How to Make Hummus from Scratch

Last week, I posted a complete guide on How to Make Egyptian Falafel. But you can’t have falafel without hummus! So, I’m following up my falafel post with this guide on how to make hummus from scratch!

As delicious and addicting as classic hummus is, you’d never guess it’s actually incredibly easy to make. All you need are:

• Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
• Garlic
• Lemon
• Tahini – you can get ready-made at the store. Or use this recipe to make your own.
• Olive oil
• Water
• And a few spices – garlic salt, black pepper and cumin

You have the option to use dry or canned chickpeas. Your hummus will still be considered “made from scratch” either way. If you decide to use dry chickpeas, the prep time will be longer because you’ll need to soak the beans for at least 24 hours AND cook them for an additional 2 hours.

It definitely yields a fresher, more authentic taste using dried chickpeas. BUT, canned chickpeas are yummy in their own right and will save you a lot of prep. Feel free to decide which would work best for you.

Once your chickpeas are ready to go, you’ll simply throw all your ingredients into a food processor and blend away! You should end up with a thick, yet creamy hummus dip PACKED with flavor. If you’d like a thinner hummus consistency, you can add more water or olive oil as desired.

There are a lot of great Egyptian dishes that would pair perfectly with this hummus including Falafels or Kofta. Or you can simply use it as a dip for pita bread, cucumbers, carrots, etc. This hummus is healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and incredibly delicious! So, if you’re ready to learn how to make hummus from scratch, read on for the full recipe!

How to Make Hummus from Scratch

Course: Sides & SaladsDifficulty: Easy

Makes

4

cups

Prep time

24

hours 

Cooking time

2

hours 

Calories

329

kcal

Learn how to make hummus from scratch with this easy recipe! This hummus is healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and packed with flavor!

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried chickpeas OR 4 cups canned chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 lemon, squeezed for juice

• 3 Tbs tahini (store bought or homemade)

• 6 Tbs reserved water (from cooking the chickpeas)

• ½ cup olive oil (plus more for topping)

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp garlic salt

• ½ tsp cumin

• Cayenne pepper (optional for topping)

Directions

• IF USING CANNED CHICKPEAS, SKIP TO STEP 4! If using dried chickpeas, soak them in a large bowl of water for 24 hours (make sure they are covered by at least 2 inches of water)
• When ready to cook, drain the chickpeas and add them to a large pot. Cover them with new water and heat on high until boiling
• Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 2 hours until the chickpeas become very soft
• Reserve about 6 Tbs of the water the chickpeas are simmering in (or if using canned chickpeas, reserve the water they were canned in). Then, drain the rest of the water out
• Add the chickpeas, reserved water, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, black pepper, garlic salt and cumin to a blender or food processor
• Blend until everything is completely smooth. Add more water or olive oil if you’d like a looser consistency
• When ready to serve, top with more olive oil and cayenne pepper as desired

Notes

• Calories & Nutritional Info may vary based on different brands and ingredients used. Nutritional Info below was calculated using Very Fit Well’s Nutrition Calculator.