The Best Classic Hummus Recipe

While I try to stay away from superlatives when describing one of my recipes, I have to say that this classic hummus really is the best. It’s smooth, creamy, and perfectly balanced: tangy lemon, pungent garlic, rich tahini, velvety extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and, of course, chickpeas, combine in the perfect amounts to create the best hummus you’ll ever make!

I first took an interest in learning how to cook around grade five, and one of the first things I learned how to make was hummus. (Yes, some children’s earliest memories of kitchen forays involve chocolate chip cookies or mac and cheese. Mine involve hummus.) I don’t believe I used a recipe at the time: I threw in a little of this, a little of that. And truth be told, the hummus dips that I made in those early days left a lot to be desired: they were pasty, lacking in salt, and definitely didn’t resemble the silky smooth hummus dips you’d find in the grocery store.

Gradually, I became a better cook and, through experience, gained knowledge about how different ingredients behave together in a hummus dip. I experimented with different amounts of tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice. I learned the integral role that salt plays in adding flavour and bringing out the essence of all other ingredients.

And finally, several months ago, I struck gold with a hummus recipe that I dare say is the best hummus I have ever tasted. It’s silky smooth, without the taxing step of removing the chickpea skins (which is what a lot of recipes recommend doing). It has plenty of olive oil, tahini, and garlic, and enough salt for it to taste like an authentic Lebanese hummus dip. Please don’t recoil at the amount of lemon juice used in this recipe: 1/3 cup truly is essential for the bright, tangy flavour I look for in a hummus!

After making this hummus dip for family and friends a number of times, everyone is in agreement that it is the best hummus. I receive texts from family and friends every week asking for the recipe! I never could have imagined that one of my simpler creations could garner such attention, but I am flattered all the same.

So, I thought that it was about time to share my go-to, beloved hummus recipe with the wider world. I hope you love it as much as we do, and that it becomes a beloved companion for everything from work lunches to holiday entertaining.

a few final thoughts:

• A fun festive variation on this hummus recipe is the addition of 1 cup of fresh parsley! Add it to the food processor along with all of the other ingredients and blend until ultra smooth. Top with finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and a finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
• This hummus dip keeps for at least a week in the refrigerator!
• Get creative: Add a dollop of this hummus to any bowl, salad, or even use it as a salad dressing base: just thin it out with a bit of water and perhaps add a dollop of dairy-free yogurt.

If you make this recipe, please let us know how you liked it by leaving a comment and recipe rating below, and don’t forget to share a photo to Instagram using @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen! I love seeing your delicious creations. 🙂

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Wishing you all a beautiful weekend! I’m going to be trying two new veggie spots in Ottawa: Jamari and Grow Your Roots. I’ll be adding both to my Ottawa Plant-Based Restaurant Guide in due time. 🙂

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