I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about hummus, just because the recipe ^[1] I link back to most often on here requires that you soak dried chickpeas, cook them, then blend them. None of this is hard, but it does ask that you plan out your hummus cravings in advance.

But hummus can entail a whole lot less work than that. Less work, even, than going to the store to buy pre-made hummus if you’ve got a very few pantry items around. (I don’t really understand supermarket hummus, because it doesn’t taste like hummus to me. It tastes gritty and sour. Okay, I hate it. And why eat subpar condiments when good hummus is so easy and cheap to make at home?! And now you know what sparked the writing of this post.)

To de-mystify the multiple forms of the food we call hummus, I decided to make a stop on my Middle Eastern exploration ^[2] to show you the ins and outs of the insanely popular ^[3] chickpea-based dip and clue you into the fact that pretty decent hummus is only one can of chickpeas and a glug of olive oil away.

Also, did you see today’s New York Times piece ^[4] about the cookbook Jerusalem ^[5]? Middle Eastern food is trendy.

**Four Ways to Make Hummus at Home**

You’ll want a mini food processor ^[6] or a blender to make any hummus. As you salt to taste, you’ll probably use more than you think. Likewise for olive oil and lemon juice.

Super Low-Maintenance Hummus
Canned Chickpeas + Olive Oil + Garlic + Salt
Taking a cue from white bean dip ^[7], a cousin of hummus, this version does away with the tahini altogether. Feel free to use a heavy hand with the olive oil (3 to 4 tablespoons per can of beans), which is what will give your dip body. Use 1 clove of garlic and squeeze in some lemon juice if you have. Great for when you’re a houseguest or in a vacation rental and the pantry just so happens not to be stocked with tahini and there isn’t a specialty store across the street.

Also Low-Maintenance Tahini Dip
Tahini + Garlic + Lemon + Water + Salt
On falafel, it’s often tahini dip, not hummus, that adds flavor to your pita sandwich. Tahini Dip is really thinned, flavored tahini sauce, which you can make to suit your tastes, both flavor and texture wise. My mom’s of Start with about a 1/2 cup of tahini, then add 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 or 2 cloves of garlic (mince it into a paste), and salt. Add a little more water or lemon to thin and garnish with parsley or cilantro lying about.

Straightforward and Good Hummus
Canned Chickpeas + Tahini + Olive Oil + Lemon + Garlic + Salt
This hummus is a variation on my Rich Homemade Hummus ^[1], only made with canned beans instead of freshly cooked ones. Use a little bit of the broth from the can to add flavor. For each can, I like to use about 1/4 cup of tahini, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 garlic clove, and the juice of 1 lemon, but play around to find the balance of richness and tanginess that you prefer. This is easily doubled, tripled, quadrupled for a crowd.

Time-to-Plan-Ahead Deliciously Creamy Hummus
Dried Chickpeas + Cooking Time + Tahini + Olive Oil + Lemon + Garlic + Salt
This is the best homemade hummus ever ^[1], in my humble opinion, especially when served just a little bit warm. Food52 ^[8] and Smitten Kitchen ^[9] have recently shared cool tips for achieving ultimate creaminess, if you’d like to flirt with perfectionism.

See also: Herby Avocado Hummus ^[10] and 9 Dips That Aren’t Hummus ^[11].

This sponsored post is part of an ongoing collaboration with Sargento ^[12], called Flavor Journey. Throughout the year, with the support of Sargento, I’m exploring Middle Eastern cuisine–at home, in Brooklyn, at cooking classes, and wherever the flavors may take me. You can see the whole series here ^[2]. Sponsored posts let me do some of my best work on this blog, and I only ever work with brands whose values and products mesh with the content I love to produce for you. Here’s my affiliate disclosure ^[13].