Easy Classic Creamy Hummus Recipe | The Modern Proper (2024)

This is THE BEST Hummus You’ll Ever Have.

Everyone loves a giant veggie platter with a generous bowl of hummus at its center, amiright? From Super Bowl parties to afternoon snacks, catered luncheons to last-minute dinner guests, hummus is the workhorse of the dip family. We’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like it, which is saying a lot. But if you think you like hummus now, just wait until you try our recipe for the best homemade hummus out there. It’s a game-changer.

Here Are a Few Reasons We LOVE This Healthy Homemade Hummus

It’s ridiculously creamy.
It’s not grainy or overly-airy (like many store bought versions).
Lemon juice and zest make it delightfully zippy.
It is perfect for dipping just about anything into (trust us, we’ve dipped it all!).
It can be tweaked and adjusted in a myriad of ways to mix up its flavor profile.
It’s vegan, gluten-free, sugar free, and dairy-free.
It can be made completely from scratch in just a few minutes.

So, What is Hummus Exactly?

Hummus, which translated from Arabic is a centuries-old dish that originated in the Middle East. Made of chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), olive oil, and garlic, this classic dip has become an American staple for good reason. And, while most store-bought hummus tastes good, homemade hummus is so much better.

Here are a few things we love about it.

Creamy—Chickpeas are so wonderfully versatile!
Rich—Thanks tahini (and olive oil)!
Smooth—blend, blend and blend some more!
Tangy—lemon juice and lemon zest FTW!
Healthy—good fats and lots of fiber!

Homemade hummus: the ideal dish to serve to guests for an appetizer, as an elevated snack, or for a simple meal at home.

Is Hummus Good For You?

Great question! By now we’ve all learned that there are plenty of foods out there that seem healthy but aren’t. Thankfully this homemade hummus IS healthy! Not only is it gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free and vegan, this chickpea-based dip is also high in fiber, protein, and B vitamins. And, thanks to the olive oil and tahini, it’s brimming with “good for you” fats.

How Do I Make Healthy Homemade Hummus?

We love it when something is impressive and super simple at the same time, don’t you? Well, this classic homemade hummus is just that.

Here’s the “how to” on the creamiest, dreamiest hummus you’ve ever had:

Dump all of the ingredients into a high powered blender.
Blend until smooth—really, really smooth. (This should take about five minutes.)
Pour hummus into your favorite bowl, garnish to your heart’s delight, and go to town dipping with all your favorites.
That’s it!

Some Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Homemade Hummus:

Use a high powered blender! If you don’t have one, a food processor will work, but you may want to remove the chickpea skins first, which can easily be done with a quick soak in water and an extra five minutes of hands-on time. (This would be a perfect job for the kiddos to help with, as it’s oddly satisfying to pop those skins off!)
All brands of canned chickpeas have a different salt content. For this reason, we like to add our salt a little at a time, tasting as we go. If you taste your finished hummus and it’s “flat” it definitely needs more salt!
Make a big batch! This healthy and quick hummus dip lasts up to seven days in the fridge and is perfect for school lunches, snacks, and as a salad topper.

What Should I Serve With Hummus?

I’m so glad you asked. This simple and healthy hummus is so versatile and the perfect dip for:

Veggies! Carrots, snap peas and tomatoes are popular choices, but there’s no need to stick to convention. Perfectly Roasted Broccoli or Cauliflower, raw, thinly sliced beets and jicama, and flash-fried zucchini are fun and unexpected ways to go.

Carbs, of course! Toasted pita is a lovely choice, as are your favorite crunchy chips.

Make a mezze platter: serve this simple homemade hummus with crumbled feta, large olives and falafel for an impressive and filling spread.

Hungry For More?

Want to make this classic homemade hummus into a meal? Try it alongside our Chicken Shawarma Sheet Pan Dinner, Mediterranean Wedge Salad, or Beef Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki. Add some warm pita to scoop it all up with and you’re good to go! If you give this healthy homemade hummus a whirl (that’s a blender joke...get it?) we’d love to see how it turns out! Be sure to post it to Instagram and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper, along with the approximate number of batches you’ve made that week so we don’t feel too bad about the many bowls we’ve already consumed. Happy eating!

Easy Classic Creamy Hummus Recipe | The Modern Proper (2024)

FAQs

How do you make classic hummus taste better? ›

Next, enhance the blank slate of flavor with a few squeezes of lemon juice, a sprinkling of garlic salt, a turn of freshly cracked pepper, a heavy-handed sprinkle of paprika, and a generous drizzle of your nicest olive oil. Bonus points if you have an herby olive oil on hand with a little color to it.

Get More Info Here ›

Why isn't my hummus creamy? ›

You might need more tahini, garlic, lemon and/or salt and very likely more chickpea water. Add a bit of each as you need, the recipe explains. "Blitz the hummus until very smooth, a few minutes at least. Don't worry about the hummus being too loose; it will thicken as it sits."

View Details ›

What's the primary ingredient in hummus? ›

Chickpeas, hummus's main ingredient, give you protein, good-for-you carbs, and fiber. Like other members of the legume family, they routinely top lists of the world's healthiest foods.

Find Out More ›

Why does my homemade hummus taste weird? ›

Another cause might be that your lemon is a bit old, causing it to taste more bitter than sour. Lastly, if you've added too much garlic or just happened to used a particularly strong clove, it'll leave the hummus with a very pungent, raw taste.

Read The Full Story ›

Why do you put baking soda in hummus? ›

Baking soda: Adding baking soda to the chickpeas helps make the legume easier to digest, softer, and makes them easy to peel. Don't skip this ingredient! Lemon juice: I never suggest using pre-bottled lemon juice, but I especially urge you not to in homemade hummus.

Why does my homemade hummus taste bland? ›

Sometimes just an extra pinch of salt can transform a bland hummus into a terrific hummus where all the flavors come together perfectly.

Discover More ›

What makes hummus taste better? ›

Add salt, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, and cayenne to taste. Maybe that grocery store hummus is not quite seasoned to your liking. It might just need a touch more of the flavor-boosters you'd normally use to season hummus (salt, lemon, spice)—start slowly and taste as you go.

Learn More ›

What is a good substitute for tahini in hummus? ›

If you feel adventurous, try replacing the tahini with an equal amount of peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, Greek yogurt, chopped roasted peppers, pitted olives, roasted beets, steamed sweet potato, avocado, or thawed frozen peas, to name just a few possibilities.

Discover More Details ›

What bacteria grows on hummus? ›

Hummus is very nutritious, but has a high water activity that supports the growth of several microorganisms, including spoilage microorganisms like Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli [6]. In addition, it is susceptible to microbial cross-contamination during preparation and post-processing [3].

Learn More Now ›

Which country makes the best hummus? ›

In general, hummus made in Israel has so many variations that it is hard to generalize about it. As for the best country,Hummus made in Lebanon and Syria has less variation in my opinion. And on average these countries make the best hummus. So If you are picking a country it is a tie between Lebanon and Syria.

See Details ›

Is hummus good to eat everyday? ›

Hummus is a truly nutritious snack that is good to include in your daily diet in moderation and when combined with a diverse range of food. Hummus can be a part of the daily diet if consumed in moderation, and the rest of the diet contains a diverse range of foods.

Why do I feel bad after eating hummus? ›

If you experience symptoms of a food allergy after eating hummus, your first reaction may be to blame the most common ingredient: chickpeas. Before you blame chickpeas for the cause of your allergies, you may also want to consider other allergenic ingredients used in hummus, such as: garlic. beans.

Keep Reading ›

Is homemade hummus cheaper than store-bought? ›

You can make a large batch of homemade hummus for a fraction of the price of multiple store-bought containers. Plus, you can use the leftover ingredients for other dishes, reducing overall food waste.