Easy 5-Minute Microwave Hummus

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Bowl of our simple homemade Microwave Hummus on a cutting board of fresh vegetables

A few weeks ago I went to a friend’s bridal shower where we all pitched in to provide a handsome spread of food and drink. I was on wine and smoothie duty and my friend Lisa made the hummus.

I’ll be honest: I was expecting another standard hummus that was good but didn’t taste as good as restaurant-style.

What I wasn’t expecting was to eat some of the best hummus of my life. For reals. Ready for this recipe? I’m SO excited to share it with you!

Olive oil, tahini, chickpeas, and garlic for making the Best Ever Hummus
Fresh lemon for making homemade hummus

But before we share the secrets, let’s give hummus the credit it deserves!

Origins of Hummus

Like many foods, the exact origin of hummus is debated. But it’s believed that the first recipes appeared in 13th century cookbooks (source).

Hummus is an Arabic word that simply means “chickpeas.” And chickpeas have been grown in the Middle East and India for thousands of years.

Hummus bi tahini (but often just referred to as “hummus”) is made with chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and lemon. It’s a common dish in Turkish, Lebanese, Syrian, and Egyptian cuisine, among others. And it’s now gained popularity throughout the world.

Our microwave version is not traditional as it uses canned chickpeas instead of cooking them on the stovetop from dried.

Those looking for a deeper dive into the history of hummus can find more information here and here.

How to Make This Easy Hummus Recipe

Now, back to this incredible hummus from the baby shower story…

A few bites in when my mind finally wrapped around what my mouth was tasting, I turned to Lisa and asked how she made it.

Lisa: “Well, I started with a can of chickpeas and microwaved it with garlic…”
Me: “Wait, why microwave?”
Lisa: “Hey, I don’t know these things, this is just how it’s done.”
Me: “OK, KEEP GOING.”

She explained it was a recipe from her brother- and sister-in-law who were both amazing cooks and caterers on the side.

The concept is to cook the garlic cloves in with the chickpeas (liquid and all) so it gets SUPER creamy and takes on a extra garlicky flavor. It also seems to meld all of the flavors together a bit more to give it an ultra luxurious finish.

Chickpea shot before and after microwaving

Microwave before and after. See the difference? It may seem subtle, but the flavor/texture pay off is MAJOR.

The other kicker? 1/2 cup tahini. HALF CUP. Just trust me. Best hummus ever.

Food processor filled with a batch of our 5-Minute Microwave Hummus recipe

Once your chickpeas and garlic are microwaved, add straight to a food processor or blender with your tahini, lemon juice, sea salt and a bit of olive oil. Then whirl until creamy and smooth and prepare yourself for the most insanely delicious hummus of yo life.

Veggie platter and bowl of simple homemade hummus

Though this hummus comes together in 5 minutes, it’s going to be hot! So, I recommend making it ahead of time and refrigerating it so it gets even more thick and the flavors can meld together.

I don’t know how a refrigerator can make this dip taste 13x better, but it just does. Trust me.

Wood platter of veggies and delicious homemade hummus

You guys are going to LOVE this hummus! It’s

Ridiculously creamy
Rich
Thick
Perfectly seasoned
Savory
Smooth
Slightly lemony
Garlicky
Highly shareable
& Absolutely perfect

Serve with pita bread and/or chips, veggies, or just a spoon. Seriously, I would just eat this with a spoon. Make this now!

Big bowl of homemade gluten-free vegan Microwave Hummus
Veggies and bowl of creamy restaurant-quality hummus topped with paprika

Easy 5-Minute Microwave Hummus

6-ingredient hummus that comes together in 5 minutes and is magically transformed into the best hummus thanks to the MICROWAVE! Trust me. It’s the best hummus I’ve ever made at home!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Bowl of homemade hummus topped with olive oil and paprika
4.83 from 231 votes
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 8
Course Appetizer, Side, Snack
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Mediterranean-Inspired, Middle Eastern-Inspired, Vegan

Ingredients

  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (NOT drained)
  • 2-4 cloves garlic (depending on how garlicky you prefer it)
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4-1 tsp sea salt (depending on how salty you prefer it)
  • 1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Microwave undrained chickpeas and whole garlic cloves in a mixing bowl for 4-5 minutes.
  • NOTE: Reserve 1/2 of the chickpea liquid to add in as needed while blending. Add the other 1/2 of the chickpea liquid with the chickpeas and garlic to a blender or food processor and process with lemon juice, salt and tahini. Stream in olive oil while mixing.
  • Process until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed. Add more of the reserved chickpea liquid as needed for creamier texture. 
  • Taste and adjust seasonings as you prefer. I found 3/4 tsp of salt to be the perfect amount (amount as original recipe is written // refer to the lower end of range if altering batch size).
  • Garnish with a little more olive oil and paprika, and serve with veggies, crackers and pita. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or more. It tastes even better refrigerated, as it has time to thicken up and develop in flavor.

Notes

*Recipe created by Rebekah and Justin Hubbard, and shared by my lovely friend, Lisa.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 157 Carbohydrates: 12.9 g Protein: 5.2 g Fat: 10 g Saturated Fat: 1.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 239 mg Fiber: 1.4 g Sugar: 2.7 g

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  1. Erin says

    Delicious! I attempted to make hummus several years ago and it was terrible, but this recipe is perfect! Thanks for sharing!

  2. Shelley says

    Made this a few days ago and it’s already gone! Seriously soooo much better than store bought both in terms of texture and taste. My kids and their friends love it too. Great with siracha mixed it :) Will be adding roasted red pepper to the next batch which I will surely be making in the next day or two. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It’s definitely a keeper!

  3. Heather says

    I NEVER comment on blog posts….but OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you!!! i wasnt convinced when i shoved it in my new blender…but one lick of the result and I was in hummus heaven! Used no olive oil, about 1/4 cup tahini, 1/2tsp salt and 1/2 -1tsp paprika. You have just paid for my blender 100x over :)

  4. Charlotte says

    When this first came out of the food processor it was SO liquidy I thought I’d done something wrong!
    It did firm up in the fridge but it’s still a little more watery than I’m used to.
    I do think it’s tasty, but I think houmous is entirely a matter of preference and for me this was a bit too heavy on the tahini. I’ll definitely use the technique again, but maybe with a little less water, less tahini and more lemon juice.

    Great idea though – the smoothness is great!

    Charlotte

  5. Eileen says

    This is a good work-night recipe. As a hummus obsessive person, though…I am sorry to say…it tasted liked canned beans. The consistency was AMAZING, what I have always strived towards. But I couldn’t – even with doctoring the recipe – get away from the canned bean taste. For those of you who have the time and dedication, I point you to Ottolenghi’s hummus recipe – chickpeas from scratch with baking soda. Happy cooking – and soooo many thanks to this site for all their fab recipes.

  6. lydia Légaré says

    Hi Dana! I just wanted to tell you that I’ve tried hummus many times and unfortunately never ended up with something that could satisfy me. With this hummus however, wow! It’s literally perfect! I heated the chickpeas on the stovetop AND picked the little shells off of them! the result is the creamiest hummus I’ve ever eaten and garlicky to perfection! thank you!

    Lydia

  7. Haley says

    This really is the best hummus ever. I used dried beans, because canned beans take up too much pantry space. I just boiled the soaked beans with four piece of garlic peeled and sliced to give that garlic flavor. This is a trick I learned from The Plant Power Way. Additionally, I added one piece raw garlic with the middle removed (a trick a learned from the Gazpacho recipe posted on Jamie Oliver’s FoodTube). This takes out some of the kick and mellow the garlic out a bit. Since I didn’t keep my cooking water I had to use a lot of water to thin this out. I just added 1/4 cup at a time to get a good consistency.

  8. Harry says

    I love your recipes generally, so I decided to give this a go despite having made home made houmous many times before with underwhelming results! I cooked the chickpeas and garlic on the stove instead of in the microwave and it turned out really, really well – by far the best houmous I’ve made and definitely up there with store bought types! It has a deep, rich flavour. The only thing I’d do differently next time is maybe add more olive oil as we like slightly oilier, less solid houmous in our household. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!

  9. Venita Welcome says

    I love hummus. I never ever thought I could make it but I jumped in and tried the recipe without any changes except decrease salt. I have to watch salt intake. Anyway this came out excellent. And what’s nice was I got to control the salt. This is definitely a keeper.

  10. Michelle says

    We absolutely loved this recipe and made it with some homemade Thyme crackers!
    Thanks for another excellent recipe!
    x Mich

  11. Regina Lorenzen says

    My 21 year old son has bc a diehard vegan. I am basically a vegetarian mainly bc I don’t like meat. He has asked me to help him. Wow! It’s a transition for sure! I’m along way from arriving but I have given up milk which I LOVE! I haven’t had 1 sip in over two weeks. Only regular almond milk.
    Thank you so much for your insight. I am gonna try to make the hummus tonight w the Mediterranean sweet potato dish (my 1st vegan meal). I’m excited and a bit nervous. But it looks “user friendly” for a newbie in the vegan department.
    Thank you so much. And looking forward to more ideas from you!!

  12. Sus says

    I really loved the texture, the microwave makes a huge difference!
    Thank you Dana, the best hummus recipe I’ve tried so far!

  13. Alaa says

    This looks so awesome (and easy \o/)! I’ve been burnt before though: my microwave is very strong and sometimes when I follow recipe timings what ensues is a ball of dried/burnt mess, so I was wondering what wattage your microwave is? Thank you for one of my favourite blogs by the way ;)

    • Zarah says

      I liked the result of the chickpeas at 600w for 3 minutes and then dialled down at 180w for two minutes, but I could have kept them warmer without a problem! Will probably do 600 for 3 and then 360 for 2 next time and see if it is better or same. :) They weren’t mushy or burnt, just warm (ok, hot) and soft and wonderfully easy to mix into hummus, and the garlic was soft and fragrant. Maybe that helps a little?

  14. Kristi says

    Who knew there were so many Hummus devotees.. My 1st taste. Its very good. Cooling in my fridge right now. Mine is also a bit runny, hope it thickens a bit as it cools.

  15. Bess says

    LOVE this hummus!! I’ve been searching for an easy but delicious everyday hummus. This is so simple to make and absolutely lives up to the hype from your post. I follow lots of recipe blogs and yours is by far the best! I have made lots of your recipes and they have all been successful and true to the description – keep up the great work. Thank you!

  16. Mickey says

    This is a super good base for a recipe- I’ve got a tried-and-true hummus recipe that tastes nothing like the creamy store-bought, but this one with a few modifications is definitely replacing that one because it’s so darn creamy! First, I already put in only about 3/8 cup of tahini, but I’m gonna bump it down even further to 1/4 because my tahini has such a strong flavor. And second, it’s a little too runny for my taste, so I’ll get rid of a few tablespoons of the liquid from the can of beans next time! Last, MORE GARLIC. Vampires probably hate me. And anyone who smells my breath. I haven’t had store-bought hummus in a while, so I’m not sure how this compares to it, but it’ll be much more suited to my taste with those few little changes, even though it’s already great now!

  17. Reagan says

    this stuff is BOMB. I could seriously eat it with every meal. the microwaving seriously makes the biggest difference. it is so garlicky and delicious ? thanks so much for sharing!!

  18. Chelsea Tademy says

    My husband just got back from Israel a week ago and was craving homemade hummus. I told him I had this recipe we could try and he loved it! It was delish and will definitely be a new regular edition to our household meal plan! Thanks so much for sharing!

  19. gloria says

    Hi Dana and Everyone!

    I never peel the chickpeas… if you blend the chickpeas in a vitamizer, (you know the ones that grind ultra fine), then it’s soo smooth and creamy, you would not know the difference. And then you don’t lose all that valuable fibre from the skins.

    I microwaved the garlic separately in a little water…. and then poured the lemon juice on top while the garlic slices were still warm, letting it sit till cool. Then I stuck it in the blender with the chickpeas… magic flavour from the garlic/lemon soak.

    I always sprinkle on zataar and sumac then drizzle on olive oil… how does everyone serve theirs?

  20. Leah says

    This recipe is flawless – I just made it and it turned out wonderfully. Couldn’t wait for it to cool to sample it, it’s already delicious, now it in the fridge and I’m waiting impatiently for more…. THANK YOU Dana!

  21. Jessica Levin says

    OMG! I just made this and Wow! Couldn’t be easier and couldn’t taste better. I will NOT be buying any store bought hummus again!

  22. Pahchay says

    P. S. After going to several stores to find tahini (and passing by unknown hundreds of containers of Sabra Hummus, I finally got it from Trader Joe’s.

    But wait – there’s more! Just found that (At least in my area) that Amazon fresh sells a 15 ounce can of Joyva tahini for about $6. The tahini that was so hard to find, now they drop it off at my doorstep!

  23. Pahchay says

    Great recipe. I’ve made it several times and found that if you use all the water in the chickpeas it turns out a bit runny. Drain off about 25% of the water for a thicker mix.

  24. Aimée says

    Oh lord oh lord oh lord! I just made this and it’s truly amazing! So creamy and dense (and easy!), exactly what you should expect from a perfect hummus. I just took some liberty and added 1tbs of ground cumin (that’s it, I swear). It’s my first Minimalist Baker recipe and it’s definitely a winner. I’m never buying supermarket hummus again, for sure.
    Thank you so much for sharing guys. Your blog is awesome, love the concept (who wouldn’t?), I can’t wait to try some more of your recipes. The vegan cheesecake is next on my list!
    Have a great day,
    Aimée, Paris, France

  25. Rachel says

    Oh my goodness you are amazing this is life changing!

    I’ve made so many different hummus recipes (even the ones that call for peeling every darn chickpea) and this is BY FAR the best. Because I love garlic and lemon, I added 5 garlic cloves (I would add even more next time hehe) and 2.5 tbsp lemon juice! Perfecto!

  26. Donna says

    Omigosh, SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!

    I was licking the spatula!

    And I hate pulling out my heavy equipment, so I tried my hand held immersion blender. Worked like a charm!

    Thanks for the amazing recipe!!!!

  27. Jane says

    Oooohhhh YUM! Spot on Dana – thank you for this recipe. Just made it and the kids and I devoured half its so delicious! Another minimalist baker recipe I’ve tried and kids have loved! Thank you!

  28. marla says

    This hummus was awesome! I used about 1 and 1/3 lemons, however. I also like to put a little bit (1/2 tsp depending on your liking) of cumin. It seems to bring out the flavor more. Microwaving it made such a difference on the texture, delicious!

  29. ellen says

    OMG the best hummus ever!!! I never seemed to get hummus right and although I try to avoid the microwave as much as possible, it does seem to make it more creamy. I guess it would work if you would simmer it in a pan as well.

  30. Emily says

    Can’t wait to make this omg!! I’ve been looking at all your vegan recipes and drooling. Do you know how long this will last if I keep it in the fridge??
    Thanks!!!

  31. Lina says

    Loved your recipe, I made it 5 times already and each time I get so many compliments :D Just a small tip that we use back in Jordan, I added 2 tablespoons (or 3 tablespoons depending on your taste) of greek yoghurt to the mixture, and this way you get a traditional humus just as we do back home :) Thank you so much for sharing this lovely recipe, I love your blog!

  32. Allison says

    When I first saw this recipe I was not interested, but found myself in NEED of some hummus this past weekend and no car available to get to a market… so I tried it. Seriously? The. Best. Homemade. Hummus. Ever. I made it exactly as the recipe and it was wonderful! Even my husband tried and said it was better than store-bought stuff. Next time I’m going to try roasting the garlic first, should be good!

  33. Katie says

    So simple and yummy. I made it to use in your tofu quiche, and both turned out amazing. Everything from your kitchen is amazing, but I’m still always surprised and happy. :)

  34. Elaine says

    I have tried so many “plain” hummus recipes, and this is the best by far! I was a bit skeptical about the amount of tahini, but it was perfect! I used lemon juice that wasn’t fresh, and it still worked magnificently. Thanks Minimalist Baker!

  35. Katherine says

    Just finished up making this and oh my god, so dang tasty!

    So so so creamy and I love that you can change it up by adding more garlic, chilli etc.

    Thank you for the brilliant recipe, goodbye store bought hommus!

  36. Brianna says

    Just made this recipe, and I’m really liking the flavors! I skipped out on the olive oil because I prefer an oil-free hummus and it seems a little too thick/rich. Any suggestions for a good oil replacer? Maybe thin it out with water or a little veggie broth?
    Thanks!

  37. Van says

    Great recipe. Thick and creamy. Can’t wait for it to cool down so I can eat it with some veges. Gonna take it to a party next weekend.

  38. Olivia Mason says

    Oh my gosh! This is THE best hummus I have ever made–it totally tastes like it’s from a restaurant…and this is why I always come to your site for any recipe now. Thanks, MB!!

  39. Katlyn says

    An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who had been conducting
    a little homework on this. And he actually ordered me breakfast because I found it for
    him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!!

    But yeah, thanks for spending the time to talk about this issue here
    on your website.

  40. Donna Tomasi says

    I am having trouble printing a recipe off your website. I press the print and it only prints the picture of the recipe. Can you tell me what I am possibly not doing correctly?
    donna 214-733-6762

  41. Stefanie says

    Just whipped up a batch of this and it is amazing!!! I love hummus but always prefer the “real” stuff from a Lebanese restaurant nearby, to store bought, and this recipe tastes like restaurant hummus! Absolutely love it! Will definitely be keeping this on hand. Thanks!

  42. Brittany says

    This was SO delicious. If I made it again the only change I would make would be to drain half of the liquid after microwaving, reserve it, and then slowly add it to the blender to get the desired consistency. I found it to be a bit runnier than I usually like. I never serve it warm though, and it made all the difference! Thanks!

    • Neil says

      I agree that you have to be careful with how much liquid you have. Based off the pictures, my can of chickpeas came with a lot more liquid (there was a good half-inch of liquid above the chickpeas in the bowl), so some of it should be discarded.

  43. Betsy says

    Thia recipe is fantastic! I would never have thought to microwave it but it makes for a perfect temperature and is so hearty. Thanks for a great recipe!

  44. Gegp2000 says

    Made this, loved it!!! I added some Zaatar and a little bit of black pepper, some really nice olive oil to serve, and it was a big hit with everyone here!

  45. Ian McCormick says

    I made this today and you are right: the difference in flavour after 5 minutes in the microwave is amazing. I added some caramelized onion chutney to mine. Delicious! Thank you for your fabulous recipes. Tonight I am going to churn my Snickers ice cream, which is waiting patiently in the fridge!

  46. Meridith says

    I made this today using less tahini and oil and it still came out amazing. I’ve never found a hummus recipe to make at home that was delicious enough to warrant the effort, until now! Thank you!

  47. Charlee says

    As written this was too bland for me, but I am SUPER excited to exploit it as a base… I LOVE the texture and was totally surprised that the tahini didn’t overwhelm the taste. My favorite thing is that it is super easy and I know EXACTLY what’s in it. No extra chemical crap, YEA! THANKS so much for sharing… can’t wait to spice it up on the next batch. (and yes, I kept eating batch 1 plain just to make sure I had a good comparison for next batch :-)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Charlee, glad you found use in the recipe and were able to add some extra oomph for flavor! Thanks for sharing :D

  48. Tara says

    Hi Dana! Love your blog! Just made this hummus, and it is DIVINE – especially with warmed pita and kalamata olives.

    Question: have you tried re-microwaving it again after being refrigerated, and is it just as good?

    Thanks!

  49. Stephanie says

    Hi Dana! I have raw unsalted tahini. Do you think this would be tastier with roasted salted? What did you use? Thanks! Now I plan all my weekly meals around your recipes, BTW. My neglected library of vegan cookbooks is not very happy with me as of late… :x !

  50. Karen says

    Super skeptical because of the “nondraining” and micro.. but this hummus is super good!! I too love cumin and did end up adding some to the mixture. It is definitely better if it sits in the refrigerator a few hours afterwards to thicken up a bit.

  51. Mandy says

    This is my new go-to hummus recipe!! I was skeptical at first because of the microwave step and the lack of cumin (the man and I love cumin a little too much). So easy, so creamy, so delicious. I am guilty of licking the bowl clean and not offering to share.

  52. Allison says

    I never comment on blogs….. and I have been making hummus for 25 years. This is, without a doubt, the BEST recipe I have used. Made it this afternoon and already the tasters are wanting more. Well done m.baker!

  53. Bonnie says

    OHMYWORD!!!! You did it! This is THE hummus recipe I have been looking for for years! No more expensive stuff from the store! By the way, I cooked up a bunch of chickpeas in my pressure cooker along with cloves of garlic then I just measured out 1 1/2 cups of the chickpeas and put in the cooking water to just cover them (just like if you opened a can). Since everything had just been cooked together I didn’t microwave. Worked and man is it creamy. THANK YOU!!!

  54. knoodoo says

    Thanks for this,
    I tried it out right away the day before yesterday, because luckily I had everything at home. It’s really perfect for last-minute decisions or on lazy evenings…or if you forgot AGAIN to water the chickpeas hours before… ;-)

    I’m not such a tahini fan, so I tried Cashew instead. It turned out very creamy and delish!! Although it was a bit too much fresh garlic for me.

    Thanks again, I’m definitly doing it again! Greetings from Germany. :-)

  55. Quinn says

    OMG! This is such a fantastic idea! Do you think you could strain the beans and put water in the can with them instead of the “bean juice”. The juice sort of scares me lol.

  56. maureen says

    I am one of those people who has been peeling their chickpeas lately to make it really creamy and smooth but I think this might be the answer! I just got done making this and I can’t believe how creamy and smooth it is! I have it in the fridge and will be taking to a party tomorrow night. I made a few changes though. I am trying to avoid oil so I didn’t add any and it didn’t need any and I add a half a tsp of cumin. I use the 4 cloves of garlic because I love garlic! I will let you know how it tastes tomorrow! this was so much easier than peeling them!

      • maureen says

        the hummus is 24 hours old and it rocks! I am going to be using this recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing. I was taking about 15 mins to peel the chickpeas beforehand.

  57. Rhea- Hot Dog Food Blog says

    I love this idea! I personally simmer mine for a couple of minutes and then remove the skins for an extra creamy hummus, but I may have to try microwaving instead of over the stove next time. Thanks for this!

  58. Wendy says

    I made this, quick, easy, and so good!! The hardest part is waiting for it to chill in the fridge! ;)

  59. Kelli H says

    I’ll have to give this a try. I usually don’t like recipes that call for microwaving (I’m one of those ppl who think they are evil!) but I’ll give it a shot just for you, Dana! You’ve sold me!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      I don’t use the microwave often or ever really! But for this it was worth a try. If you don’t have one or you’d rather not use one, you could easily heat the chickpeas and garlic together on the stovetop. Hope that helps!

  60. Mary @ flavorrd says

    Never ever would have come up with this, but now I definitely have to give it a shot!! Thanks for the heads up!

  61. Gemma says

    Oh my God, this is so exciting! I have a humous *addiction* and I find the supermarket varieties are never as good as the ones served in a restaurant. I cannot wait to try this recipe! Extra garlic flavour sounds fantastic.

    I’ve also just seen a recipe for cinnamon rolls in the sidebar…if I gain a few pounds after visiting this blog, I’m totally blaming you. :p

    Gemma

  62. laurasmess says

    I’ve never thought of microwaving the chickpeas and garlic. I make hummus almost weekly and I’ve added roasted garlic before and that was awesome, but… well, I’m not going to knock it til I try it! Thanks for sharing the secret with us!

  63. Lucia says

    Mama has been hummus-ing up the kitchen biweekly lately. Perhaps I will challenge her to a hummus-off with this astonishing recipe.

  64. Beth @ Eat Within Your Means says

    Ok, this is weird. Yesterday I got an e-mail from a friend telling me about a tip she’d learned from Cooks Illustrated. The tip was to blend up chickpeas when they were warm for ultra-smooth hummus. So I thought, hmmm…not a bad tip for my peanut butter cup filling. And then, after I read that e-mail, I saw this post. CRAZY, right?

    Here’s a quote from the mag in case you like to know the science-y stuff:

    “Here’s why: Chickpeas are high in a starch called amylose that forms large crystals as it cools after cooking, leading to a grainy texture. But exposure to high heat will break the crystals down. There’s no risk of the grainy texture recurring once the hummus is refrigerated, as the oil it contains will coat the individual amylose molecules, inhibiting crystallization. If your goal is to make the smoothest possible dip, then give your chickpeas a quick zap before pureeing.”

    SCIENCE, yo!

      • Claudia says

        Thank you both very interesting information ! I have only fairly recently got into hummus and wanted to make my own so I brought the book Hummus Bros, Levantine Kitchen. I have just had a look and they use a similar way with dried chickpeas I thought you might be interested.
        They say” dried chickpeas have a nuttier flavour, and they give the hummus a grainier texture. Many brands of chickpeas are crunchy and undercooked, however you can now buy jars of excellent ready-cooked chickpeas,preserved in water and salt, without added artificial preservatives.
        Secret (softening) agents
        We cook our chickpeas with bicarbonate of soda to make sure that they are soft enough to make creamy hummus. This prevents the calcium in our London tap water from cementing togeather the pectin molecules in the peas cell walls- in fact, the alkaline water that it produces actively encourages these pectins to separate, creating a softening effect.
        We use 10g/1/4oz bicarbonate of soda per 500g/1lb 2oz dried chickpeas. After a 12 hour soaking period, the chickpeas take a quarter of the tie to cook-and achive that loverly fluffy texture which makes such great hummus.
        To much bicarbonate of soda can give the chickpeas an unpleasant soapy quality, so always err on the side of caution. This also robs them of much of their nutritional value.”
        I hope this helps in your creations.

        But sadly does not answer my question. I have never had a microwave, what is the equivalent of stove top cooking ? Do I bring the chickpeas to the boil ? Simmer for a few mins ?

  65. Susan Pantle says

    Love the quick idea recipe! Tahini is good on so many things – on toast with jam is one of my favorites!! I have always used Tahini in my hummus – glad you like it too!

  66. Sammi @Sammi Sunshine says

    I have to try this! The microwave concept makes so much sense, but seems strange at first. I thought I had found the ultimate hummus recipe, this one seems to be more promising than the recipe I found!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Give it a go! I feel like hummus is such a personal thing. Every body has their own favorite version. This is mine!

  67. Luisa says

    Love all your recipes and thanks for this hummus one.

    The real secret to extra smooth and creamy hummus is peeling the garbonzos/chickspeas. I kid you not. Its a bear to do but boy is it worth it! I do everything you say in your recipe except cooking the garlic in the olive oil on a stove top and occasionally add a few flakes of red pepper for even more zing.

    I’ll try the microwave — after peeling!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Great tip! I saw that somewhere before but I fear it’s not in the cards for me. So impatient!

    • Joanna says

      Easy to peel chickpeas! For this you will want to reserve your liquid and then put the beans in a medium mixing bowl. Fill with water and use your hands to move the beans around…all of the peels will float to the top. Awesome.

  68. Kate says

    I’m totally intrigued by this concept! Definitely going to bust out the blender and a can of chickpeas for this one when I get back to KC.

  69. Shonalika says

    These friends of yours sound like crazy geniuses! Or is it genii? Whatever. How did they even THINK of that0 and ye it makes perfect sense! I sometimes just throw whole roasted cloves of garlic into random dishes because cooked garlic just tastes amazing. Period. So no wonder it adds a whole new dimension to hummus :D

  70. Medha (Whisk & Shout) says

    Who knew microwaving would make such a big difference? I’ve never really been ‘wowed’ by homemade hummus, but I’m positive this is the trick to do it!

  71. Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking says

    Whaaaa?!?!?! Mind blown! This method totally makes sense to me. I almost feel like saying, “Duh!”

  72. Katie (Veggie and the Beast) says

    I am super intrigued by this technique! I stopped making my own hummus a few years ago because I couldn’t get that silky texture of the store-bought variety. Just double checking – you don’t drain any of the liquid from the can, even after microwaving?

    Love the blue pop of color in the photos! Makes me feel like it’s a hummus party :)

    • Neil says

      You have to be careful with how much liquid you have. Based off the pictures, my can of chickpeas came with a lot more liquid (there was a good half-inch of liquid above the chickpeas in the bowl), so some of it should be discarded (looking at the pictures in the recipe, the chickpeas in the microwave bowl are breaking the surface of the liquid).

      • T says

        Agreed. I just had the same problem and now I have some watery hummus, I will add more chickpeas, but the can juice was also way too salty for me. I used a store brand, organic with sea salt for low sodium. I’m sure next time when I add the water slowly while blending that will fix the problem. Cheers!

    • Sophiekt says

      This was my question also… I’ve made it a couple of times in the last week and love the flavour but it seems too runny so am thinking I should have drained the liquid after microwaving ?

  73. Millie l Add A Little says

    This looks so smooth and perfect! I’m a total hummus addict so hope to try this out soon!

  74. Raquel @ My California Roots says

    I’ve kind of sworn off homemade hummus because it really never is as good as the store-bought kind… but this may be just the ticket! I can’t wait to try it!

  75. Donna says

    Knowing that microwaves change the molecular structure of foods, I’ll have to perhaps heat the chickpeas with garlic on the stove, which I wouldn’t mind. But, I do have to admit, this recipe does look good. Thank you.

      • Cat says

        Love this hummus recipe. It’s a staple! SO MUCH EASIER and I honestly think it’s tastier than the other versions of hummus I have tried at home. Stroke of genius!

      • Nancy says

        Sorry, but this is not true. Microwaving can preserve more nutrients in certain foods. It’s a case by case basis. Radiant heat in ovens, on the stove, etc. has the same “radiation”… microwaves do not use ionizing radiation, if that is the concern. The importance of shielding is so you don’t cook yourself, microwaves penetrate about an inch into their target without shielding.

    • JEM says

      Yes! Exactly what I was thinking! I don’t even own a microwave because of that. I’ll use my pressure cooker instead ?

      • Kelly says

        Exactly. Microwaves are the least likely to change the nature of food than any other cooking style. BBQs are the most likely. It’s ionizing radiation that changes the nature of something. Microwaves are non ionizing. You need to go back to your high school chemistry notes to see what that means if you don’t know. Microwaves work by heating up magnetic/electric ions. When heat is applied the magnetic atoms spin one way and the electric atoms spin another. The friction between them causes heat. Not ionizing radiation.
        Also: it’s tedious but if you skin the chickpeas- squeeze them lightly not to smush them but to release them from their skin-and then make the hummus from skinned chickpeas, your final result is super creamy and smooth.

    • Meg says

      Did you try cooking on the stove as opposed to the microwave? I don’t own a microwave either (not a fan of it) so I was thinking of cooking the chickpeas as well over the stove.
      best,
      Meg

  76. Meredith @ Unexpectedly Magnificent says

    Ooh, I love hummus! My favorite hummus is from a Italian/Mediterranean restaurant. I’ll be interested to see if this is better. ;) Is the tahini strong with 1/2 cup?

    • Dj says

      No. Not really. I added extra garlic and yum! It’s pretty soupy after making it so it must be refrigerated to set. It’s quick, easy, and delish.

  77. Ala says

    You rock. This recipe rocks. Hummus is my life. I am going out to buy tahini just for you. I am also saving this recipe forever because to be honest, I have not been a fan of most homemade hummus recipes. This looks awesome, Dana!

  78. Rebecca says

    That comes in handy ;) I was trying the other day to make hummus with my new food processor but failed completely :P I will so try your version ;)

  79. Valentina says

    Usually I’m not a lover of a full-of-tahini hummus, but this step in the microwave is surely to try!!!

  80. FoodNerd says

    That’s crazy! I wouldn’t of thought that microwaving the mix would have such an impact. Can’t wait to give this one a go!

    FoodNerdx

  81. Easy, Healty and Yummy says

    great idea. I was loving Hummus so much!

    I cannot eat it anymore /Paleo/. But this is really save timer..

    • lindsay says

      you should try the paleo version of this with nut/seed or avocado base. Love hummus! i’m an addict. haha. Dana, i recognize that photo from “school.” YAY!

    • Peter says

      If your diet removes legumes, nuts, or seeds then you should certainly rethink that diet. You can use any of the below sources showing increased lifespan with legume consumption. All ‘Blue Zones’ have high carbohydrate/legume consumption. Paleo is fringe, unfortunately.

      I. Darmadi-Blackberry, M. Wahlqvist, A. Kouris-Blazos, et al. Legumes: the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(2):217-20.
      W. Chang, M. Wahlqvist, H. Chang, C. Hsu, M. Lee, W. Wang, C. Hsiung. A bean-free diet increases the risk of all-cause mortality among Taiwanese women: The role of the metabolic syndrome. Public Health Nutr 2012 15(4):663 – 672.
      S. J. Nechuta, B. J. Caan, W. Y. Chen, W. Lu, Z. Chen, M. L. Kwan, S. W. Flatt, Y. Zheng, W. Zheng, J. P. Pierce, X. O. Shu. Soy food intake after diagnosis of breast cancer and survival: An in-depth analysis of combined evidence from cohort studies of US and Chinese women. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2012 96(1):123 – 132.
      S. M. Krebs-Smith, P. M. Guenther, A. F. Subar, S. I. Kirkpatrick, K. W. Dodd. Americans do not meet federal dietary recommendations. J. Nutr. 2010 140(10):1832 – 1838.
      S. E. Fleming, A. U. O’Donnell, J. A. Perman. Influence of frequent and long-term bean consumption on colonic function and fermentation. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1985 41(5):909 – 918.
      M. Zanovec, C. O’Neil, T. Nicklas. Comparison of Nutrient Density and Nutrient-to-Cost between Cooked and Canned Beans. Food and Nutrition Sciences 2011 2(NA):66-73.
      Y. Zhang, H. Kang, B. Li, R. Zhang. Positive effects of soy isoflavone food on survival of breast cancer patients in China. Asian Pac. J. Cancer Prev. 2012 13(2):479 – 482.
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      H. M. Spiro. Fat, foreboding, and flatulence. Ann. Intern. Med. 1999 130(4-Pt-1):320 – 322.
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      Anderson, J.W. 1997. Estimated Values for Isoflavone Content of Selected Soyfoods*. American Dietetic Association 80th Annual Meeting and Exhibition.