Learn how to make luxurious creamy smooth Instant Pot Hummus (Pressure Cooker Hummus) with simple, real, healthy ingredients. Hearty rich, deliciously flavorful Homemade Hummus Recipe that makes a satisfying party appetizer dip or spread.
I loooove a good hummus. Thanks to one of our Lebanese restaurant partner for making me fall in love with Middle Eastern cuisine…Falafel, Baba Ghanooj, Shawarma, Kibbeh, Taboulleh, Baklava…and Hummus!! oh just the thought of these dishes is making my mouth water! 😀
What is Hummus?
Hummus (aka houmous, humus, hommus, and hommos), is a Levantine dip or spread usually enjoyed as an appetizer with flatbread (i.e. pita). It’s also served on the side, popular among Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.
Essentially it’s a magically delicious blend of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini (toasted ground sesame paste), lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt that will capture your heart! 😉
Some people like their hummus super hearty, creamy thick & rich, while others like their hummus ultra smooth, light, & fluffy.
What We Look for in an Awesome Hummus?
- Texture: creamy smooth, not grainy; satisfyingly thick & rich
- Flavors: flavorful – balanced with complex flavors (savory-sweet-tangy-bitter-spiced) – not bland, no particular flavor over-dominates the whole dish
- Aroma: pleasantly aromatic from tahini, chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, lemon – not plain, stale and sad
How to Make Hummus?
Homemade hummus is easy to make! However, if you want to make a successfully delicious hummus, it’s very important to follow the steps, techniques, & tips.
4 Easy Steps to Make Hummus:
- Cook dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- Blend chickpeas + garlic + lemon juice
- Mix tahini + mashed chickpeas mixture
- Season & garnish. Enjoy!
*Pro Tip: Since the ingredients are so simple, the quality & flavors of the ingredients you use will make or break the hummus recipe.
After conducting many chickpeas & hummus experiments in our Instant Pot, we’re thrilled to share our yummy hummus recipe with you!! 😀
Time to make some Hearty Creamy Rich Instant Pot Hummus!
Instant Pot Hummus Step-by-Step Cooking Guide
Prepare Ingredients for making Hummus in Instant Pot.
*Note: though there are 12 garlic cloves in the photo below, after some testings, we have decided to reduce the amount in the final recipe to 6 garlic cloves.
*Pro Tip – Use Fresh Dry Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): Although chickpeas have a relatively long shelf life, older chickpeas may take a much longer cooking time to be softened. Sometimes the chickpeas can get so old & stale (even on store shelves) that they won’t cook properly even after long cooking time. So it’s best to use fresh dry chickpeas if possible.
*Pro Tip: Be sure to use high-quality tahini! Different brands of tahini can vary in flavors, some can even be unpleasantly bitter. This will largely affect the flavor of the hummus!
Optional Step – Soak Chickpeas Overnight
*Note: Proceed with this step if you prefer super soft and creamy chickpeas.
Place ½ lb (225g) dried chickpeas and 1 tbsp (17g) fine table salt in a large container.
Pour 4 cups (1L) cold water in the large container, then give it a few stirs.
Allow chickpeas to soak overnight for at least 8 – 16 hours.
*Pro Tip: If your house is very warm, place the large container in the fridge to avoid fermentation.
Rinse Chickpeas
Rinse soaked or unsoaked chickpeas under cold water. Pick out any stones or debris. Drain well.
Pressure Cook Chickpeas
Add 1 cup (225g) unsoaked chickpeas, 2 bay leaves, 1 whole garlic, and 1 halved onion in the Instant Pot.
If your chickpeas are soaked, add them all in as well.
Adding Salt:
- For Unsoaked Chickpeas: add in 1 ½ tsp (9g) fine salt.
- For Soaked Chickpeas: add in 1 tsp (6g) fine salt.
*Pro Tip: Adding salt to the chickpeas will not make it tough 🙂
Pour in 4 cups (1L) cold water, then give it a quick mix.
With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position.
Pressure Cooking Method:
- For Unsoaked Chickpeas: High Pressure 60 minutes + Natural Release 20 minutes
- For Soaked Chickpeas: High Pressure 15 minutes + Natural Release 20 minutes
After 20 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning Venting Knob to Venting Position.
When Floating Valve drops, open the lid carefully.
Purée Garlic & Chickpeas
While the chickpeas are natural releasing, submerge 6 garlic cloves with ¼ cup (63ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice in a blender for 20 – 30 minutes before blending.
*Pro Tip: Submerging the raw garlic in lemon juice will dramatically reduce the garlic’s pungency.
Discard onion and bay leaves. Taste the chickpeas and ensure they are fully cooked.
Drain the chickpeas and cooked garlic cloves really well, then set aside the chickpeas and chickpeas liquid.
*Pro Tip: Keep the chickpeas liquid you drained in a measuring cup because we will use it later.
Blend garlic with lemon juice.
*Pro Tip: You will want to blend the chickpeas while they are hot.
Add drained chickpeas, cooked garlic cloves, 1 tsp (3.2g) ground cumin, and ¾ cup (188ml) chickpeas liquid (the drained cooking liquid you saved up earlier) to the garlic lemon juice in the blender.
*Pro Tip: We like our hummus pretty thick. So, if you like thinner hummus, add 1 cup (250ml) – 1 ¼ cup (313ml) of chickpeas liquid. Be conservative with your liquid at first because you can always slowly thin out the hummus mixture.
First, blend chickpeas over the lowest speed, then increase the speed slowly to high. Blend until desired smoothness.
P.S. A powerful blender (Vitamix Blender) will help a lot. 😉
Make Instant Pot Hummus
In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 cup (250ml) tahini and mashed chickpeas mixture together.
*Pro Tip: If you are going to serve the Instant Pot Hummus immediately (with no leftover), mix in 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra virgin olive oil for extra smoothness. If not, skip this step.
Taste and season with more salt to open up the flavors. For reference, we added 2 large pinches of salt.
Serve Instant Pot Hummus
Garnish hummus with finely chopped parsley, freshly ground cumin, and paprika.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Ta da! You did it! You’ve made some awesome Yummy Creamy Rich Hummus in Instant Pot!! 😀
*Storage Tip: Homemade hummus can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.
Enjoy your Satisfyingly Luxurious Instant Pot Hummus!~ 🙂
Tools for Instant Pot Hummus
Instant Pot Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 1 whole head (40g) garlic , crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 (212g) onion , halved
- 1 teaspoon (6g) fine salt for soaked chickpeas (or for no-soak chickpeas - 1 ½ teaspoon (9g) fine salt)
- 4 cups (1L) water
- 1 teaspoon (3.2g) ground cumin
- 6 (17g) garlic cloves , crushed
- 1 cup (250ml) tahini
- ¼ cup (63ml) fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
Equipment
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Instructions
- Optional - Soak Chickpeas Overnight: Place ½ lb (225g) dried chickpeas and 1 tbsp (17g) fine table salt in a large container. Pour in 4 cups (1L) cold water, then give it a few stirs. Allow chickpeas to soak overnight for 8 - 16 hours. *Pro Tip: If your house is very warm, place container in the fridge to avoid fermentation.
- Rinse Chickpeas: Rinse soaked or no-soak chickpeas under cold water. Pick out any stones or debris. Drain well.
- Pressure Cook Chickpeas: Add 1 cup (225g) unsoaked or all of the soaked chickpeas, 2 bay leaves, 1 whole garlic, and 1 halved onion in Instant Pot. Add Salt: -For No-Soak Chickpeas: add in 1 ½ tsp (9g) fine salt. -For Soaked Chickpeas: add in 1 tsp (6g) fine salt. Pour in 4 cups (1L) cold water, then give it a quick mix. With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cooking Method: -For No-Soak Chickpeas: High Pressure 60 minutes + Natural Release 20 minutes. -For Soaked Chickpeas: High Pressure 15 minutes + Natural Release 20 minutes. Open the lid carefully.
- Purée Garlic & Chickpeas: While the chickpeas are natural releasing, soak 6 garlic cloves in ¼ cup (63ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice in a blender for 20 - 30 minutes before blending (*Pro Tip: This dramatically reduces the garlic's pungency).Discard onion and bay leaves. Taste the chickpeas and ensure they are fully cooked. Drain the chickpeas and cooked garlic cloves really well, then set aside the chickpeas and chickpeas liquid. Blend garlic with lemon juice. *Pro Tip: You will want to blend the chickpeas while they are hot. Add drained chickpeas, cooked garlic cloves, 1 tsp (3.2g) ground cumin, and ¾ cup (188ml) chickpeas liquid to the garlic lemon juice in blender. *Pro Tip: If you like thinner hummus, add 1 cup (250ml) - 1 ¼ cup (313ml) chickpeas liquid (adjust accordingly). First, blend chickpeas over the lowest speed, then increase the speed slowly to high. Blend until desired smoothness.
- Make Hummus: In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 cup (250ml) tahini and mashed chickpeas mixture together. *Pro Tip: If serving the hummus immediately (with no leftover), mix in 2 tbsp (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil for extra smoothness. If not, skip this step. Taste and season with more salt to open up the flavors (for reference, we added 2 large pinch of salt).
- Serve Instant Pot Hummus: Garnish hummus with finely chopped parsley, freshly ground cumin, and paprika. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then serve. Enjoy!~ 🙂
Notes
Nutrition
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