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Overhead view of creamy hummus swirled with olive oil and topped with spiced chickpeas and parsley on a white plate, surrounded by seeded crackers, lemon wedges, and small bowls of olive oil, tahini and paprika on a white timber table.

Best Hummus Recipe from Dried Chickpeas

5 from 1 vote
This Best Hummus Recipe from Dried Chickpeas is creamy, smooth and full of fresh flavour. Made from scratch with simple pantry ingredients, it creates a lighter, silkier texture than canned versions and is perfect for entertaining or everyday snacking.
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Soaking Time:12 hours
Course: Appetiser, Finger Food, Side Dish
Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern
Keyword: best hummus recipe, Chickpea Dip, hummus from dried chickpeas, Lebanese hummus
Servings: 8
Calories: 155kcal
Author: Kate Brodhurst

Equipment

  • Food processor or high speed blender

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda, divided (baking soda)
  • ⅓ cup hulled tahini
  • 1 large lemon, juiced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3-4 ice cubes
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  • Place chickpeas and 1/2 teaspoon of the bi-carb soda into a large bowl. Cover with cold water by at least 5cm. Cover and set aside for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
  • Drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a large saucepan. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda and a good pinch of salt and cover with cold water by at least 5cm. Bring to the boil over high heat and skim the surface of any scum. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until they are very tender.
  • Give the chickpeas a good stir, then using a slotted spoon, remove any skins floating on the surface and discard them. Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and 10-12 of the chickpeas to garnish with later.
  • Place the warm chickpeas into the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender. Process for 30 seconds. Add all the remaining ingredients along with 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid. Process for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is super smooth. Taste and adjust consistency with more reserved chickpea water if required and taste with more lemon juice and/or salt if need be.
  • Spoon and swirl the hommus into a wide shallow serving bowl or transfer to an airtight container and chill if not serving within 30 minutes. The hommus will thicken slightly once cooled. Garnish hommus with a good drizzle of olive oil, the reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of paprika and pepper, and some fresh herbs if desired. Serve with pita, Lebanese bread, crackers and/or vegetable sticks.

Notes

  1. COOKS NOTES:
    Oven Temps:     Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
    Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup =  250 ml.
    Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
    Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
    Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified.
  2. Make sure the chickpeas are very tender before blending. They should almost fall apart when pressed. This is key to smooth hummus.
  3. Blending while the chickpeas are still warm helps create a silkier texture.
  4. If your tahini is thick or slightly bitter, stir it well before measuring and adjust lemon and salt to balance the flavour.
  5. The hummus will thicken slightly once chilled. Stir in a spoonful of reserved chickpea liquid if you’d like to loosen it before serving.
  6. Canned chickpeas can be used in a pinch, but the texture will not be quite as light and creamy.