I Swear By Ina Garten’s Secret for the Creamiest Hummus—But What Does Our Test Kitchen Think?

Besides being delicious and easy to enjoy while chatting, hummus packs in a bit of fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based protein so I don’t get hangry when socializing—or sitting at my desk. Hummus has become such a staple in my life that I’ve started investing in Costco’s party-sized crudité trays. That way, when I’m in need of a mid-afternoon energy boost during workdays, I don’t have to stop, wash, and chop. I simply pair those carrots, peppers, broccoli, and celery with my latest batch of homemade hummus.

During my years-long quest for the perfect hummus (I’m on a perennial mission to recreate the dreamy hummus from Shukette in New York City), I’ve tried a lot of recipes and hacks to try to dial-in my ideal formula. So far, one of the most effective tricks for blitzing up the creamiest hummus is a strategy I stole from Ina Garten. It’s a bit putzy, though, so I asked our Test Kitchen if it was really worth it—and if they had any other ideas to help make any homemade hummus recipe silky in consistency and restaurant-quality in flavor.

Ina Garten’s Creamy Hummus Hack

Ina’s 1999 debut recipe collection, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, included a classic Hummus that’s streamlined and a cinch. Simply blend drained and rinsed chickpeas, tahini, garlic, fresh lemon juice, a few shakes of hot sauce, a generous pinch of salt, and a splash of water or the liquid from the canned chickpeas (aka aquafaba). Many fans of her Food Network show who tried it at home deemed it “fail-proof” and “flavorful,” but some described it as “too coarse [and] not creamy enough.” 

Ina was listening, and by the time she released her 2020 treasure trove, Go-To Dinners, she had perfected her Creamy Hummus recipe. Introducing the process, Ina writes that she updated that 1999 recipe adding a step that is key for “luxuriously silky hummus:” Simmer the chickpeas in baking powder-infused water for 25 minutes. Drain the water, add a fresh batch of cold H2O, then stir and strain off the skins that float to the top. She repeats this about five or six times to slip off as many of the skins as possible. Adding warm water a splash at a time during the final blending step also aids in creating a luscious finished product, she notes.

I followed Ina’s lead and was pleasantly surprised by the results. With a podcast keeping me entertained during this 40-minute recipe, it didn’t feel taxing to accomplish on a leisurely Sunday afternoon. It did take some time, though, so when Monday rolled around, I called Sarah Brekke, M.S., Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen brand manager to ask, “Is this worth it?”

“Chickpea skins are full of fiber and don’t completely break down. So by leaving them in, you’ll never get the super-silky texture you desire,” she tells me. “Here at the Test Kitchen, we agree with the science and technique of this method and recommend it if you’re willing to put the time into it to get the super-silky result.”

In fact, Brekke and her fellow recipe developers have created similar hummus dips to feature in magazines in the past, “but we most commonly just instruct home cooks to just remove the loose skins by hand from the beans before proceeding with the next steps so that the recipe is quicker and more approachable,” she explains.

How to Make Ina Garten’s Creamy Hummus

Besides the chickpea skin-removal process, the rest of Ina’s hummus 2.0 is easy. 

• Marinate garlic in lemon juice. Another common piece of feedback about Ina’s original hummus was that the garlic flavor was a bit too sharp. This version features half as many cloves per can of chickpeas. She also suggests finely grating the garlic on a microplane, then soaking them in the juice from 2 lemons while you prep the beans.
• Remove the chickpea skins. As we mentioned, this involves simmering a couple cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas in a pot of 6 cups of water and ½ teaspoon baking soda for 25 minutes. Drain the chickpeas, add them to a bowl of cold water, then remove the skins that float to the top. Drain the water again, add fresh water, and repeat this process a few more times until most of the skins are removed.
• Blend the dip. In a food processor, add the skinless chickpeas, the marinated garlic, hot sauce, warm water, paprika, salt, and pepper. Process well, then add tahini and olive oil and blend for 1 full minute, until the hummus is creamy. Add a lemon juice and salt to taste, then pour in just enough warm water (a tablespoon at a time) until the hummus is similar in texture to thick Greek yogurt.

The Verdict on Ina Garten’s Hummus

Ina wasn’t exaggerating when she billed her new hummus recipe as “luxuriously silky.” I found the texture to be terrific, and adored the balance of flavors, including nutty tahini, fruity olive oil, aromatic garlic, bright lemon, spicy hot sauce, and just enough salt.

So is it worth it? 

“Although it does take a little more time, it’s not a true ‘project recipe,’ and the end result is dreamy, so we say go for it,” Brekke says. (I wholeheartedly agree!)

If you’d like to play around with the flavor, Brekke suggests roasting garlic to use instead of raw, or mix in:

• Harissa
• Miso paste
• Gochujang (instead of hot sauce)
• Pesto

5 Other Easy Tricks to Make Creamy Hummus

If you’re crunched for time or aren’t sold on the skin-removing step, the Test Kitchen has a few alternative tips that will also help you score ultra-silky results: 

• Gear up. A high-power blender, such as Vitamix, or powerful food processor comes in clutch when you’re aiming to make smooth purées, soups, and dips.
• Mix well. “Blend the hummus for longer than you’d think it would be necessary,” Brekke suggests. “It takes awhile to really break down the starches and fibers in the beans.”
• Add more fat. If your dip still feels a bit stodgy, try adding a little more tahini or olive oil to smooth it out.
• Clear the walls. Every minute or so, stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the processor or blender, Brekke recommends. This will help any larger pieces work their way closer to the blade.
• Try adding ice. After adding all of the ingredients and mixing well, stop the mixer and toss in a cube or two of ice. Pulse to begin to break the ice down, “then run the food processor for a few minutes to break down and incorporate the ice—and subsequent air bubbles into the hummus,” Brekke says.