How to Make Deliciously Smooth Hummus at Home

You can eat hummus on crackers, sandwiches, and even in some savory dinner meals. It’s affordable and simple to make at home—we’ll show you how it’s done.

Demand for Middle Eastern Foods is on the rise, and hummus has made its way to the top. This light, delicious chickpea spread has been gaining attention for years. Have you tried it? If not, let’s change that!

What Is Hummus?

Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip made of blended ingredients, like chickpeas (aka Garbonzo Beans), Tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.

You can find it in the produce area of most supermarkets, and it comes in many different flavors. Chocolate Hummus has even become popular with folks who have a sweet tooth but want a healthier alternative.

Whether you replace your mayo or mustard with this spread or accompany your veggie platter with it, you’ll reap the health benefits from hummus.

The Health Benefits

As we mentioned earlier, hummus makes a perfect healthy snack, for the following reasons:

• It’s high in fiber: If you need more fiber in your diet, hummus is a great place to start! If you eat it every day, it can keep your bowels regular.
• It contains plant-based proteins: Protein is an essential component for healthy living, but if you want to cut down your meat intake, you’re going to need plant-based alternatives. Chickpeas, which is the main ingredient in hummus, is a wholesome way to add plant-based protein to your diet.
• It’s heart-healthy: As we all know, heart disease is a leading cause of death—especially in the U.S. Hummus contains olive oil, which is a heart-healthy fat filled with antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids.

How to Make Standard Hummus

Keep in mind, you can enhance this versatile dip with many exciting flavors! So, don’t feel like you have to follow any recipe word-for-word.

The following are the standard ingredients you’ll need to make hummus:

• Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
• A few cloves of garlic
• Tahini
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Cumin

In addition to the directions to make hummus, we’ll include some tips and tricks!

First, if you’re using dried chickpeas, you’ll need to soak them in water for about an hour, and then cook them on the stove for about an hour or until they’re tender.

If you’re using canned chickpeas, drain the water, and then rinse them under cold water until they’re clean.

If you want a super-creamy texture, you can remove the skins from the chickpeas. This does take some extra time and patience (and it isn’t necessary if you’re lacking either).

To remove the skins, place the chickpeas on half of a clean, dry towel, and then fold the other half over them.

Lightly rub your hands from front to back and side to side. You’ll notice the peels start to come off. You can remove the extra skin with your fingers.

Put the chickpeas and all the other ingredients in a food processor. Put on the cover, and then set it on high. Blend until the hummus is creamy and smooth. You can add some extra olive oil if it’s too thick.

After you finish blending your hummus, it’s time for the most important part—eating it!

If you’d like a recipe with specific measurements, check out this simple-yet-delicious one by Ina Garten from the Food Network.

Get the Recipe: Food Network

5 Ways to Eat Hummus

The following are just a few of the ways you can enjoy this versatile spread:

• As a snack: You can serve your homemade hummus with pita chips, fresh veggies, pretzels, or crackers. It’s very popular to serve at parties and get-togethers, too. Next time you serve a veggie platter, provide some hummus as a dip option.
• Layered party dip? Yes, please: Alternatively, you can provide a fancy, layered hummus dip at a party. Just add a few fresh ingredients, like tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, olives, and more. Serve it with tortilla chips, crackers, or pita chips.

Get the Recipe: The Mediterranean Dish

• As a sandwich spread: Switch out unhealthy condiments, like mayo, for this healthy substitute. It tastes delicious on cold or hot deli sandwiches and gives veggie subs a fantastic flavor boost.
• As a creamy pasta sauce:  You can find thousands of delicious hummus pasta sauce recipes online. It’s definitely the healthier choice!

Get the Recipe: Feel Good Foodie

• Spread it on chicken: If you haven’t tried a grilled chicken recipe smothered in this garbanzo bean delight, now’s the time! Spread it on top of a salt-and-peppered chicken breast, and then bake it until it’s well done. You’ll love the tremendous flavor!

Get the Recipe: Gimme Some Oven