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Home » Recipes

Traditional Hummus

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

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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!

Homemade hummus in a brown bowl sprinkled with paprika.

Traditional Hummus

If using dried chickpeas, this recipe will take a little longer, but it's worth it! You can shorten the time by using canned. 
6 Reviews / 4.8 Average
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Course: Lunch, Sides, Snacks & Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Method: Freezer Friendly
Diet: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Peanut/Tree Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Servings: 1 cup
Save Recipe Saved!

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup chickpeas (dried, (or 2 cups canned and rinsed))
  • water
  • ⅓ cup juices ((that is left after boiling dried chickpeas))
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons tahini ((ground sesame seeds – usually found near the peanut butter in the grocery store))
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt (or more if preferred)

Instructions
 

  • 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/juices.
  • 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.

Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Traditional Hummus
Amount Per Serving
Calories 617 Calories from Fat 369
% Daily Value*
Fat 41g63%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Sodium 346mg15%
Potassium 611mg17%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin C 21.9mg27%
Calcium 124mg12%
Iron 5.5mg31%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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9.9K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Elizabeth says

    July 26, 2014 at 10:44 pm

    How long will this keep in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      July 29, 2014 at 6:01 pm

      Hi there. I think a week is about right. Mine never lasts beyond a couple days simply because it gets eaten. :)

      Reply
  2. Jess says

    April 12, 2014 at 12:58 pm

    Hi,
    I was just wondering if you have tried to make extra and freeze the rest. Do you think it would thaw well? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      April 15, 2014 at 4:13 pm

      Hi Jess. I freeze hummus and other bean spreads often. It works well. ~Amy

      Reply
  3. MO says

    April 08, 2014 at 2:00 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      April 09, 2014 at 10:52 am

      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

      Reply
  4. Kimberly says

    March 13, 2014 at 11:47 am

    5 stars
    great recipe and so much room for personlalzation! I added spinach and it was quite tasty

    Reply
  5. Amber says

    March 03, 2014 at 7:06 pm

    I added CUMIN and it was much better after that :)

    Reply
  6. Carol says

    February 27, 2014 at 3:39 am

    5 stars
    Fabulous, tasty and so easy to make. Thank you very much :)

    Reply
  7. Jennifer says

    February 18, 2014 at 10:19 pm

    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!

    Reply
  8. Karen says

    February 17, 2014 at 7:18 am

    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.

    Reply
  9. Kristina says

    February 08, 2014 at 6:41 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      February 10, 2014 at 8:19 am

      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

      Reply
  10. Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

    February 03, 2014 at 8:14 am

    Hi Laura. You can just leave it out. I've made it without tahini several times. ~Amy

    Reply
  11. Laura Mason says

    January 29, 2014 at 9:17 am

    I am wondering if you can recommend a substitute for the tahini? I am going to try this for a party with kids and one of the children is allergic to sesame seeds. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply
  12. Janet says

    January 03, 2014 at 12:28 am

    I have been making my hummus this way for years. I sauté onion and garlic, mix lemon with tahini , add all to beans in processor, and throw in some fresh parsley. Yum! Also good to use one can black beans and one can chick peas.

    Reply
    • paula says

      May 27, 2015 at 5:47 pm

      5 stars
      What is the nutritional information for the recipe?
      Even eating real food, I like to record my info... Plus, I could sit down and eat the whole batch...

      Reply
  13. Amanda says

    December 04, 2013 at 9:47 pm

    Can I do this in the blender if I don't have a food processor?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      December 06, 2013 at 7:20 pm

      Hi Amanda. You can. You will have to scrape down the sides often and you may not be able to get it quite as smooth but it can totally be done. :) ~Amy

      Reply
  14. vinni says

    November 09, 2013 at 5:17 pm

    We can cook chick peas in 20 minutes using pressure cooker which is available at indian grocery stores (patel brothers).we can cook all lentils in very less time.I hope you find it very useful.

    Reply
  15. Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

    October 09, 2013 at 1:40 pm

    HI Lisa. Yes, you can definitely freeze it. :) ~Amy

    Reply
  16. Lisa says

    October 06, 2013 at 6:36 pm

    This recipe was my first try at making hummus, and it turned out great! I did add two more cloves of garlic and a little more salt. This recipe does make a large amount, can it be frozen and still be tasty?

    Reply
  17. Cassandra says

    September 17, 2013 at 6:51 pm

    4 stars
    This is a great, simple recipe. I use canned garbanzo beans, but only one can. Two cans made way too much hummus, and I end up throwing most of it out. Also, I buy the "tahini sauce" from Trader Joe's because it has lemon and garlic in it. I still add the additional lemon and garlic, and it turns out wonderfully flavorful. When I first made it, I felt it was a bit bland, so the tahini sauce made a huge flavor improvement.

    Reply
  18. Kelli says

    September 17, 2013 at 11:10 am

    I made this today but it's extremely grainy. Any tips to make it smooth?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      September 26, 2013 at 2:12 pm

      Hi Kelli. Did you omit anything form the recipe? Was the texture different from others that you've had?

      Reply
      • Kelli says

        September 26, 2013 at 3:28 pm

        No, I didn't omit anything, even added extra oil and water to smooth it out. Yes, the texture was much different than any hummus I've had. It wasn't chunky, but grainy.

      • Karen says

        February 01, 2014 at 7:33 pm

        I have bought canned chick peas that were very hard, even after additional cooking. I'll bet that would make your hummus grainy.

  19. christine says

    May 06, 2013 at 5:45 pm

    Silly question... when "picking through" the chick peas? What are we picking for?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      May 07, 2013 at 8:16 am

      Hi Christine. It is just chick pea quality control. You are picking out the ones that don't look quite right. Also, if you are buying from bulk bins, there could be stones or debris in the mix. :) ~Amy

      Reply
  20. Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

    May 03, 2013 at 3:47 pm

    Hi Sarah. Sorry, sometimes it takes us a few days to work through all our blog comments. How did it turn out? Did you just add water? ~Amy

    Reply
  21. Sarah says

    April 26, 2013 at 11:26 am

    Oops, I threw out the liquid I cooked the beans in. What do I substitute with? Water?

    Reply
  22. Sarah-Marie says

    April 08, 2013 at 10:06 pm

    5 stars
    Hey Elizabeth, this recipe is great! I blogged it and are sending people your way!

    http://www.sarahmarieclicks.com/blog/hummus-100-days-of-real-food-recipe/

    Reply
  23. Stephan says

    March 30, 2013 at 8:28 pm

    Question? I says to combine the soft chickpeas, does that mean i'm supposed to cook them first before putting them into the processor? I will be using canned chickpeas. Want to make this tonight so it's ready for tomorrow, Easter Sunday!

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      March 31, 2013 at 6:56 am

      No need to cook canned chickpeas. Just give them a good rinse.

      Reply
  24. Allison says

    March 16, 2013 at 11:59 am

    I love roasted red pepper hummus...Would you just add some roasted red peppers before you process everything?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says

      March 19, 2013 at 10:32 pm

      Hi Allison. Yes, that has worked for me. I roast a pepper and add about half of it before processing. It does change the consistency a bit. ~Amy

      Reply
  25. Elizabeth Bishop says

    February 10, 2013 at 12:19 am

    Just made this today, I didn't have any tahini but I don't like hummus without it. I have tried just using sesame oil and it didn't taste good, so I used 3 tbls of peanut butter and mixed some sesame oil in it in place of the 3 tbls of tahini and it is really good. it tastes almost like original hummus with a small hint if peanut. It's a good substitute just in case anyone was wondering about needed tahini.

    Reply
    • Jenny Woods says

      February 21, 2013 at 7:35 pm

      Thanks Elizabeth! I was reading this recipe thinking "Dang. I don't have tahini and it is sleeting outside. I really want to make this tonight." Off to try it with peanut butter and sesame oil instead!

      Reply
      • Elizabeth Bishop says

        February 21, 2013 at 10:17 pm

        I hope it works out for you and tastes good to you!

  26. Jackie says

    December 03, 2012 at 10:39 am

    I'd like to try and make this for a party I have coming up, does anyone know how long it keeps in the fridge? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says

      December 04, 2012 at 1:05 pm

      Hi Jackie. I'll usually keep mine up to a week. Jill

      Reply
  27. Nicole says

    September 05, 2012 at 11:42 am

    Just made hummus for the first time using this recipe. Delicious! I used more garlic and a little less tahini. It was perfect. Thanks!

    Reply
  28. Mieke says

    July 20, 2012 at 1:57 pm

    Thanks for this recipe! I have been wanting to try making my own hummus for a while now! Quick question - I have some whole sesame seeds - Can I just grind them myself to make the tahini?

    Reply
    • Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says

      July 28, 2012 at 9:39 pm

      I've never done it but you could give it a try. Jill

      Reply
  29. Jennifer says

    June 19, 2012 at 11:43 am

    In a pinch, I usually buy the organic humus at Costco the brand is Hannah. It has no preservatives!

    Reply
  30. Rachel says

    May 17, 2012 at 12:17 pm

    In response to those who asked whether tahini is necessary- you can get the same flavor with sesame oil instead of tahini...you may not want to put as much of it as you would tahini. I've found several recipes online that use the sesame oil instead, and tahini is kinda pricey and I don't use it for anything else, so I lean towards the use of the oil. If you omit the sesame altogether and use cannelini beans instead of garbanzo beans then you'll have a more Italian-style white bean dip, which is also delicious.

    Reply
  31. Tana Padilla says

    March 31, 2012 at 8:42 pm

    LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! We now have a stock of pint size freezer bags of fresh Hummus! mmmm Thank you for sharing

    Reply
  32. Terri says

    September 14, 2011 at 7:38 pm

    Just tried making hummus for the 1st time and it came out great! Thanks so much for the recipe. :)

    Reply
  33. Lily says

    August 27, 2011 at 12:35 am

    Could this be made in a blender?

    Reply
    • 100 Days of Real Food says

      August 28, 2011 at 12:05 am

      I've never tried, but I think it would work!

      Reply
  34. Laura says

    August 25, 2011 at 6:01 pm

    Love Hummus...can not wait to try this! Thanks for all the wonderful recipes!

    Reply
  35. Marleah says

    November 10, 2010 at 5:46 pm

    Can't wait to try this. But I could not find tahini in my grocery store. How necessary is it? Is there something that could be substituted?

    Reply
    • 100 Days of Real Food says

      November 13, 2010 at 6:02 pm

      I think it is pretty necessary...it is like peanut butter, but made with sesame seeds instead of peanuts. I supposed you could try to substitute with another type of seed or nut butter, but I think it is a key ingredient. I've never tried making it without though. Good luck!

      Reply
    • Debra Lawrence says

      May 21, 2011 at 2:39 am

      I dont use tahini as it is costly, i just use a bit more olive oil and lemon juice... SOOO Yummy

      Reply
  36. Jenniffer says

    August 06, 2010 at 9:00 pm

    Homemade hummus is worth the time flavorwise and healthwise. I like mine with cumin, red pepper flakes and jalapenos. I'll have to try it with black beans sometime.

    Instead of using mayo, I use hummus in one of my favorite sandwhiches in which I spread hummus on the toasted bread (or whole wheat tortilla), then layer homemade pesto, spinach leaves, tomato slices and a slice of provolone cheese...so, so yummy!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 09, 2010 at 10:34 am

      Oh, hummus and pesto together (two of my favorite sauces)...I am going to have to try that!

      Reply
  37. Agnes says

    August 05, 2010 at 12:04 pm

    We have been making hummus for a couple of years and it's great: easy, versatile, and tasty! Some of our variations, included adding fresh or dried herbs, adding roasted peppers, substituting 1/2 of the beans with black beans, or omitting tahini - aka not checking whether we have tahini at home when the need for hummus strikes :)

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 05, 2010 at 1:29 pm

      My husband and I were just having a conversation about wanting to try to make black bean hummus. We were both out of town this past weekend (on separate trips) and simultaneously tried it at restaurants without even knowing we were both eating the same thing! We both enjoyed it although my husband said his was more of a purple color and what I had was more black. I think I will have to try what you suggested by just substituting half of the beans for black beans. Thanks for the suggestion.

      Reply
  38. Violet Monkey says

    August 04, 2010 at 2:01 pm

    I have been making my own hummus for a while now, it's fantastic! A little cumin and crushed red pepper add a nice little kick to it, for a change.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 04, 2010 at 8:32 pm

      That would be good...thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  39. Andrea @ Thin Thighs & Sweet Potato Fries says

    August 04, 2010 at 10:15 am

    I am a hummus fanatic! Will definitely be trying this recipe! Thanks for sharing it!

    Reply
  40. Shanel says

    August 04, 2010 at 10:12 am

    Yum!! Thanks. I just found the BEST whole wheat tortillas at Sprouts the other day. I wish she made more products, but I'll take what I can get for now. :-)

    http://www.plandee.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=347:plan-d-products&catid=50:about-plan-d&Itemid=106

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 04, 2010 at 8:29 pm

      Interesting website...thanks for sharing!

      Reply
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