Hummus is probably the most famous Middle Eastern recipe on the internet. It’s being made all over the world and re-invented in creative ways. But the BEST way to have it is the super traditional way. Trust me. A common misconception people may have is that homemade creamy hummus is difficult or it takes time. WRONG. It’s so so quick and tastes ten times better than the store bought stuff. Trust your girl on this one.

Creamy hummus served in a bowl and garnished with chickpeas, parsley and lemon wedges

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All you really need for the creamiest hummus is a food processor. Although, I know that back in the day, people used to make it using a mortar and pestle or just using any utensil and good old muscle strength (cool video here showing how to make it the traditional way if you don’t have a food processor).

As for the ingredients, of course, it’s the usual suspects. Garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt, olive oil and cooked chickpeas. That’s how I make mine 99% of the time. There is 1% of the time when I like to go rogue and throw in something different to experiment, which is fun too. But let’s keep this creamy hummus pretty traditional, shall we?

Tips for making a delicious creamy hummus

  • Use dry chickpeas that have been soaked overnight which will double in size. YES you can use canned chickpeas, you’ll get good hummus. But if you would *just* listen to me and take 2 minutes of your time and soak some the night before, it’s SO much better! Okay you also need a few more minutes to cook them too. Oops. Still worth it though!
  • Cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker or Instant pot for quicker cooking time. After the chickpeas are soaked I pressure cook them for 5 minutes to get perfectly soft and creamy chickpeas
  • In the food processor, process the garlic first to get it nice and fine and ensure it breaks down before add the rest of the ingredients
  • Peel the chickpeas to make it even more of a creamy hummus. I do NOT do this. It doesn’t make a difference to the taste, and I’m a busy mom. Time is of the essence. And taste is king! But if you are really uptight about the creaminess of your hummus…. I suggest you do this.
  • Allow everything to process for at least 3-5 minutes to get it all nice and smooth

That’s it folks! The only time consuming part of this whole process is cooking the chickpeas. And that can easily be solved with a pressure cooker. So really… you have no excuse. Oh and by the way, it stays in the fridge for a week no problem!

If you want to try more classic middle eastern dips, make sure you try Muhammara, Baba Ghanoush and Labneh!

For more Middle Eastern recipes, check out:

Creamy hummus served in a bowl and garnished with chickpeas parsley and lemon wedges
5 from 9 ratings

Traditional Creamy Hummus

Yield: 16 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
This creamy hummus is SO easy to make and much better than the store bought stuff! You just need a food processor to make this ultimate creamy dip that goes with anything.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 1/2 cups dry chickpeas soaked overnight, which yields about 3 cups chickpeas the next day
  • 6 cups water , to cook chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Start by soaking 1 1/2 cups of dry chickpeas in water overnight
  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas
  • Cook the chickpeas in the Instant pot (or pressure cooker) for 5 minutes mins using 6 cups of water
  • To make the hummus, start by adding the garlic in the food processor and process
  • Then add all other ingredients except for the water and process for a few minutes
  • The last step is to add 1/2 cup of very cold water as the food processor is running. Process the mixture for at least 5 minutes to yield a creamy texture
  • Cool in the fridge and garnish with chickpeas, paprika, parsley and olive oil when serving

Notes

  • You can use canned chickpeas. However dry chickpeas yield a superior flavor
  • You can also adjust the flavor to your liking (some like it garlic-y, some like it lemon-y)
  • Store in the fridge in an air tight container up to a week
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 140kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 158mg, Potassium: 219mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 21IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 2mg
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