·

The Best Simple Hummus Recipe: Tangy, Creamy, and Healthy

bowl of simple hummus on plate with veggies and chips

This simple hummus recipe is extra lemon-y, creamy, loaded with fiber, a little bit salty, and simple on the flavor profile in the best way possible!

I love hummus. It is the quintessential goes-with-almost-everything condiment. You can slather it on sandwiches, use it to dip veggies and crackers, dollop it on salads, and even eat it plain when you’re in a pinch and hungry!

And my children LOVE hummus, too! They are a little bit snobbish in that they have definite hummus preferences: smooth, not grainy. Simple flavor, not anything spicy or unexpected. And ideally a LOT of it.

And since I’m all about trying to batch cook and strategize how to reduce my time in the kitchen, I’ve developed this simple hummus recipe to have plenty of hummus on hand for lunches and snacks on the go.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

girls sitting and eating hummus

Why Homemade Simple Hummus Tastes Better Than Store-Bought

My experiences with what homemade hummus tastes like have been rather varied. I remember a couple of homemade hummus I’ve tried that haven’t been all that good – lumpy, flavorless, or otherwise disappointing.

But homemade hummus CAN (and dare I say, SHOULD) be better than store bought hummus!

There are three reasons why I think you should try making your own homemade hummus if you’ve only ever bought store bought hummus. Because homemade hummus – made the right way – is way, WAY better than store bought options!

Freshness:

First, homemade hummus can be made and enjoyed while it is still really fresh. And fresh ingredients, the vast majority of the time, are just tastier than something that’s been produced in a factory!

It gets made, then shipped to a store, sits in the refrigerator section waiting for you to pick it up, and then sits in your fridge at home for a few days before you get around to eating it.

This homemade, simple hummus recipe tastes fresh and delicious!

Customized Taste Preferences:

Second, homemade hummus can be customized to your taste preference.

Not a fan of garlic? Just pass on it. Don’t want it too salty? Start with no salt and then just add a little bit at a time until you get it to the right salty level.

Texture Control:

And third, homemade hummus allows you to have maximum control over the texture.

If you prefer hummus with more lumpiness and texture, you can use a fork or a potato masher to smash your chickpeas. If you want it extra creamy and smooth, you can add a few extra tablespoons of olive oil and blend until it gets to the right consistency.

simple hummus ingredients on a table

Essential Ingredients for the Best Simple Hummus Recipe

This simple hummus recipe doesn’t require a lot of ingredients, but there are some essentials that you need to make it:

  • Chickpeas (also known as Garbanzo Beans). These need to be well cooked. In my recipe, I recommend cooking dried chickpeas in a crock pot on low for 12+ hours to get the best texture
  • Lemon juice. I prefer fresh squeezed lemon juice or frozen fresh squeeze lemon juice for the best flavor. But if lemons are hard to come by, you can use store bought lemon juice.
  • Olive Oil. I use virgin olive oil, but extra virgin olive oil would work well, or if you want a less olive-y taste, you could opt for “light” olive oil.
  • Salt. You’ll need a little bit of salt to give your simple hummus the best flavor.
  • Tahini or Sesame Seeds. I prefer hulled tahini, but I’ve made it with unhulled tahini as well. Hulled is a slightly milder flavor. I’ve also used sesame seeds in place of tahini. My simple hummus recipe includes both, for a stronger sesame kick, but you can actually leave either out, as long as you include one of them.
  • Raw Cashews. This is where my recipe varies a bit from classic hummus. I love to include raw cashews for their creaminess, a bit of extra protein, and healthy fats.
  • Water. In order to get the right texture, I like to include water in my simple hummus. Blended with the cashews, it helps make a creamy texture.
  • Garlic. I prefer a mild garlic flavor in hummus, so I don’t use a lot of it. And sometimes I omit the garlic all together if I want the tahini and lemon to really shine.
simple tangy hummus recipe pinterest pin

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Creamy Simple Hummus

The first and second steps are really preparation steps. Once they’re done, this recipe comes together fast:

Step 1: Since I start with dried chickpeas, the first step is to COOK the dried chickpeas.

I use my slow cooker, and I cook the chickpeas overnight. I toss in the chickpeas (2/3 cup), cover with a lot of water, and cook on low at least 12 hours. Sometimes as long as 16 hours.

Step 2: Once they’re cooked and soft, I drain them into a colander and run some cool water over them. If I’m doing the cooking in advance, I put them in a container and store them for when I want to use them.

Step 3: Next, I juice the lemons. And I stir the tahini.

Step 4: Then I add all the ingredients to a blender: the chickpeas, the tahini, the lemon juice, the oil, the raw cashews, the salt, garlic, and water.

Step 5: And then I blend it! You’ll probably need to scrape down the sides of the blender, but typically it comes together pretty easily.

bowl of hummus with lemons and chickpeas

Tips and Tricks for the Smoothest, Most Flavorful Hummus

This recipe includes steps to help make this simple hummus the smoothest, most flavorful hummus you’ll eat! Specifically, to make really great hummus, you need:

#1: Well-cooked chickpeas. It has been a long time since I’ve made hummus with canned chickpeas because I find it cheaper to buy dried chickpeas and cook them myself. (The 2 cups of chickpeas I use in this recipe cost about $0.94 New Zealand Dollars, roughly $0.53 USD at the moment).

Canned chickpeas, from my memory, aren’t cooked as soft as what I make in my crock pot with my overnight cooking method.

If you’re struggling to get your hummus’s consistency right, make sure your chickpeas are cooked soft.

#2: Raw cashews. Blending raw cashews into the hummus seems to help make the hummus texture more creamy and smooth. It also helps stabilize the hummus to maintain its creamy texture over the time the hummus is in the fridge.

#3: Adequate lemon juice. Having enough lemon juice does two things: first, it helps provide liquid for the recipe to blend easily. And second, it provides the delicious tanginess of hummus. My recipe is generous on the lemon juice because it adds so much flavor!

#4: Right balance of water and oil. Too much water and the hummus feels kind of sloppy. Too much oil and the hummus feels heavy. This simple hummus recipe seems to get the balance just right.

hummus with cucumber

Customize Your Simple Hummus: Flavor Variations to Try

I have to admit, I will almost always go for a simple hummus without any extra flavorings over fancy flavors. Which isn’t to say I don’t like the flavors, I just LOVE a really good, simple hummus!

But if you want to jazz it up a bit, you can also try adding some flavor add-ons to your hummus:

  • roasted garlic – if you happen to have some extra garlic heads sitting around, roast those babies up and play around with adding a few cloves to your simple hummus.
  • dill – fresh or dried, we are dill fans around here. Try adding a teaspoon of dried dill (or a Tablesppon of fresh dill) to your hummus and enjoy the little herb pop
  • sriracha – my husband enjoys sriracha on many things. If you also have a frequent consumer of sriracha at your house, try adding a teaspoon of sriracha to your hummus. Add more to taste.
  • roasted red pepper – a common and popular addition to hummus, if you’ve got extra red peppers starting to look a little limp in the bottom of your crisper drawer, roast them and add one to the hummus recipe.
two girls eating veggies dipped in simple hummus

How to Serve Hummus: Creative Ideas for Dips, Sandwiches, and More

When I started making this list of ways to use hummus, I realized just how versatile it is and how much we use it! I’ll break it down into three categories, but don’t be limited by these ideas! I’m sure you can use hummus in many, many more ways!

Add Simple Hummus to Sandwiches:

  • cucumber and hummus sandwiches – a simple, lighter classic to cucumbers and cream cheese. Perfect for a kids’ tea party
  • roast beef and hummus – leftover roast repurposed as a sandwich with hummus. Delicious!
  • chicken, tomato, and hummus – leftover chicken with some slices of tomato and a thick swirl of hummus on fresh bread. Fresh and flavorful!

Of course, I recommend trying these sandwiches with delicious sourdough bread!

Simple Hummus as a Dip:

Using hummus as a dip is the most common way we consume hummus in our home, and here’s what we dip into hummus:

  • cucumber slices
  • red pepper slices
  • carrot slices
  • celery slices
  • sugar snap peas
  • tortilla chips
  • crackers
  • pretzels
  • dill pickles

More Ways to Use Simple Hummus:

Of course, there are more ways to use this simple hummus recipe!

I love to use hummus as a topping in salads.

On a bed of lettuce greens, add a generous tablespoon of simple hummus to leftover roasted chicken, olives, grape tomatoes, and chopped bell peppers. If you have it, sprinkle some feta cheese on top, too. With an extra squeeze of lemon, this is a delicious and easy salad for lunch or dinner.

Using fresh baby spinach as your salad base, add a generous tablespoon of simple hummus to diced roasted sweet potato, leftover roasted chicken, and a tablespoon of pesto. It’s a simple but super flavorful meal.

And, if you want to increase your pizza’s fiber and protein, spread a couple tablespoons on your pizza dough before adding the tomato sauce or in lieu of tomato sauce.

I’ve also been known to drop spoonfuls of hummus directly onto my pizza as an additional topping.

Finally, when I’m scrounging to offer something easy to swallow and healthy to my almost tooth-less 8-month-old, my homemade hummus makes an easy addition to a meal for him!

girls snacking on hummus sitting on deck

The Health Benefits of Simple Hummus: A Nutrient-Packed Snack

Hummus is a healthy, tasty dish that includes some impressive ingredients from a health perspective.

Chickpeas: high in fiber, with 14 grams of protein per 1 cup, it also includes a good amount of Maganese and Folate

Olive Oil: One of the best fats to consume, olive oil has monounsaturated fats. It’s full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, and seems to protect against various diseases.

Cashews: containing protein and unsaturated fat, cashew nuts (technically seeds) have been associated with positive health benefits as well.

Tahini/Sesame Seeds: Although more research is needed, tahini or sesame seeds may provide anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-oxidative properties.

How to Store and Preserve Your Homemade Simple Hummus

You can store this simple hummus recipe in the fridge up to 5 days. I like to keep mine in a glass container with a lid that seals tight.

You can also freeze hummus for several months. It will need to thaw in the fridge for 24 hours or so before it’ll be ready to eat. Be sure to stir it up thoroughly, as the oil and water separates a bit when you freeze it, and stirring it well will re-homogenize the hummus.

Get Your Chickpeas and Olive Oil Ready – Let’s Make Hummus!

I hope you’re ready to make some hummus and start dipping! If you try this recipe, please let me know how you like it in the comments below. And if you’ve got other ways of using hummus, please share those as well!

Yield: 2.5 cups

Simple Hummus

creamy simple hummus in bowl with cucumber slice and plate of veggies

Tany, smooth hummus made from protein and fiber rich chickpeas and cashews. With a nutty kick of tahini and mellow garlic, this recipe is a perfect dip, condiment, or add-in to sandwiches or wraps.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 hours
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 12 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups very well cooked chickpeas (see notes 1 and 2)
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 3 Tbsp Tahini OR Sesame Seeds
  • 1 tsp crushed garlic
  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup cold water

Instructions

  1. Cook your chickpeas until they are soft and getting mushy. Soft chickpeas make the best hummus.
  2. Rinse chickpeas in cool water, drain, and set aside.
  3. Juice your lemons.
  4. Place all the ingredients into a blender: drained chickpeas, lemon juice, cashews, tahini, garlic, salt, olive oil, and water.
  5. Blend for 1-2 minutes. Scraping down the sides as necessary. Hummus will be thick but blend-able. If the blender starts to struggle, add 1-2 Tbsp water. Add additional salt to taste.
  6. Once blended to preferred smoothness, scoop into bowl and serve!

Notes

Note 1. To make your own well-cooked chickpeas, put 2/3 cup dried chickpeas in the bottom of a crock pot. Cover with 8 cups of water, and cook on low for 12+ hours.

OR, boil a can of chickpeas for 15-20 minutes to make sure they are very well cooked.

Note 2. I've made this recipe with 2 cups of chickpeas and 1 1/2 cups of drained chickpeas. Both work.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

40

Serving Size:

1 Tbsp

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 33Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gCarbohydrates: 2.5gFiber: 0.8gProtein: 1g

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *