These 10-Second Tricks Will Instantly Upgrade Your Hummus (2024)

Updated: Jan. 31, 2024

Hummus is a healthy, tasty snack—and it's incredibly easy to jazz up. If you've been wondering how to make hummus taste better, we've got a few easy hacks everyone will love!

Hummus is wonderful as a snack or side when you’re having people over to nosh. But sometimes you want a little more from your store-bought hummus. If you’re ready to take your snack to the next level, check out our tips and tricks on how to make hummus taste better in under a minute.

When you want to go the extra mile, here’s how to make hummus from scratch.

How to Make Store-Bought Hummus Taste Better

Add a Pop of Pomegranate

If you’re deciding on a festive appetizer to serve up at your next holiday gathering, try adding pomegranate seeds to your hummus. The jewel-like seeds instantly transform hummus from a humble dip to an eye-catching starter. The mix of sweetness and crunchy texture adds a surprising twist.

Don’t let the idea of wrestling the seeds out of the fruit put you off—deseeding a pomegranate is easier than you think. The bonus part? Pomegranates have loads of health benefits and adding the seeds to your hummus is a simple way to get more of the juicy fruit into your diet.

Squeeze a Lil’ Lemon

These 10-Second Tricks Will Instantly Upgrade Your Hummus (1)boxoflight/Getty Images

A squeeze of fresh lemon adds a fantastic pop of acidity to store-bought hummus. Mix in about half a lemon’s worth of juice to bring a little brightness to your hummus.

Add Some Nice Spice

It’s time to delve into your spice cabinet! Spices like paprika, cayenne pepper and sumac all lend a marvelous layer of nuance to a classic hummus dip. Seasoning your hummus with spices is perfect when you want to supercharge your hummus dishes with flavor. This trick also works with making canned soup taste better.

Stir in Yogurt or Tahini

If your store-bought hummus isn’t as creamy as you’d like it, or it’s a little bland and could use some added flavor, a spoonful or two of greek yogurt or tahini will do the trick!

Drizzle on Olive Oil

For that restaurant appearance (and taste), add a little drizzle of olive oil on top of your hummus before serving. You’ll want to make sure you go with a quality olive oil to ensure an elevated taste.

Use a Fun Mix-In

These 10-Second Tricks Will Instantly Upgrade Your Hummus (2)Svetlana Monyakova/Getty Images

Give your plain hummus a burst of color and flavor by adding things like mashed avocados, pesto or even canned pumpkin puree. The mashed avocado and pesto will give the hummus a vibrant green color, giving your snack spread an eye-appealing look. Each of these mix-ins will add to the creaminess of the dip while creating an earthy flavor that’s not too overwhelming.

Did you know adding vegetables to store-bought spaghetti sauce makes it taste better too?

Mash in Chickpeas

For those who like a little added texture to their dips, try coarsely mashing in a few chickpeas to your hummus (the key here is not to mash them too much). You could even go as far as roasting the chickpeas before adding them to the dip. It’ll give the hummus a nice crunch and if you add some spices and seasonings to the chickpeas while they’re roasting, a nice kick of flavor will be added too.

Garnish Away

A simple touch of fresh chopped green onions, chives, parsley, rosemary or dill is another brilliant way to add more flavor to your hummus. Just add the herb of your choice (or use a mix!), drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle on some sea salt.

Sprinkle on the Seeds

These 10-Second Tricks Will Instantly Upgrade Your Hummus (3)StudioMikara/Getty Images

Toasted sesame seeds make another wonderful addition to store-bought hummus, giving the hummus a rich, nutty flavor. You can toast sesame seeds at home in a skillet or buy them from your local supermarket.

Try Our Top Hummus Recipes

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These 10-Second Tricks Will Instantly Upgrade Your Hummus (2024)

FAQs

These 10-Second Tricks Will Instantly Upgrade Your Hummus? ›

A simple touch of fresh chopped green onions, chives, parsley, rosemary or dill is another brilliant way to add more flavor to your hummus. Just add the herb of your choice (or use a mix!), drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle on some sea salt.

What can I add to hummus to make it taste better? ›

Ground cumin and salt: Both improve the flavor of our hummus, and the cumin adds a little extra richness and spice. In our video, I sprinkle Za'atar seasoning on top for serving, which I love!

Why does my homemade hummus taste bland? ›

As I'm sure you're aware, chickpeas don't have a lot of flavour to them, so they need some pretty punchy ingredients to make it what it is. Yes, adding things like cumin or paprika will make it more interesting, but at the end of the day, if there isn't enough salt and lemon (acid), it will taste bland and insipid.

Does hummus taste better the next day? ›

Hummus will tend to thicken overnight and you can loosen the mixture by adding water or more lemon, to taste. Hummus tastes the best when made fresh but that doesn't mean it doesn't taste good days after it's made. It's incredibly convenient and necessary to have hummus in your fridge throughout the week.

How long does hummus last in the fridge? ›

Homemade varieties will generally last anywhere from 3-4 days, whereas store-bought brands generally lasts 6-7 days after opening. These estimates assume that it maintains a refrigerated temperature; as we mentioned already, the shelf life of hummus is diminished greatly if it does not remain chilled.

Why do you put baking soda in hummus? ›

Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are always superior to garlic powder, and it's especially true in homemade hummus! Baking soda: Adding baking soda to the chickpeas helps make the legume easier to digest, softer, and makes them easy to peel. Don't skip this ingredient!

Why does shop bought hummus taste better? ›

Hummus may also be better left outsourced to a commercial manufacturer. Some people swear that store-bought hummus can be just as good if not better than the homemade kind with the addition of one ingredient — olive oil. This type of oil, it seems, gives the hummus a richer texture and may even add some extra flavor.

How to jazz up homemade hummus? ›

You can take hummus over the top with the fried garlic and lemon topping from this recipe. Or, to get it on the table faster, stick with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, sumac or paprika, pine nuts, Aleppo pepper, and/or za'atar on top.

Why is homemade hummus so much better? ›

Freshness: The Homemade Advantage

By using freshly cooked chickpeas, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and top-notch tahini, you're guaranteed a hummus that bursts with flavor. On the other hand, store-bought hummus, while convenient, often lacks the same level of freshness.

Can you over mix hummus? ›

Tip: you can't overmix hummus, so be patient and stand there, thinking about things. It's called mindfulness, and I'm pretty sure that only applies to hummus. Then we like to serve it with za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend that usually has dried thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds.

Why can't you eat hummus after 2 days? ›

But both varieties should last up to 7 days in the refrigerator (for prepared hummus this applies once the container is opened). Like any food, hummus is perishable and is prone to spoilage. When the product no longer smells or tastes the same as it did when originally purchased or prepared, it is time to throw it out.

How to make homemade hummus less bland? ›

Add Some Nice Spice

Spices like paprika, cayenne pepper and sumac all lend a marvelous layer of nuance to a classic hummus dip. Seasoning your hummus with spices is perfect when you want to supercharge your hummus dishes with flavor. This trick also works with making canned soup taste better.

How to correct too much garlic in hummus? ›

Mix it with cooked pasta and chopped fresh tomato. Delicious. The acidity of the tomato should neutralize the garlic flavor some. Mixing into the pasta mixture some good-quality olive oil to taste might take away some of the garlic flavor as well if it still persists despite the addition of tomatoes.

Can I freeze my homemade hummus? ›

Hummus freezes well for about four months. The longer you freeze hummus, the more likely it is to change flavor and texture. If you have a lot of hummus to freeze but want to thaw it out in small amounts, use several freezer bags to divide it. Place your desired amount in the bag and press out as much air as possible.

How to tell hummus is bad? ›

“Telltale signs can include an off odor, discolorations, dark spots, or mold." Always check your hummus before eating it to make sure it's still fresh—and when in doubt, it's best to toss it out.

What does hummus taste best with? ›

What To Eat With Hummus: 23 Delicious Ideas
  • Vegetables. A colorful array of vegetables make for fantastic hummus companions, enhancing both taste and texture. ...
  • Pita bread. Soft, pillowy pita bread is the ideal vessel for scooping up creamy hummus. ...
  • Pita chips. ...
  • Pretzels. ...
  • Crackers. ...
  • Falafel. ...
  • Apples. ...
  • Chickpeas.
Aug 17, 2023

What can I use instead of tahini in hummus? ›

Peanut Butter – We use peanut butter instead of tahini because it has a similar texture and nuttiness to it. Feel free to swap it out for almond butter, but note that you may need to add more liquid if it is on the denser side. Smooth peanut butter would be preferred, but chunky also works great!

What vegetables taste good in hummus? ›

We especially love rainbow carrots – they go great with our THAI COCONUT CURRY flavor!
  • SPAGHETTI SQUASH. Spaghetti squash is high in B vitamins and potassium, and low in fat, carbs and calories. ...
  • SWEET POTATO. Sweet potatoes have endless health benefits! ...
  • AVOCADO. ...
  • BELL PEPPERS. ...
  • GREENS. ...
  • ZUCCHINI. ...
  • CAULIFLOWER.

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