Whip up an easy hummus and pita meal with creamy, flavorful hummus paired with warm, fluffy pita! Ready in just 20-minutes, this easy recipe is perfect for snacking, sharing, or adding a Mediterranean touch to any meal.
We consistently use this vegan dip as an appetizer, spread or condiment to other Mediterranean dishes for lunch and dinner such as Falafel Pita.
You can use this easy hummus as a sandwich spread, chip dip, or like we do here, on pita triangles. Looking for more fun dips and spreads, Old Fashioned Pimento Cheese is a perfect option. Peach Mango Salsa is a quick twist on pico de gallo.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Hummus and Pita is an easy recipe that comes together in just a few minutes!
- Easily customize toppings such as more oil, sprinkling on spices, or making Harissa Hummus.
- It's inexpensive and uses few ingredients.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chickpeas: We are using canned here, so most of the work of cooking is already done for you. Use any leftover chickpeas to make Eggplant Shawarma.
- Baking Soda: This is a secret tip for softening up the beans.
- Ice Water: An important trick I learned while reading up on hummus for the creamiest hummus ever.
- Tahini: The classic sesame flavor is what you think of when you enjoy hummus. Found at most local grocers.
- Olive Oil: A touch of fat always helps tie everything together. Use extra virgin olive oil for a stronger taste.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Go ahead and give a runny almond butter a try in place of tahini for a new twist.
- Sprinkle paprika, marinated olives, or Schug on top of the finished hummus.
- Try canned white beans for a bean hummus!
- Make a loaded hummus topped with grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, fresh parsley, feta cheese and red onion. Use pita chips or tortilla chips to dip.
- I also love using the toppings mentioned above to make a cold veggie pizza recipe with loaded hummus! Try making individual size 'hummus pizzas' with pitas. Cut hummus and pita into triangles and serve.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How To Make Easy Classic Hummus
Step 1: Add baking soda to water over your canned beans. Simmer to soften.
Step 2: Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
Step 3: Grill pita with garlic and olive oil. Slice into triangles.
Step 4: Drizzle hummus with oil and herbs then serve hummus and pita. You can also serve this with my chicken shawarma bowl recipe!
Expert Cooking Tips
- After a couple years of trying to figure out how Galit, a Michelin star restaurant in Chicago, makes such creamy and light hummus I finally figured out a way. Ice water is a wonderful trick I learned from reading Eden Grinshpan's, Eating Out Loud, cookbook. This aids in the fluffiness of tahini sauce and hummus, making a super creamy and tasty spread. The light and fluffy texture goes really well on chicken shawarma!
- While we are already using cooked beans, giving them a quick simmer with baking soda will soften them even more.
Recipe FAQs
Store your homemade hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I'll sometimes add a thin layer of olive oil over the top to help lock out air from the surface of the hummus. You can also freeze portions of hummus in an ice cube tray! This way you can make it ahead of time. If you have leftover pita, store the hummus and pita separately wrapped.
Cashew butter or peanut butter will work for a substitute in hummus when you don't have tahini. Almond butter can also be substituted. This will alter the end result slightly but it works in a pinch. Look for natural options without sugar. You might need a bit more water too, just keep an eye on the texture.
You need something high powered for sure. This isn't a texture you can manually create. If you have a high-powered blender like Vitamix or Blendtec, that is perfect. A food processor will also work quite well.
This is totally up to you! Picking the skins off the garbanzo beans is a bit tedious but will give you a slightly smoother hummus. If using a high powered blender, truthfully you won't really notice a difference. Picking skins off is something I would focus on more for restaurant service rather than home cooking. When at home, most of the time I don't worry about picking skins off. Either way, your hummus and pita dish will be fit to eat!
Pressure cooking chickpeas will break them down more quickly than boiling however, I opt for adding a bit of baking soda while boiling as it also helps break down the chickpea for easier blending.
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📖Recipe
Easy Hummus and Pita
Equipment
- 1 high powered blender or food processor Vita Prep works best
Ingredients
- 15 oz canned chickpeas drained
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup tahini paste
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt diamond crystal brand
- ½ cup ice water for extra creamy, fluffy hummus
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
Pitas
- 4 pitas
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt diamond crystal brand
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- Add drained chickpeas plus 1½ cans of water to a medium sauce pot along with ½ teaspoon baking soda and bring to a boil for 10 minutes
- Drain chickpeas and rinse well in cold water
- Blend chickpeas, tahini paste, salt and cold water in a high powered blender or food processor
- Add lemon juice, cumin and garlic then blend until smooth
- Drizzle a bit of olive oil and paprika for garnish
Pita
- Warm a large skillet or a grill pan over medium heat
- Mix olive oil, salt, and minced garlic together then brush each pita with a small amount of the mixture
- Warm each side of the pitas in the pan then cut into triangles and serve
Tammy
This hummus is delicious! So creamy and flavorful. I love how easy it is to make. Why buy hummus when you can make this delicious recipe. Perfect as a side for dinner or a snack !
Krista
The easiest super creamy hummus! Love this recipe