How to make homemade hummus with a chopper?
Making homemade hummus with a food processor requires blending cooked chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon, and olive oil until smooth and creamy. Unlike mashing with a fork, a food processor eliminates lumps and produces a creamy result similar to that of deli-made hummus. The secret lies in the order of the ingredients and gradually adding the liquids. Here is the full recipe, with the tips that really make a difference.
To chop, blend, and whisk with a single appliance, discover our selection of multipurpose food processors.
Why a food processor makes creamier hummus than a fork
Once cooked, chickpeas retain a thin skin that is difficult to remove by hand. An electric food processor grinds this skin along with the flesh, resulting in a much smoother texture than manual mashing, where small fragments of skin often remain noticeable on the palate.
A food processor also allows you to gradually incorporate the olive oil and cooking water, adjusting the texture with short pulses rather than all at once. This control prevents hummus from becoming too runny or, conversely, too firm. To understand what distinguishes the two appliances for this type of purée, see our article food processor or blender: what's the difference. For other cold sauces, see our guide to the kitchen food processor to choose according to your preparations.
The same method—blending thoroughly in stages while scraping down the bowl—works for other homemade pastes: our homemade peanut butter recipe uses it for roasted peanuts.
Ingredients for successful homemade hummus
A classic recipe for approximately 400 g of hummus requires the following proportions:
- 250 g of cooked, drained chickpeas, or a rinsed can of chickpeas;
- 2 tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste), for its characteristic creaminess;
- 1 clove of garlic, depending on the desired intensity;
- the juice of half a lemon, for acidity;
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil, plus a drizzle for finishing;
- salt and cumin, to taste.
Keep some of the chickpea cooking water: it helps adjust the final texture without diluting the flavors with plain water.
Can you use dried chickpeas instead of canned ones?
Canned chickpeas are convenient, but dried chickpeas have their fans.
Yes, provided you soak them overnight and then cook them until they are very tender. The result is often creamier than with canned chickpeas, thanks to better cooking of the skin. Keep their cooking water to adjust the texture.
Can you replace tahini?
Tahini is not always in the pantry, which is why this is a common question.
Tahini provides the creaminess and characteristic flavor of hummus. Unsalted almond or peanut butter can replace it in a pinch, with a slightly different result. Start with one tablespoon, taste, and then adjust, as these nut butters have a stronger flavor.
Steps to prepare hummus with a food processor
The method remains simple, provided you follow the order in which the ingredients are added.
- First, place the garlic and tahini in the bowl, then blend for a few seconds to mix them thoroughly.
- Add the chickpeas and lemon juice, then chop using short pulses.
- Gradually incorporate the olive oil, continuing to blend until smooth.
- If the texture remains too thick, adjust with the cooking water, one tablespoon at a time.
- Season with salt and cumin at the end of preparation, then taste before adjusting the seasoning.
For a perfectly smooth texture, blend for a few more seconds after reaching a homogeneous consistency: this final step often eliminates the last lumps. The same pulsing technique is used for green sauces, such as in our homemade pesto with a food processor recipe.
Why is my hummus still grainy?
Even when following the recipe, the texture can be disappointing.
This is usually due to blending for too short a time or not adding enough liquid. Continue chopping using short pulses and add a little cooking water until you achieve the desired smooth texture. Undercooked chickpeas also make hummus grainy, regardless of the blending time.
Variations and storage of homemade hummus
Classic hummus is easy to adapt into several variations:
- a cooked beetroot gives it a bright pink color and a slightly sweet flavor;
- roasted red peppers add a smoky note;
- a tablespoon of harissa incorporated at the end of blending creates a spicier version.
Homemade hummus keeps for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, with a drizzle of olive oil on top to prevent the surface from drying out. It also freezes well in small portions, which should be thawed in the refrigerator before serving. Using the same chickpea base, our homemade falafel with a food processor recipe completes the meal.
A versatile food processor for your purées and hummus
Making perfectly smooth hummus depends above all on the power of the food processor and the gradual incorporation of liquids. A food processor with a bowl and rotating blades remains the most suitable tool for purées, capable of processing chickpeas, vegetables, or dried fruits without changing appliances.
We recommend the 2-liter stainless steel electric food processor because its 4 blades on two levels process the entire volume of the bowl, and its stainless steel bowl withstands lemon without retaining odors. The other models are featured in our selection of electric food processors.
Our entire range is available at Hachoir Cuisine.