Try this Easy Hummus Recipe for an Inexpensive, High Protein Snack

This easy hummus recipe is fabulous served with a bit of feta cheese and kalamata olives or on a vegetable platter. It’s a great high-protein appetizer or light lunch. 

For something a little bit different, try this fava bean hummus. It’s beautiful AND tasty!

This recipe was originally published in August 2011; it has been updated.

creamy hummus on a platter with pita chips, carrots, and green olives.

It kind of blows my mind that so many people buy hummus out of the refrigerator case. But then it occurred to me that maybe it’s because that store-bought hummus is the only hummus they’ve ever had. Maybe they don’t know how easy it is to make!

Case in point:

Recently, my son came home with a friend of his. They were hungry, so he decided to make a batch of this easy hummus. His friend was in awe. “You can make your own hummus?” She had no idea this was a possibility. All she’d ever known was the plastic tubs of hummus from the grocery store.

She didn’t realize hummus was made from garbanzo beans.

And of course, once it was made, her comment was not surprising: “I can’t believe it’s that easy!” 

Not to mention, friends, how much less expensive it is to make your own hummus! Protein-packed homemade hummus is a college student’s dream. [More on cooking with inexpensive dry beans here.]

The Handcrafted Pantry

Ready to DIY your pantry with more wholesome ingredients? Check out my ebook, The Handcrafted Pantry! Filled with delicious recipes for some of your favorite condiments, snacks, and toppings, it’s the guide you need to start skipping packaged products and embrace homemade.

easy hummus recipe on a platter, chip and hummus in foreground

Classic Hummus Recipe

The first time I had hummus it was homemade by a woman who was hosting a toddler playgroup at her home and she graciously shared her easy hummus recipe. Eons ago.

I’ve been using that easy hummus recipe ever since.

I daresay, that was before hummus was even sold in most stores, so at the time, if I wanted to have it again making it was my only option. (And that toddler I was attending with? Official adult!)

This recipe calls for simple ingredients that you can easily keep in your pantry. It’s an oil-free hummus recipe, though some people like to drizzle the finished hummus with a little bit of olive oil. (Totally optional.) 

Ingredients:

Garbanzo beans: Traditional hummus is made with a base of finely processed garbanzo beans, aka chickpeas. It’s the standard ingredient for making hummus, but a person could also experiment with using white beans or black beans for a different flavor.

Tahini: A paste made of ground sesame seeds, tahini can be expensive to buy. (Though a jar does go a long way.) It’s also a hummus ingredient that many households won’t have on hand. Once you get in the habit of making this hummus, you’ll make sure it’s in your pantry! I know a woman who dislikes the flavor of tahini and uses ricotta cheese instead. Another option? Peanut butter.

Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice if you have lemons. If not, bottled is fine. The amount on this is variable, depending on just how tangy you like your hummus spread. If you need more liquid for the recipe but don’t want to use the full amount of lemon, add some reserved water from the beans.

Garlic cloves: Definitely use fresh raw garlic for this — garlic powder just won’t cut it. I’m a fan of a very garlicky hummus recipe and often add a few extra cloves for extra kick.

Cumin: This seasoning gives this easy hummus recipe a little earthy depth.

Sea salt: Let your tastebuds determine how much salt the hummus needs. If the beans are salty, you might need less.

garbanzo beans and garlic in the bowl of a food process to make easy homemade hummus.

Making Hummus

This is a recipe that will require a food processor for the best results. Can you use a blender? Sure, but you’ll need to add a little more liquid and make a thinner batch in order for this option to work. 

If you have neither, you could do like my son did when he was away at college and use the back of a heavy-duty wooden spoon to smash it all. It will not be a creamy hummus this way, though! 

Let’s go ahead and assume you’re making this with a food processor.

Start by placing the garbanzo beans in the bowl of the food processor. Turn the machine on and process until the beans are quite well smashed and smooth.

Some people swear by rubbing the chickpea skins off before processing to make a smoother hummus. I don’t, but if you’d like to, place drained garbanzo beans on a dry kitchen towel and rub to loosen the skins.

easy homemade hummus in a food processor, ready to eat.

Scrape down the sides of the food processor and add the rest of the ingredients and process further, blending until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency. 

Whether you like a thick hummus or a thinner consistency is personal preference. Add more liquid — cooking liquid, water, or lemon juice if you like it tangy — to thin as desired.

Serving

  • I love this creamy hummus recipe served with flatbread and a bit of feta cheese, kalamata olives, and sliced tomatoes. 
  • Traditionally, hummus is served with pita bread. Pita chips are another option for serving with hummus and makes for an easy appetizer.
  • Serve it with vegetables like celery sticks, red bell pepper, and other fresh veggies for a wholesome snack.
  • Use it as a sandwich spread for extra flavor or top veggie burgers with it.
  • Add a scoop to grain bowls or make these hummus bowls.
  • Do like my son does and spread some on a plate, top it with fried eggs, and add some sauerkraut.

If you love high-protein hummus as much as we do, be sure to try this spicy hummus recipe and this roasted red pepper hummus

Storage

Keep leftover hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you like to meal prep for lunches on the go, portion the hummus into smaller containers that you can easily grab to add to lunch boxes.

easy hummus recipe on a pita chip

★ Did you make this easy hummus recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! ★

creamy hummus on a platter with pita chips, carrots, and green olives.

Easy Hummus Recipe

Yield: 4 cups
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Processor Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

This easy hummus recipe is fabulous served with a bit of feta cheese and kalamata olives. It's a great appetizer or light lunch.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked garbanzo beans (canned or prepared dry beans, see below)
  • 3 tablespoons tahini
  • 1/2-2/3 cup of lemon juice
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • sea salt

Instructions

  1. Drain beans, reserving some liquid. 
  2. Measure all ingredients except salt into the bowl of a food processor.
  3. Process until smooth, adding a little more lemon juice, some of the reserved liquid, or water if necessary. (My husband thinks it’s too lemony if I use the full amount of lemon juice; I like it that way – this totally depends on your preference.) Add salt to taste. Store in fridge.

To use dry garbanzo beans in this easy hummus recipe:

  1. Soak one pound of beans overnight, making sure they’re covered by about 4″ of water. Drain and rinse beans. Put beans in a stock pot, again covering them with about 4″ of water. Gently boil for about an hour or until beans are soft. Drain, retaining about 1/2 cup of the cooking water to use for thinning the hummus as necessary. Use four cups of cooked beans in recipe and freeze the rest for next time.

Notes

If you don't have a food processor, you can still make this easy hummus recipe, though it will take a bit more effort to smash the garbanzo beans. You can use a pastry blender, a potato masher, or the back of a wooden spoon.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 177Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 90mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 7gSugar: 5gProtein: 9g

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About the author: Kris Bordessa is an award-winning National Geographic author and a certified Master Food Preserver. Read more about Kris and how she got started with this site here. If you want to send Kris a quick message, you can get in touch here.

58 comments… add one
  • Bunny Jun 15, 2023 @ 10:29

    Oh my, so many wonderful ideas to try out! Breakfast lately has been 1 piece of toasted sprouted grain bread, spicy hummus, sliced fresh picked Glacier tomato with a large serving of my home grown mixed micro greens. So very satisfying!!!

    • AttainableSustainable Jun 22, 2023 @ 6:45

      Yum!

  • Leila Apr 23, 2020 @ 16:00

    Good basic recipe but where’s the parsley? PARSLEY! Add at least a handful.

    • Kris Bordessa Apr 28, 2020 @ 7:06

      I happen to have some fresh parsley growing — will try next time!

  • Tahmina Sep 9, 2019 @ 0:27

    Cuisine – Indian? Really? C’mon girl! Hummus came from the Middle East smh

    • Kris Bordessa Sep 13, 2019 @ 5:19

      The “form” I use for inputting recipes has a collection of pre-sets. It does not include Middle Eastern cuisine as an option; Indian was the closest I could get!

  • Michelle Mar 24, 2018 @ 22:12

    This makes a great snack. It was easy to make as well.

  • Jean Oct 14, 2015 @ 13:25

    We put oregano in ours, too.

  • Erica Sep 20, 2014 @ 7:25

    Thank you so much for this great recipe – so easy and quick to make. I have played around with adding artichoke hearts and pesto to this and have found it to be not too strong. Besides roasted red pepper – which I have also added – I am wondering what other flavor combinations have been made with this?

    • Kris Bordessa Sep 20, 2014 @ 7:38

      If you like things spicy, try adding a chipotle pepper! We really like that.

      • rainbowjah Jul 17, 2015 @ 15:53

        I have made hummus with sun dried tomatoes and roastedgarlic to give it an itlaian flare and even made a curried hummus. In truth the beauty of hummus is its versatility. You can substitute the beans for others and pretty much enjoy playing with your recipes. I start with a base recipe very similar to this one and then just change, add or omit ingredients based on what flavor profiles I am going for.

        • Kris Bordessa Jul 18, 2015 @ 8:58

          Yes! It’s excellent with chipotle peppers, too!

  • chris May 31, 2014 @ 6:52

    Looks great, wondering how long will this last when refrigerated? Can it be frozen? Thanks much!!

    • Kris Bordessa May 31, 2014 @ 8:21

      The texture might change a bit with freezing, but it can be done. It lasts about 4-5 days in the fridge.

      • chris Jun 1, 2014 @ 1:56

        Thanks! Maybe I’ll try making 1/2 the recipe and freeze more of the cooked beans for next time 🙂

  • Erin @ Blue Yurt Farms Apr 14, 2014 @ 11:16

    Definitely making some of this soon. I got out of the habit several years ago, and haven’t gotten back in. But homemade hummus is such a great snack item to have handy!

  • 'becca Apr 8, 2014 @ 3:59

    Does anyone have any suggestions for wannabe vegetarians with colitis?  I have ‘micro’ colitis, and raw vegetables and legumes are simply intolerable for me, much as I used to eat them before the development of this condition.  Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

    • Zinzarin Mar 12, 2017 @ 14:26

      Hummus is made with cooked beans, so you should be good with this recipe. But if not, replace the beans with roasted eggplant; you’ll have made babaganoush instead of hummus, but it’s equally amazing!

    • SUZANNE QUALLS Jan 21, 2021 @ 13:45

      Does this happen just with raw veggies, or also with cooked veggies?
      If it’s just raw veggies that you would normally use to eat hummus, stop the veggies and change to tortilla chipe.

  • sarah Jan 24, 2014 @ 3:28

    And if you don’t have a food processor can it be done with a masher or stick blender?

    • Kris Bordessa Jan 24, 2014 @ 7:12

      It’s probably too thick for a stick blender, but my son made this while he was away at college by just mashing the beans.

      • chris Jun 1, 2014 @ 4:22

        I just made a batch and used my immersion blender, which I think is the same as a stick blender, right? It worked just fine but I only made half a batch (2 cups) .

  • Niki Jan 24, 2014 @ 1:42

    For those wondering about Tahini – you can make that yourself too! It’s really just sesame sees pureed with a little olive oil.
    Also if you’re adding peppers try drying them out on a paper towel for a day or so before adding them, or roasting them in a little olive oil. This will prevent you from adding too much water to your houmous.

  • Lesley Earl Dec 14, 2013 @ 16:14

    I also add a sweet potato, and Jalapeno ,and a couple of tablespoons of dark sesame oil…yummmmmm

    • SUZANNE QUALLS Jan 21, 2021 @ 13:43

      Oh my goodness, a sweet potato sounds heavenly for hummus. I will try that when I make my next batch.

  • Sheryl Mar 21, 2012 @ 4:53

    I love hummus and am going to try your recipe, which is super- easy and sounds delicious. Thanks!

  • Sheryl Mar 21, 2012 @ 4:53
  • April Nov 15, 2011 @ 8:38

    And I second the pressure cooker. If you soak your beans overnight first you only have to pressure cook them 4 minutes! That is sustainable :).

  • April Nov 15, 2011 @ 8:35

    I made my own hummus once and the tahini to go in it but I think my sesame seeds were rancid. I prefer light on the lemon and a little more garlic. I’ll buy fresh tahini and try again.

    • Kris Bordessa Nov 17, 2011 @ 11:02

      I like mine really garlicky. There’s a restaurant here that makes the best hummus (mines close, but not quite there). I’ve been threatening to go get a job there just so I can figure out their recipe. 😉

      • Flavia W Oct 8, 2015 @ 23:13

        Try an extra pinch of salt and a dash of extra sesame oil to jazz it up. Also, since you like it lemony, add just a pinch of sugar – it makes the acid sing better.

        • Kris Oct 9, 2015 @ 7:40

          Okay! (I’ve used sesame oil for flavor when I didn’t have tahini on hand, but not in addition.)

      • Bee Mar 14, 2023 @ 20:18

        Maybe they used ice cubes. They say it makes it extra smooth.

  • Kerry Dexter Nov 14, 2011 @ 12:28

    been several months since I’ve made hummus — far too long! thanks for the reminder. it’ll be fun to make some over the holidays.

  • Alexandra Nov 12, 2011 @ 15:28

    I have never put cumin in hummus so will have to try. The best hummus I ever made was in Sweden. I bought a bag of garbanzo beans at an organic farm. Cooked them up. They tasted so incredibly sweet. Wish all hummus tasted that way.

    • Mesha Sep 20, 2014 @ 20:30

      Alexandra, what recipe did you use that time?

  • Jane Boursaw Nov 11, 2011 @ 13:39

    I do love hummus, and wow, so so easy. Thanks for the recipe.

  • roimata Nov 10, 2011 @ 15:40

    I hardly ever have tahini, so I put sesame oil in mine instead. I think I prefer it that way. I also like to blitz some preserved lemon rind, olive oil and smoked paprika to drizzle over then sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds. Yummo!

    • Kris Bordessa Nov 17, 2011 @ 11:00

      I know someone who substitutes ricotta cheese for the tahini because she doesn’t like the sesame taste. It’s really a pretty forgiving recipe!

      • Shea Jun 6, 2015 @ 14:00

        I’m not a big thing fan, so never have it on hand. I just omit it and don’t miss it a bit! I add an extra drizzle of olive oil for texture, if needed (though, who am I kidding? I never measure anyway, haha).

        • Kris Bordessa Jun 15, 2015 @ 7:06

          I’ve heard of people replacing the tahini with ricotta cheese, too.

          • eilene Nov 7, 2023 @ 6:19

            I usually use Almond butter in place of Tahini because it is cheaper. I also use one can of garbanzo beans and then use another can of what ever bean strikes my fancy that day. I have used white chili beans, northern beans, black beans, or whatever is in the cupboard. Have not have a bad batch with any of it.

          • AttainableSustainable Nov 9, 2023 @ 8:23

            Good idea!

    • Lyvonne Jan 23, 2014 @ 14:04

      yes or use peanut butter and add some roasted pumpkin to the mix

  • Liz Nov 10, 2011 @ 11:23

    I was confused about the garbanzo beans, but google has confirmed that they are also called chick peas, that’s what I thought was in hummus! So the translation for those of English/French decent – garbanzo = chick peas! I like learning all these new words from you 🙂 Anyway, thanks for the recipe, it seems to simple, I just need to get some tahini now…..

    • Kris Bordessa Nov 17, 2011 @ 11:00

      That’s funny! I think we don’t realize that there are so many regional terms for things until we start meeting people from across the globe.

  • AnneGrnGardens Nov 10, 2011 @ 10:26

    I love your blog!! I wondered why mine turned out lemony. Can’t wait to try out the recipe. In summer I’m going to add eggplant to it.

    • Kris Bordessa Nov 17, 2011 @ 10:59

      Oh, eggplant would be good, too!

    • Sy Berry Dec 21, 2019 @ 4:57

      Whenever it tastes too lemony, add more olive oil it tends to tone down the lemony flavor.
      And gives it a smoother consistancy.

  • Diana thompson Nov 10, 2011 @ 6:56

    I recently bought a pressure cooker and make all kinds of hummous with garbanzo, fava and canelli beans. Delicious!

    • Kris Bordessa Nov 17, 2011 @ 10:58

      I usually use a pressure cooker, but in this case I was teaching my college-bound son how to make it with basic kitchen utensils. Plus, I know not everyone has a pressure cooker!

    • pcanderson Jan 24, 2014 @ 4:08

      Thanks — I was wondering if I could us other beans.  Not a fan of Garbanzo

      • Kris Bordessa Jan 24, 2014 @ 7:12

        Yes! Try white beans. Although, don’t completely give up on the idea of garbanzos. I can’t stomach them myself, but I DO like them in hummus!

        • Chery Jan 24, 2014 @ 12:19

          try cilantro in it also!

          • SUZANNE QUALLS Jan 21, 2021 @ 13:37

            Hi there, this is slightly off the subject, but the mention of cilantro brought this memory back to me. I grew up in Ohio and we had never heard of “Mexican food or cilantro”. When I visited my sister in N. Mexico I got my first taste and loved it. However, at that time restaurants did not automatically add cilantro to every dish they made. But I loved “mexican food”. I got my first taste of cilantro in California when we moved there. I don’t remember which dish I ordered, but the first time I took a bite of food that contained it, my gag reflex took over and I nearly upchucked. So now when we go out to a Mexican restaurant I ask if there is cilatro in the item I want to order. The same gag reflex takes over anytime cilantro touches my tongue. I’ve never experienced this with any other food item and I will eat just about anything.

        • Sy Berry Dec 21, 2019 @ 4:55

          An alternative would be veggies, as you know that Babba Ghanoug, is made with baked egg plant, so you could use squash or roots veggies, such as carrots to make a hummus paste as well. Try experimenting. Go where no one has gone before.

  • Jessica Nov 10, 2011 @ 6:29

    I love to add some roasted red peppers. I use the juice from the peppers to thin it out.

    • Kris Bordessa Nov 17, 2011 @ 10:57

      Oh, I may have to try that. We’re fans of adding a little chipotle pepper to spice it up, too.

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