Hummus with Za’atar Butter

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Learn how to make the creamiest homemade hummus! Then stir in roasted garlic and top with Za’atar-spiced butter for an elegant yet easy appetizer recipe.

Homemade hummus with zaatar butter in a bowl with pita chips.


 

There are 2 secrets to the best hummus of your life: 1). start with dried chickpeas, and 2). remove their skins. These tips will transform your homemade hummus into the stuff of Mediterranean dreams.

The clarified butter and za’atar spice are optional but highly recommended. They add extra richness and flavor and make every bite drool-worthy (and the butter reminds me of my Midwestern roots).

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for homemade Hummus with Zaatar Butter.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Dried chickpeas: Starting with soaked, dried beans is my preferred method for the creamiest and best homemade hummus. Add the beans to a bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of water, then soak overnight. Drain and discard soaking liquid, then proceed with the hummus recipe instructions below.
  • Garlic: You can use raw if you enjoy the punchy flavor, or to mellow it out a bit, blend in roasted garlic. To roast garlic, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top off a bulb of garlic so the cloves are exposed. Set the bulb on a piece of foil large enough to wrap the bulb. Top the exposed cloves with olive oil and wrap the bulb tightly in foil. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a knife slides easily into the middle of the bulb. The garlic can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
  • Clarified butter: This is butter that’s been cooked down so it’s possible to remove the milk solids. To clarify butter, melt the butter over low heat (do not boil). Skim off the foamy milk solids that rose to the top. Ladle the butterfat from the saucepan into a second (clean) saucepan or bowl. Leave the water in the bottom of the original saucepan (it will look like a white, milky substance). One pound of butter will yield approximately 12 ounces clarified butter; store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer.
  • Za’atar: The za’atar spice (a simple Middle Eastern blend) is awesome, but optional. I tried this combination at a restaurant during a trip Des Moines, Iowa, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it once I arrived home. To make za’atar, in a small bowl or jar with a tight fitting lid, combine 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon sumac, and 1 teaspoon salt. Store covered in the pantry for up to 6 months.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place in a stock pot with baking soda and cover with at least 1 inch of cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the chickpeas are tender, about 1 ½ to 4 ½ hours, depending on the age of your chickpeas. Drain well, reserving ¼ cup of cooking liquid.
Chickpeas in a silver colander.
  1. Pour the chickpeas onto a very clean, dry kitchen towel. Rub vigorously until dried and the paper skins start to fall off. (It is not required to remove all skins, but roasted chickpeas taste better if you do.)
Chickpeas on a white towel.
  1. In a food processor, combine chickpeas, salt, and garlic and blend for 30 seconds, periodically stopping the processor to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add tahini, lemon juice, and reserved liquid and process 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to process until you have a smooth puree. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process until incorporated.
Homemade hummus in a food processor.
  1. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with clarified butter. Top with (or stir in) Za’atar spice if desired.
Someone sprinkling seasoning onto homemade hummus.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This hummus recipe makes 10 generous 1/3-cup appetizer-sized servings. Pair with plenty of fluffy, warm pita and crunchy crudites. Or, you know, your spoon.
  • Storage: Store leftover hummus covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Your can plan: If you can’t find (or don’t want to soak) dried beans, simply trade in two 14- to 16-ounce cans of chickpeas. Reserve ¼ cup of the canning liquid for use in Step 3.
  • Spice swap: This same hummus base and clarified butter topping would be tasty with dukkah instead of za’atar, too. Or sprinkle on Everything Bagel Seasoning or your own favorite savory spice blend.
Homemade hummus with zaatar butter in a bowl with pita chips.
Hummus with Pita Chips for serving.

Recipe FAQs

What is hummus made of?

Hummus is made from chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), garlic, and olive oil. It is naturally vegan and gluten free and considered a staple of the Mediterranean diet.

What is hummus eaten with?

Enjoy hummus with pita chips, pita bread, crackers, baguette slices, or fresh vegetables like carrots, celery, and cucumbers. It’s also great as part of grain bowls and salads or spread on a sandwich.

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Homemade hummus with zaatar butter in a bowl with pita chips.

Hummus with Za’atar Butter

Learn how to make the creamiest homemade hummus! Then stir in roasted garlic and top with Za'atar-spiced butter for an elegant yet easy appetizer recipe.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 10 (⅓ cup) servings
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mediterranean
Calories 207
5 from 7 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place in a stock pot with baking soda and cover with at least 1 inch of cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the chickpeas are tender, about 1 ½ to 4 ½ hours, depending on the age of your chickpeas. Drain well, reserving ¼ cup of cooking liquid.
  • Pour the chickpeas onto a very clean, dry kitchen towel. Rub vigorously until dried and the paper skins start to fall off. (It is not required to remove all skins, but roasted chickpeas taste better if you do.)
  • In a food processor, combine chickpeas, salt, and garlic and blend for 30 seconds, periodically stopping the processor to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Add tahini, lemon juice, and reserved liquid and process 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to process until you have a smooth puree. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process until incorporated.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with clarified butter. Top with (or stir in) Za’atar spice if desired.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Dried chickpeas: Starting with soaked, dried beans is my preferred method for the creamiest and best homemade hummus. Add the beans to a bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of water, then soak overnight. Drain and discard soaking liquid, then proceed with the hummus recipe instructions below.
  2. Garlic: You can use raw if you enjoy the punchy flavor, or to mellow it out a bit, blend in roasted garlic. To roast garlic, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top off a bulb of garlic so the cloves are exposed. Set the bulb on a piece of foil large enough to wrap the bulb. Top the exposed cloves with olive oil and wrap the bulb tightly in foil. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a knife slides easily into the middle of the bulb. The garlic can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
  3. Clarified butter: This is butter that’s been cooked down so it’s possible to remove the milk solids. To clarify butter, melt the butter over low heat (do not boil). Skim off the foamy milk solids that rose to the top. Ladle the butterfat from the saucepan in to a second (clean) saucepan or bowl. Leave the water in the bottom of the original saucepan (it will look like a white, milky substance). One pound of butter will yield approximately 12 ounces clarified butter; store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer.
  4. Za’atar: The za’atar spice (a simple Middle Eastern blend) is awesome, but optional. I tried this combination at a restaurant during a trip Des Moines, Iowa, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it once I arrived home. To make za’atar, in a small bowl or jar with a tight fitting lid, combine 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon sumac, and 1 teaspoon salt. Store covered in the pantry for up to 6 months.
  5. Yield: This hummus recipe makes 10 generous 1/3-cup appetizer-sized servings. Pair with plenty of fluffy, warm pita and crunchy crudites. Or, you know, your spoon.
  6. Storage: Store leftover hummus covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  7. Your can plan: If you can’t find (or don’t want to soak) dried beans, simply trade in two 14- to 16-ounce cans of chickpeas. Reserve ¼ cup of the canning liquid for use in Step 3.

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 6gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 487mgPotassium: 246mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 25IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 2mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. You are absolutely right! Butter is what I have been missing. I have been making hummus for years and have never been able to re-create the first hummus I ever had. Thank you thank you!5 stars

  2. Ok seriously…the dried chickpeas made a HUGE difference! we are hummus people and this was excellent! Need to make a larger batch now5 stars