I’m a little shocked this is the first hummus recipe I’m sharing on the site. I love hummus, and luckily, so does everyone in this house, so when I make it, it turns into a full meal. This is a pretty classic version, with lots of tahini and seasoned with lemon, garlic, and cumin.
This recipe is based on the ever-so-popular (and for good reason!) Hummus Tehina from Michael Solomonov’s book Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking. My version is a bit more simplified, just enough to make it easier for me to whip it up at home, and I usually make about half the amount of tahini sauce the original recipe calls for.
The result is an incredibly light and creamy hummus, thanks to chickpeas that are cooked until they’re super soft. I love serving it warm, drizzled with olive oil and finished with sumac and ground cumin, or even topped with spiced ground beef and a tender herb salad with olives. So, so good. Making hummus like this at home is truly a game changer.
I’m a little shocked this is the first hummus recipe I’m sharing on the site. I love hummus, and luckily, so does everyone in this house, so when I make it, it turns into a full meal.
The Best Hummus with Tahini, Lemon, and Garlic
This recipe makes super creamy, light, almost fluffy hummus that is packed with flavors. It’s nutty and toasty from the generous amount of tahini used and all balanced out with lemon, garlic and savory, earthy cumin. It’s great as a dip, or spread, but I like it best served while still warm with lots of fresh pita or pita chips and make a full meal out of it. It is very good!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The Chickpeas
- 1 cup dried chickpeas (210g) – Dried chickpeas are ideal for this recipe since we’re going to cook them almost to the point of falling apart. It’s what gives the final hummus that super creamy consistency. But you can totally use canned chickpeas if you need to. You’ll still need to cook them a bit before making the hummus. Instructions for that are below in the recipe instructions.
- 1/4 tsp baking soda – Using baking soda helps to make a creamier, more tender cooked chickpea. But you only need a small amount here, and just for soaking the beans. If you were to add it to the water when you cooked the chickpeas you would only need a small pinch, around 1/8 tsp.
- Water – For soaking and cooking the chickpeas
The Tahini Base
- 3 cloves garlic – Lots of raw garlic adds so much flavor to this hummus. The garlic gets blended with the lemon juice, salt and cumin and then sits for 10 minutes before we add the tahini. This helps mellow out the taste of the fresh garlic, and gets rid of that sharp, harsh taste.
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 1.5 lemons) – Fresh lemon juice adds some much needed acidity to the hummus.
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup tahini – There is a lot of tahini in this recipe, so make sure you get one you like. Make sure to stir it up if it has separated before making your tahini sauce.
- 1/2 tsp cumin – Ground cumin is ideal. I used whole cumin seeds, it was what I had, but use what you like. We only need a small bit of cumin to season this hummus. It gives it a great savory, earthy taste. So good!
How to Make Hummus
Cook the Chickpeas
- Soak the Chickpeas (Overnight Method)
Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl, cover with plenty of water, and add the baking soda. Let them soak overnight. The chickpeas will expand, a lot, so make sure they’re covered by at least 2 inches of water. - Cook the Chickpeas
Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas, then transfer them to a large pot and cover with more fresh water.
- Stovetop: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chickpeas are very soft and almost falling apart, about 2.5 hours (start checking at the 2-hour mark).
- Pressure Cooker: My favorite method. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes with a natural release.
- Using Canned Chickpeas? Drain and rinse well. Cover with fresh water and simmer on the stovetop for 20–30 minutes until very, very soft.
Make the Tahini Sauce
- In a food processor, blend the garlic, lemon juice, salt, and cumin. Let sit for 10 minutes to mellow out that harsh raw garlic flavor.
- Add the tahini and blend. The mixture will thicken and seize up at first. Slowly add ice cubes (one at a time) and water as needed, blending until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The ice will also help keep the tahini cool while blending.
Blend the Hummus
- Add the cooked, drained chickpeas to the tahini sauce in the food processor. Blend for about 5 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Check the consistency, adding water, or the chickpea cooking liquid (aquafaba) as needed for a smooth, creamy texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed.
How to Serve Hummus
Classic: Add a generous amount of warm hummus to a shallow bowl, top with lots of olive oil, a sprinkle of sumac, ground cumin and serve with warm pita.
Switch up the Toppings: Add pine nuts, lots of za’atar, and crispy roasted chickpeas.
As a Spiced Beef Hummus Bowl: One of my favorites! Add some spiced ground beef over your bowl of warm hummus, lots of tender herbs, olives and pickled onions. So good!
Dips & Spreads: Use this hummus as a sandwich spread or alongside falafel and grilled vegetables.
Storage Tips
If you have any leftover hummus you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze, place in a sealed container and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and stir well before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my hummus grainy?
Make sure your chickpeas are very soft and blend it for long enough. You will need to blend for close to 5 minutes to get that velvety consistency.
You want the chickpeas to almost be falling apart, that’s when you know you’ve cooked them enough. You should be able to gently smash a chickpea between your fingers, and it should be totally soft and smooth. If not, cook for another 10 minutes and check again.
Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?
Yes. Make sure you have a high powered blender and you may need to add in a little extra liquid to make sure the hummus blends.
Some Other Recipes to Try:
Pita Chips – Crispy homemade pita chips! Just a few ingredients and quickly baked for the perfect pita chip.
Spiced Beef Hummus Bowls – My favorite way to serve this creamy tahini hummus. A big bowl of warm hummus topped with spiced ground beef, a tender herb salad, quick pickled onions and olives. Yum!
The Best Homemade Tzatziki – Creamy greek yogurt, fresh cucumber, garlic, and dill come together for a versatile dip or sauce. Perfect with grilled meats, veggies, or pita!
Crispy Chickpeas – Make perfectly crispy roasted chickpeas in the oven with this easy recipe. A sweet, spicy and crunchy snack flavored with brown sugar, cumin, cayenne and thyme.
White Bean Dip – A creamy white bean dip with garlic, lemon, olive oil and fresh rosemary. Ready in just 5 minutes!
Yogurt Flatbread – A recipe for quick yogurt flatbreads enriched with olive oil and requires no-yeast.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you try this hummus recipe? Leave a comment and star rating below with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see it!
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Creamy Tahini Hummus with Lemon and Garlic Recipe
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
The Chickpeas
- 1 C dried chickpeas ~210g
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- water for soaking and cooking the chickpeas
The Tahini Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 C lemon juice about 1.5 lemons
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 C tahini
- 1/2 tsp cumin
To Serve
- fresh pita or pita chips
- olive oil
- sumac
- olives
- fresh herbs parsley, cilantro, dill
Instructions
Cook the Chickpeas
- Soak: Add dried chickpeas to a large bowl, cover with plenty of water, and add the baking soda. Let soak overnight. The chickpeas will expand, so ensure there is at least 1–2 inches of water above them.
- Cook: Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas, then transfer them to a large pot and cover with fresh water.
- Stovetop: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chickpeas are very soft and almost falling apart, about 2.5 hours (start checking around the 2-hour mark).
- Pressure Cooker: My preferred method. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes with a natural release.
- Using Canned Chickpeas? Drain and rinse well. Cover with fresh water and simmer on the stovetop for 20–30 minutes until very, very soft.
Make the Tahini Base
- In a food processor, blend the garlic, lemon juice, salt, and cumin. Let sit for 10 minutes to mellow out the raw garlic flavor.
- Add the tahini and blend. The mixture will thicken and seize up at first.
- Slowly add ice cubes (one at a time) and water as needed, blending until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The ice will also help keep the tahini cool while blending.
Make the Hummus
- Add the cooked, drained chickpeas to the tahini sauce in the food processor. Blend for about 5 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides.
- Check the consistency, adding water or the chickpea cooking liquid as needed for a smooth, creamy texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed.
- Serve while still warm. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sumac. Serve with fresh pita, pita chips, veggies, fresh herbs and olives.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see how you made it your own!
