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Hummus · Classic

Extra-Smooth Classic Hummus

Whipping the tahini and lemon first, then adding ice water, makes hummus that is light and silky instead of pasty. It takes 10 minutes and keeps all week for snacks and lunch boxes.

New, no ratings yet0 reviewsby Simmerbee Kitchen

Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Total
10 min
Serves
about 2 cups
Level
Easy
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup tahini, well stirred ≈ 120 g
    Swaps for tahini

    Instead of tahini

    • Sunflower seed butter: The same amount. Sweeter and earthier; close in texture.
    • Cashew or almond butter: The same amount. Milder and sweeter.
    • Greek yogurt + a little sesame oil: The same amount of yogurt, plus a few drops of toasted sesame oil. Tangy and lighter; still tastes of sesame (skip the oil for a sesame allergy).

    More for tahini

    Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

  • ¼ cup lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
    Swaps for lemon juice

    Instead of lemon juice

    • Lime juice: The same amount. A different, more floral aroma; works almost everywhere.
    • Bottled lemon juice: The same amount. More sour and flatter; fine in cooking and baking, less bright in dressings and drinks.
    • White wine vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sharper, with no citrus aroma.

    More for lemon juice

  • 1 clove garlic
    Swaps for garlic

    Instead of garlic

    • Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
    • Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.

    More for garlic

  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
    Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • ½ tsp ground cumin
    Swaps for ground cumin

    Instead of cumin

    • Ground coriander: The same amount. Brighter and citrusy, less earthy.
    • Chili powder: Twice as much. Contains cumin, plus chile heat and garlic.
    • Caraway seeds, ground: Half as much. A related flavor, a bit sharper.

    More for cumin

  • 1 can chickpeas, 15 oz, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tbsp ice water, plus more as needed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more to serve
    Swaps for olive oil

    Instead of olive oil

    • Avocado oil or another neutral oil: The same amount. No olive flavor; avocado oil handles higher heat.
    • Butter: The same amount. Richer and nutty when browned.
    • A neutral oil + more seasoning: The same amount. Dressings lose the fruity, peppery note; a little extra lemon, garlic or mustard makes up for it.

    More for olive oil

  • 1 pinch paprika, to garnish (optional)
    Swaps for paprika

    Instead of paprika

    • Smoked paprika: The same amount. Adds a smoky flavor; lovely in most savory dishes.
    • Chili powder: The same amount. Adds cumin, garlic and a little heat.

    More for paprika

  • pita bread, plus crackers and cut vegetables, to serve

Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.

Steps

Kid helper. A child can do steps 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8: no knife, no heat. Steps marked “Grown-up” use a sharp tool. Cooking with kids

  1. Put the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cumin in a food processor.
    Kid step
  2. Blend until the mixture turns thick, pale and fluffy, scraping down the sides once.
    ⏱ Whip tahini: 1 minGrown-up: sharp tool
  3. Add the chickpeas and blend until finely ground, scraping the bowl as needed.
    ⏱ Blend: 1 minGrown-up: sharp tool
  4. With the machine running, pour in the ice water and olive oil.
    Kid step
  5. Keep blending until the hummus is very smooth and creamy. Add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if it's too thick.
    ⏱ Blend smooth: 2 minGrown-up: sharp tool
  6. Taste and add more salt or lemon if needed.
    Kid step
  7. Spread in a shallow bowl, make a swirl with the back of a spoon, drizzle with olive oil and dust with paprika.
    Kid step
  8. Serve with pita, crackers and vegetables.
    Kid step

Tips

  • For the smoothest hummus, pinch the skins off the chickpeas before blending. It takes 5 minutes and is worth it.
  • Tahini separates in the jar; stir it well so you don't get only oil or only paste.

Storage

Refrigerate in a covered container up to 4 days. Stir and add a splash of water if it thickens.

Make ahead

Make up to 2 days ahead. Pack small cups with vegetable sticks for lunch boxes.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.

Quick answers

Can I make it ahead?

Make up to 2 days ahead.

What can I swap?
  • Instead of tahini: Sunflower seed butter, the same amount.
  • Instead of lemon juice: Lime juice, the same amount.

Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories
160
Protein
5 g
Carbohydrates
11 g
Fiber
3 g
Sugars
1 g
Fat
12 g
Saturated fat
1.5 g
Sodium
260 mg

Whole recipe, 8 servings: about 1,310 calories.

Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 8 of 8 ingredients.

How we estimate

We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 8 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.

Not counted: paprika (optional); pita bread (to taste or as needed).

Estimated cost

About $0.55 a serving

About $4.25 for the recipe as written (8 servings).

Estimate; prices vary by store and region. U.S. average prices for September 2026 from USDA ERS Purchase to Plate prices updated with the BLS Consumer Price Index. Priced: 6 of 8 ingredients, 99% by weight.

How we estimate

Each measured ingredient is weighed as in the nutrition estimate and priced at the U.S. average: BLS's average price where BLS publishes one, else USDA ERS's Purchase to Plate price for 2017-18 raised to September 2026 with the CPI for that food group. Whole packages, store brands, sales and regions all change the real cost: treat it as a ballpark.

  • tahini $2.40 ERS
  • chickpeas $1.05 ERS
  • olive oil $0.40 ERS
  • lemon juice $0.35 ERS
  • garlic $0.05 ERS

Free: ice water (tap water).

Not priced (no official average price we can match, so not in the total): kosher salt, ground cumin.

Not counted: paprika, pita bread (optional, or to taste).

More dishes for less: cheap eats.

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Cleanup score 3/5 (some cleanup): 3 things to wash, mixing bowl, food processor, colander.

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