Easy Hummus Recipe (Authentic Middle Eastern)

This easy hummus recipe is the best and easiest way to make an authentic Middle Eastern style hummus that’s super smooth and creamy. I can promise you that once you make it, you’ll never want to go back to shop bought hummus ever again!

Food is more than just sustenance and nourishment. It’s part of our culture, heritage and life story. I want to tap into the authentic traditional foods I grew up eating. There’s something so powerful in knowing my grandparents, great grandparents and generations before them ate those same foods. Food is a connection to the stories of our ancestors, and I’d like to think I’d be able to pass those traditions onto my children. 

Hummus is a popular Middle Eastern dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds), olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. It has a smooth, creamy texture and is often garnished with ingredients such as paprika, chopped parsley, or whole chickpeas. Hummus is traditionally served with pita bread or Arabic bread ‘khubz’, but it can also be used as a dip for vegetables, a spread on sandwiches, or as part of various dishes.

As much as I love experimenting with news flavours and combinations, I think there’s a reason some recipes pass through generations unchanged. When it comes to hummus, nothing will ever top the original and authentic way of preparing it. Not beetroot hummus, pesto hummus or roasted pepper hummus. You’ll certainly never see me making a chocolate hummus! I may make a chocolate chickpea dip, but it would disrespect culture and tradition by referring to it as ‘hummus’. This easy hummus recipe is the only hummus recipe you’ll ever need. Nothing will ever top the flavour of the traditional recipe!

Why I love making this easy hummus recipe:

I eat hummus almost every day without fail. I’ve been obsessed with it for as long as I can remember. There’s even a video of me as a three year old eating hummus straight off the spoon! This hummus recipe is the one my mum used to make for us and the one I grew up eating in Iraq. This easy hummus recipe is nutritious and cheap, making it a big food staple in most Arab/Middle Eastern homes. 

The word hummus actually translates to ‘chickpeas’ in Arabic. The dip itself is called ‘hummus bil tahina’, which translates to ‘chickpeas with tahini’. I guess the name changed to hummus for ease when introduced to the west. The fact that it’s eaten almost world wide now shows how impressive this humble dip really is!

You’ll find many hummus variations online and different ways of making it. This is an easy way to make authentic Middle Eastern hummus. I say easy, because traditionally hummus is made using dried chickpeas that are soaked overnight, then cooked until soft and mushy. This process does result in the best hummus, but let’s face it, most of us don’t have the time (or the energy) to spend hours on a hummus that can be made in literal minutes. 

I like to use jarred chickpeas to make this easy hummus recipe as I find they’re usually softer, therefor resulting in a creamier hummus. If you only have access to canned chickpeas, go ahead and use them! The difference isn’t that major and your hummus will still turn out creamy, smooth and delicious.

Reasons to make this easy hummus recipe:

Hummus is made from chickpeas, which are high in vitamins and minerals such as folate, iron, phosphorus, and B vitamins. The tahini (sesame seed paste) adds additional nutrients like calcium and magnesium. It’s also a great source of protein, fibre, and healthy fats, making it a nutritious and satisfying food. It’s naturally gluten-free and vegan, which adds to its appeal for people with certain dietary restrictions.

This easy hummus recipe has a low glycemic index, meaning it causes a slower rise in blood sugar levels. This is beneficial for maintaining steady energy levels and can be particularly good for people with diabetes. It makes for an amazing snack, especially served with chopped vegetables like cucumber, carrots and celery. I also love using it as an easy way to flavour my plain vegetables instead of sauces. I often steam or roast plain vegetables and coat them with hummus. You can turn any old boring vegetable into something so delicious! 

What you need to make this easy hummus recipe:

Chickpeas – any cooked chickpeas will work here. I prefer using jarred chickpeas, but canned work just as well. You can even use dried chickpeas, but you’ll need to soak them overnight and cook them until soft and mushy. 

Garlic – you can’t make hummus without garlic, but I do think you can use too much. I prefer the ‘less is more’ concept when it comes to garlic in hummus. Since the garlic is raw, I do find it can overpower if you use too much. I only use one garlic clove, but you can use more if you love your garlic! 

Tahini – runny tahini is best. I would recommend using Lebanese tahini (made in Lebanon) for the most authentic taste and smoothest texture. You can find Lebanese tahini at your local ethnic/Indian/Middle Eastern shop, or you can buy it online.

Lemon juice – the sour lemon works beautifully to balance out the bitter tahini and also adds so much flavour. 

Salt – I don’t think I need to explain why salt it needed 🙂 

Ice – this will help make your hummus super creamy and smooth! 

Garnish – at the least, you should garnish your hummus with good quality extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sumac or paprika. I also like to top mine with roasted chickpeas, pine nuts and fresh parsley. 

How to make this easy hummus recipe:

You can whip up this easy hummus recipe in just 10 minutes! Some recipes advise cooking your canned or jarred chickpeas first for a smoother hummus, but I don’t think it makes that much of a difference. I like to keep my homemade hummus as simple and quick as possible. All I do is:

• For a super smooth hummus, I would recommend removing the skin off the chickpea by rubbing them between your fingers. It helps to place them in a bowl of warm water. You can skip this step if you don’t have time, but it is worth it for a super creamy hummus!
• Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with the garlic, tahini, lemon juice and salt.
• Blend until smooth, you’ll notice the hummus is still grainy at this point. Add the ice cubes and blend again until super creamy.
• Transfer and smooth into a serving dish, then garnish.
• I like to top mine with roasted chickpeas, toasted pine nuts, a sprinkle of sumac and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

How to store your easy hummus recipe:

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It also freezes well for 3 months. 

This easy hummus recipe is:

• A healthy snack, side or dressing for vegetables
• A good source of protein 
• A good source of fibre
• A good source of healthy fats
• Really easy to make
• Great to have in the fridge for when you’re feeling peckish
• Vegan 
• Dairy-free
• Gluten-free
• Easily adjusted to likes
• So tasty! 

Easy Hummus Recipe

This easy hummus recipe is the best and easiest way to make an authentic Middle Eastern style hummus that's super smooth and creamy. I can promise you that once you make it, you'll never want to go back to shop bought hummus ever again!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine middle eastern

Servings 8

Calories 46 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

• 1x 570g jar of chickpeas around 360g cooked chickpeas
• 1 garlic clove*
• 4 tbsp runny tahini
• Juice of 1 lemon 3-4 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4-6 ice cubes

Garnish ideas

• Roasted chickpeas
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sumac or paprika
• Fresh parsley
• Toasted pine nuts

Instructions

 

• For a super smooth hummus, I would recommend removing the skin off the chickpea by rubbing them between your fingers. It helps to place them in a bowl of warm water. You can skip this step if you don't have time, but it is worth it for a super creamy hummus!
• Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with the garlic, tahini, lemon juice and salt.
• Blend until smooth, you'll notice the hummus is still grainy at this point. Add the ice cubes and blend again until super creamy.
• Transfer and smooth into a serving dish, then garnish.
• I like to top mine with roasted chickpeas, toasted pine nuts, a sprinkle of sumac and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Notes

* I'm not keen on super garlicy hummus, so I just use the one garlic clove. If you love garlic, you may want to use 2-3 garlic cloves. I would suggest starting with one, then give it a try and add more to taste. 

Nutrition

Calories: 46kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 151mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.004gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.3mg

Keyword arabic food, chickpeas, dip, healthy side, healthy snack, middle eastern, middle eastern recipes, side dish, tahini recipes, vegan recipes

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