Instant Pot Hummus is creamy smooth beyond anything you can buy at a store and so EASY! Dip it, spread it, marinate with it . . . the options are endless once you master this incredibly easy homemade hummus.
I don't believe I even tried hummus until I was in my late 20s. Even then, it was a “yeah, this is pretty good, but can I just eat a giant bowl of those pita chips.”
Then I tried my brother-in-law's homemade hummus . . .
“What is this dip?! Care if I eat 90% of it? How much is too much dip to put on one tiny cracker?” (Anyone else think a 3:1 hummus to cracker ratio is just right?)
My fridge has been stocked with hummus ever since. Problem is, as much as I love store-bought Sabra hummus (especially the pine nut flavor), it just doesn't compare to my BIL's homemade hummus that was like a warm, fluffy, cloud of creamy heaven.
Well, after conquering this sweet Cookie Dough Hummus, I decided it was time to master the savory side of things.
I did a ridiculous amount of research, spent hours peeling chickpeas to get maximum creaminess, tested four different brands of tahini, and adjusted seasonings more times than I can count to finally be able to bring you
THE BEST EVER HUMMUS RECIPE I'VE EVER DIPPED A PITA CHIP IN.
Ahhh! I'm so excited to get this in your hands, let's do it!
Quick note: Garbanzo Beans and Chickpeas are the same thing. I just wanted to clarify that so no one is confused as I use the terms interchangeably.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE CREAMY INSTANT POT HUMMUS
- No peeling chickpeas. I agree that removing that outer layer will get you super creamy hummus, but dang, I don't have time for such tedious activities. Instead, cook your own garbanzo beans in the pressure cooker so you can overcook them until they are so soft that there is no need to peel them. More on that below!
- Don't want to take the time to cook dried garbanzo beans? I've got a trick for canned beans too! See the tips below!
- Fluffy, light, and ultra creamy – store-bought hummus gonna need to take a back seat to this version ASAP!
- Soooo good for you! Garbanzo beans are loaded with protein and fiber and if you choose to dip veggies in it instead of a bag of pita crisps, you've got yourself a super healthy snack/dinner. I've lightened this version up a bit as well – 3 cheers for homemade food!
HOW TO MAKE HUMMUS IN THE PRESSURE COOKER
- Add beans, water, and salt to the pressure cooker pot
- Cook until very tender (about 50 minutes)
- When done, give them a stir, strain, and rinse with cold water
- Put chickpeas and other hummus ingredients in a food processor
- Blend for 4-5 minutes, scraping down sides as needed
- Smooth, creamy, fluffy hummus!
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST HUMMUS
- Overcook dried chickpeas/garbanzos beans for the smoothest hummus. After 50 minutes in the pressure cooker, they are so soft you can smash them with ease between your fingertips. This softens the peels as well so there is no need to discard them.
- If you would prefer to use a can of garbanzo beans, but still don't want the task of peeling the skins off, strain and reserve the liquid of a can of beans, place the beans in the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes with a full natural release. At this point, they will be very soft and ready to make ultra-creamy hummus. Use the reserved liquid from the can in place of the water written for in the recipe.
- This hummus recipe only needs 1 1/2 cups of cooked beans, but I like to cook a pound of beans at a time so I can freeze the extra for more batches of easy hummus another day.
- The brand of tahini matters, BIG TIME! Some tahini is bitter and so thick it's impossible to stir once chilled. Soom Tahini is hands down the best I've ever tried and will make your homemade hummus taste amazing.
- Add lemon juice! Add a little or a lot, hummus really needs that bright note.
- Not all hummus recipes ask for olive oil, but I found that the addition makes it even creamier at room temperature and when chilled.
- I prefer roasted garlic to raw any day, and it tastes amazing in this hummus. I buy big containers of it from the olive bar at grocery stores and freeze it so I always have roasted on hand.
- Use ice water for processing the hummus. It really does make an impact on the texture of the final product.
- I prefer a food processor for this job, but a high-speed blender will work with a little patience. You'll have to scrape it more often but it works!
- Hummus freezes so well! Freeze it flat in a freezer-safe ziptop bag or freeze it in single-serving sizes so you can take out one chunk of hummus at a time (more on that below).
HOW TO STORE, REHEAT, AND FREEZE HUMMUS
- Store: Hummus can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.
- Reheat: Hummus is delicious when chilled, but tastes best at room temperature. Let it sit on the cupboard for 30 minutes before eating if possible. Hummus doesn't heat well in the microwave from my experience.
- Freeze: Freeze hummus flat in a freezer-safe ziptop bag. To freeze it in single servings, line a sheet pan with nonstick foil or parchment paper and put scoops of hummus on top. Freeze, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to eat, let sit at room temperature for an hour or two until soft. For quicker thawing, place bag of hummus in warm water for 15 minutes or so.
WHAT TO DIP IN HOMEMADE HUMMUS
- Vegetables: carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, snap peas, etc
- Bread: warm pita bread, naan bread, flat bread, all the bread!
- Crackers and chips: pita chips, Wheat Thins, rice crackers, bagel chips, etc
MORE WAYS TO USE HUMMUS
- Hummus Sandwich Spread: swap mayo for hummus for a healthier, more flavorful sandwich or wrap!
- Hummus Deviled Eggs: Mix hummus into the egg yolk mixture – the ultimate secret ingredient.
- Hummus Salad Dressing: Thin it with warm water or olive oil, add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar and voila! Salad dressing!
- Hummus Mashed Potatoes: Add 2-3 spoonfuls of hummus to your mashed potatoes and mix as usual.
- Hummus Marinade: Thin with a little oil and marinate chicken or pork. When you grill or bake it, there will be a lovely hummus crust.
VARIATIONS OF HOMEMADE HUMMUS
- Caramelized Onion Hummus: Blend in these Instant Pot Caramelized Onions!
- Roasted Pine Nut Hummus: Roast pine nuts (or any nut really) and stir in at the end.
- Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus: Chop sun-dried tomatoes, mix with Italian seasoning, and swirl into hummus
- Spicy Hummus: Add a big squeeze of Sriracha hot sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
Homemade Hummus is just so cheap, cheerful, and simple – I hope you make it ASAP! Your dipping, spreading, scooping future looks extremely bright and creamy.
Give it a try and let me know what you think! If you have your own flavor mix-in favorites, let me know in the comments. I can't wait to experiment even more.
INSTANT POT RECIPES TO USE HOMEMADE HUMMUS
- Instant Pot Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl
- Instant Pot Smashed Hummus Potatoes
- Instant Pot Whole Roasted Cauliflower on a bed of Hummus
TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT HUMMUS
PrintInstant Pot Hummus
Smooth, creamy Hummus made with the help of the Instant Pot!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dip
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Vegetarian
Scale
Ingredients
For the Chickpeas
- 1 pound dried chickpeas beans (aka garbanzo beans), rinsed and sorted
- 6 cups water
For the Hummus
- 1 ½ cups overcooked chickpeas (see note about using canned beans)
- ½ cup tahini (see notes)
- 3 – 5 tablespoons ice cold water
- 2 cloves garlic (roasted if you prefer a mild/sweet garlic flavor)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 ½ lemons)
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Optional garnishes: olive oil, paprika, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, etc
Instructions
- Place beans and water into the pressure cooker pot.
- Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 50 minutes (this cook time will make them very soft, perfect for this hummus).
- When cooking is complete, use a natural release.
- Drain and rinse the beans with cold water.
To make Hummus
- Place 1 ½ cups of the cooked beans in the bowl of a food processor. Add tahini, 3 tablespoons of ice water, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, and salt.
- Blend until mixture is very smooth, about 4-5 minutes, stopping to scrape it down a couple times if needed. Add extra ice water, if needed, to get the desired consistency.
- Transfer mixture to a bowl or serving dish and use a spoon to make pretty swooshes. If desired, garnish with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of herbs or spices (paprika looks nice). Serve with toasted pita bread, crackers, or vegetables.
- Store leftover hummus covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
- You will only use 1 ½ cups of the cooked beans for this recipe. Freeze the rest on a sheet pan, then once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag. This will make homemade hummus even easier the next time!
- Hummus can also be prepared in a high powered blender. Be sure and scrape the sides a few times to make sure everything gets well incorporated.
- For a short cut version of this recipe, drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans (reserve the liquid to use for your “water” in the recipe). Place the beans in the pressure cooker pot and add enough water to just cover them. Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes with a full natural release. This will soften the skins enough that you won’t need to peel them.
- Use a good quality brand of tahini. Soom is my favorite.
- Use roasted garlic if you don’t like a strong garlic flavor. This can roast it yourself, or check your grocery stores olive bar for already roasted garlic cloves.
- Hummus freezes very well. Freeze flat in a freezer safe bag or portion it in ice cube trays if you only use a little hummus at a time.
Keywords: Creamy Hummus, Homemade Hummus, Instant Pot Hummus
Hi. I’m really looking forward to making this! I don’t have a scale. About how many cups is a pound of chickpeas? Thanks!
Sarah, 1 pound of beans is equal to 2 cups of dried beans. I hope that helps!
It did, and the hummus was fantastic! My family loved it! Thank you!
★★★★★
I love hummus, but sometimes different brands are so salty to me. I really like having control over the ingredients. This was AMAZING! I added bagged sun dried tomatoes because it was what I had on hand, and it still added great flavor. Another great recipe, thank you! 🙂
★★★★★
Kat, I’m so glad you liked it! And I love the sun-dried tomato idea so much. Did you just throw them in the food processor?
Yes! 🙂 Just tossed them in, kept the food processor going, and taste tested to see if I needed more. (It was sun dried tomatoes with Italian basil, julienned) This was my second time using them, and I added a little more this time. So good! <3
Kat, that will be my next batch! Thanks for the tips.
Just made batch of this and it’s the best hummus I’ve ever tasted. The addition of cumin is new to me and makes a big difference. I happened to have some chana dal left over from making tadka dal. It’s the middle of the chick pea only so no outer skins to worry about. I cooked it on high for 40mins in the instant pot, rinsed in cold water and blended with the other ingredients. Hummus heaven! 🤤
★★★★★
Sandra, oh wow, I’ve actually never heard of using chana dal. Thank for educating me! Thanks for reporting back and I’m ecstatic that you loved it!
I made this today exactly as directed, from the dried chickpeas to the roasted garlic. I’ve made a lot of hummus using a lot of different recipes and this is by far the best! Topped it with olive oil and smoked paprika. My toddler was eating it by the spoonful. Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Mandy, yay! I love this hummus so much and I get super excited when other people do too 🙂
Good for your kiddo! My kids are less enthusiastic, yet my girl would eat tons of it when she’s was little. Oh well more for me!
I ordered the Soom tahini online and it arrived within days. We humus was smooth and the seasonings very good. This recipe is one I will definitely use again! Thank you for all your tips! They made a difference!
★★★★★
Cheri, I’m so glad this recipe could deliver for you! I love the Soom tahini, it is the best I’ve ever tried.
I have made hummus several different ways. I can not wait to try your version. One thing I have done in the past is substitute lime for the lemon and added about 1-2 teaspoons of cumin. It makes a nice twist on the recipe.
Cliffa, that sounds amazing! I will definitely be trying that, thank you!
There is a much easier way to make Humus, which I discovered when reading about chick pea flour. It tastes much better too. Dry chickpea flour is cooked (stove top) then add your tahini, lemon, garlic, oil, etc in the blender and process. You are now done, added flavorings if you like.
Carol, Oh my goodness, I didn’t know about this!!! I happen to have chickpea flour in my freezer from an experiment I did, this will be perfect!
21/3 cups water
3/4 cup (90) grams chick pea flour (Vita Mix and grind your own, CHEAPER)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Bring water to boil, add flour and salt. Cooking for 1 minute med high always whisking, lower heat and whisk 4-5 more minutes until thickened. Its like making polenta, best done with an induction plate (if you have one!) Let cool then to the Vita Mix adding the normal stuff: tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin and cayenne until nice and smooth.
Book: The Chickpea Flour Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury
I’m intrigued by this! I have some chick pea flour and would like to try this method. Could you possibly post some details like how much water to flour and how long to cook it for please?🙏🙂
Y-U-M! I can’t wait to try this…bag of chickpeas, I’m looking at you! Lol. I’m so glad I have you to do all the work so I can just enjoy making yummy stuff. Thanks! 😉
Seriously, this sounds amazing!
Cecilia
★★★★★
You’re the best Cecilia 🙂 You’re gonna fall in love with this one!
I thought ‘Soom’ was tahini ??
★★★★
Donna, I had to scan the post to see what you meant, and there it was in the recipe card, I called Soom hummus, Thanks for the catch and I fixed it!
You can also try eating hummus the way the Israeli people eat it. They love to eat it with warm with a spoon or with roasted vegetables on top. It can be eaten for breakfast with an egg on top.
Ruth, I love that you mentioned this! Just wait till you see the recipe next week!