including the canned bean section, near the Mexican ingredients, and in the natural and organic section.

    What is tahini?

    Tahini is ground sesame paste, similar to how peanut butter is ground peanuts. It has a strong flavor, but if you don’t care for it you can experiment with using less and substituting more olive oil or water or omitting it entirely to make hummus without tahini (the resulting flavor and texture will be different).

    I usually find tahini in the grocery store near the fancy jarred olives or by the peanut butter in the natural and organic section.

    What to eat with hummus

    You can dip crunchy veggies such as raw carrots, celery, or bell pepper sticks in hummus. It’s also great with pita chips and crackers.

    I like to spread hummus on sandwiches. It’s especially great on hot paninis (like my cheesy hummus and veggie panini) as a creamy alternative to cheese or mayo. You can also drizzle hummus on salads, roasted veggies, or anywhere your mind can imagine!

    Tips for customizing

    • Swap the garlic cloves for an entire head of roasted garlic removed from the papery skin to make roasted garlic hummus
    • Add one small roasted beet to make beet hummus
    • Add one roasted red pepper (drained and patted dry if using jarred) to make roasted red pepper hummus
    • Top with everything bagel seasoning
    • Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
    • Top with roasted tomatoes, artichokes, feta, and pine nuts to make loaded hummus

    More dip recipes

    • White Bean Dip
    • Avocado Chimichurri Chip Dip
    • Vegetarian Buffalo Dip
    • Pico de Gallo with Avocado
    • Taco Dip
    a pita chip dipping into a bowl of hummus

    If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

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    This post was updated in January 2020 with new photos and more helpful information about the recipe.

    Recipe

    a bowl of basic hummus with a spoon

    Basic Hummus Recipe

    Creamy, basic hummus made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. A delicious healthy snack or spread with so many uses!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 119kcal
    Author: Lindsay Moe

    Ingredients

    • 15 ounces canned garbanzo beans, (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
    • 3 tablespoons tahini
    • ⅓ cup lemon juice
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling over the top
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, or more to taste
    • crushed red pepper flakes, optional
    • cayenne pepper, optional

    Instructions

    • Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, adding a drizzle of water as needed to reach desired consistency.
    • Top with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes.
    • Serve with pita chips, celery, carrots, or crackers.

    Notes

     
    Recipe adapted from The Joy of Cooking

     

    Tips for customizing basic hummus

    • Swap the garlic cloves for an entire head of roasted garlic removed from the papery skin to make roasted garlic hummus
    • Add one small roasted beet to make beet hummus
    • Add one roasted red pepper (drained and patted dry if using jarred) to make roasted red pepper hummus
    • Top with everything bagel seasoning
    • Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
    • Top with roasted tomatoes, artichokes, feta, and pine nuts to make loaded hummus

    Nutrition

    Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

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    1. Andi says

      January 31, 2012 at 1:04 pm

      God I love hummus. I definitely need to make my own instead of spending $5 on it every weekend!

      Signing with babies is the BEST! So rewarding, so quickly 🙂

      Reply

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    lindsay moe in a kitchen with glasses on shelves behind her

    Hi, I'm Lindsay! I've been creating easily customizable vegetarian recipes since 2011. I love the outdoors, brownies, and brand new books. I live and work in La Crosse, Wisconsin and founded Wild Flour Media to expand on my love for food photography and videography to my community and beyond.

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    361 shares