Hummus is an incredibly versatile dish that can be used as a spread on crackers, in a wrap, on a sandwich, or as a dip for veggies and pretzels. I am so thankful that both of my girls like it because it is the perfect way for me to ensure they’re getting protein at lunchtime. They especially like when I put 
hummus and cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla and wrap it up (we call it a roll-up). I also sometimes add extras like carrots (for my 5-year-old), pieces of leftover bacon (for my 3-year-old), and chopped homegrown tomatoes or cucumbers (for me).
You can buy hummus (that will surely have preservatives in it) at the store or you can try this homemade version, which is very fresh tasting and has ingredients that you can adjust depending on your preferences. You can store it in the fridge for about a week or make a big batch and freeze some for another day!
- ¾ cup dried chickpeas or 2 cups canned (rinsed)
- water
- ⅓ cup cooking liquid (that is left after boiling dried chickpeas)
- 3 or 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, to taste
- 3 tablespoons tahini (ground sesame seeds – usually found near the peanut butter in the grocery store)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon of salt (or more if preferred)
- If using dried chickpeas pick over and rinse them. Put them in a Tupperware container or bowl with water to cover by 2 inches. Soak them in the fridge overnight. The following day rinse them again and then put them in a small pot with fresh water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 90 minutes. Reserve the cooking liquid.
- If using canned chickpeas rinse them with water.
- In a food processor combine the soft chickpeas, ⅓ cup cooking liquid (or fresh water if using canned chickpeas), lemon juice, tahini, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Blend until smooth and add more liquid if a thinner sauce is preferred.
- Garnish with paprika if serving as a dip.
Hi Laura. You can just leave it out. I’ve made it without tahini several times. ~Amy
If I am using canned chickpeas, do I need to cook them too? Also if using canned chickpeas, where am I getting the cooking liquid from? Thanks for all your help!
Hi Kristina. You would not need to cook canned chickpeas, just rinse and drain. You can add fresh water, though you might find you need a little less with canned as they have likely retained a good deal of moisture. ~Amy
I just made the hummus today. I think it’s a great recipe. I would recommend fresh lemon juice, however. The bottled juice has a kind of off taste that still shows up.
I love, love, love this recipe! I did figure out that if you pop the chickpeas out of their casing before you put them in the food processor the hummus turns out super light and fluffy like you find in store bought hummus! It takes a little extra work but the end product is beyond worth it!
Fabulous, tasty and so easy to make. Thank you very much
I added CUMIN and it was much better after that
great recipe and so much room for personlalzation! I added spinach and it was quite tasty
Can you tell me about tahini in hummus and peanut allergies.?
My 2 year old loves hummus but I want to alter it slightly to mix in other foods, like pumpkin, carrots etc.
I personally don’t like hummus but want some ideas what would be a good substitution.
Thanks
Hi there. We are not allergy experts, so you would need to ask a doctor about that. Typically nut allergy kids are okay with sesame but every child is different. I do have a friend whose child is allergic to tahini. A carrot puree is an easy thing to add to hummus as are sun dried tomatoes or roasted peppers. ~Amy
Hi,
I was just wondering if you have tried to make extra and freeze the rest. Do you think it would thaw well? Thanks!
Hi Jess. I freeze hummus and other bean spreads often. It works well. ~Amy