Instant Pot Hummus

This Instant Pot Hummus has quickly become one of my go-to dips. It's healthy and packed with protein, so I don't have to feel guilty about eating half the container in one sitting.

hummus in a brown bowl topped with paprika with a lemon on side

(which is literally exactly what happens) It also perfectly combines all the Middle Eastern flavors I love — chickpeas, garlic, tahini, and lemon juice — in a smooth and creamy dish.

One of the reasons that this simple hummus dip is at the top of my list is that it's really, really flavorful. I'm pretty picky about hummus flavors, and this chickpea hummus dip has never let me down.

Did I mention that this delicious appetizer is ready in just 60 minutes? It's one of the healthiest Instant Pot recipes you can make, and it's also vegan and gluten-free.

Why This Recipe Works

You'll love being able to use dried chickpeas because they are cheaper than the canned variety and add a more authentic flavor to the hummus.

Cooking the chickpeas in an Instant Pot ensures that they soften to the right consistency to make a smooth and creamy hummus, so you won't have to spend hours cooking over the stove.

  • After the chickpeas are cooked, it's as simple as tossing them in the food processor to finish up the recipe.
  • This recipe from start to finish takes less than an hour of time and makes the perfect snack or appetizer.
  • You can use this as a dip for fresh veggies to add some more health to your daily diet.

Recipe Video

Recipe Ingredients

Garbanzo beans - Dried beans are what you need for this recipe. 

Onion - Choose the sweetness level that you want to add. I like using sweet onions best. 

Bay leaves - For flavor - not to be eaten. 

Tahini - This is a MUST for adding flavor. Do not omit this. 

Cloves - Garlic powder would work fine as well. 

Lemon - Limes could also be used. Bottled lemon juice would be good also. 

Cumin - Don't skimp on adding the cumin as it pairs perfectly with the tahini for flavor. 

Paprika - This will be sprinkled on as a topping. 

Extra virgin olive oil - Avocado oil could also be used here. 

How To Make Instant Pot Hummus

Before starting, be sure to gather up the listed must-have ingredients above. You don't want to start and not be able to finish this creamy hummus dip!

Step One: Add ½ cup water, 3 cups dried garbanzo beans, ½ onion, and 2 bay leaves into the Instant Pot.

Step Two: Put on the lid and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.

Step Three: Quick release and remove the cooked ingredients from the Instant Pot.

Step Four: Add the cooked beans into the food processor.

Step Five: Add 2 T tahini, the juice of one lemon, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon cumin, and ¼ cup oil into the food processor.

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Step Six: Scoop out the hummus and add to a serving bowl. Top with paprika and serve.

Variations

Add some heat - If you're a fan of spicy hummus, make it spicy! You can use chili oil, add some chili powder, or even top the finished product with red pepper flakes.

Add new flavors - One of the best and most popular flavors of hummus just so happens to be red pepper. You can easily add some roasted red peppers into the food processor to quickly change up the taste.

Add Pine nuts - Add some on top and enjoy a wonderful dish. They can be raw or roasted and you can even use one of these pine nut substitutes.

Helpful Tips

Be sure that you use dried beans for this recipe. This recipe isn't written or created for canned, already cooked beans. The Instant Pot is used to cook the canned beans to perfection.

How to Serve

There are so many ways that you can eat and enjoy hummus. You can dip chips, crackers, veggies, or even eat it with a spoon. It's also delicious as a spread on sandwiches, too.

One of the classic ways to eat this dish is alongside falafel — I have an easy falafel recipe that pairs perfectly with homemade hummus.

You can also serve with Pita bread and Instant Pot Nachos.

Hummus also makes a delicious, creamy vegan pasta sauce. I'll add 2 tablespoons to my Instant Pot pasta primavera to add protein and flavor to the dish.

Looking for more ideas? Check out What to Serve With Hummus for 15 more easy options.

How to Store

Storing leftover hummus dip is a breeze. It's as simple as putting a lid on the hummus container and keeping it in the fridge. For best results, eat fresh hummus within 4 days of storing it.

It might have a little bit of liquid that settles on top, but don't worry. Just stir it before serving.

Recipe FAQS

Do I have to use Tahini?

Tahini, or sesame paste, is an essential ingredient in any hummus recipe. I would suggest getting your hands on this paste if you want your hummus to be creamy, nutty, and flavorful.

You can even make homemade tahini using sesame seeds and oil.

However, if you can't use sesame paste, I have found that a few other ingredients offer a similar creamy texture to the dip:

  • Peanut butter: Peanut butter is thick and creamy like sesame paste, but it also has a strong flavor. Be prepared for your hummus to taste extra nutty if you try this substitution.
  • Sesame seeds: You can blend up sesame seeds into a paste if you have a strong enough blender. However, it is tricky to match the consistency of store-bought paste, so the texture of your hummus may still be a bit off.
  • Sesame oil: This substitution works best for small batches of hummus. It has a more robust flavor than sesame paste, so use it sparingly. You may want to decrease the amount of olive oil in the recipe if you use sesame oil.
  • Greek yogurt: Substituting yogurt will significantly alter the hummus flavor, but it could still work in a pinch. If you decide to use Greek yogurt, be sure to decrease the amount of water or lemon juice you add to your hummus, as yogurt is more watery than tahini.

If you like hummus, check out this delicious falafel recipe at James Strange.

Should I soak the chickpeas?

This is where this hummus recipe is the best. Because you're going to be using your Instant Pot, you don't have to prep or think about ANYTHING ahead of time. No soaking of the chickpeas. Nothing.

However, if you're dead set on soaking them, you can. You'll need to use 1 cup of water for each 1 cup of chickpeas. Mix in a tablespoon of salt and let the chickpeas sit in the water overnight at room temperature. You can then cook them in your pressure cooker on high pressure for 15 to 20 minutes before blending them with your other ingredients.

If you want to make them completely separately, you can use this Instant Pot Chickpeas recipe.

How much hummus dip does this recipe make?

This recipe makes about 4 cups of hummus, which is a large serving size for hummus. Remember that you can enjoy this so many different ways to have fun in how you use it.

It's great for dips, but recently I've discovered that it's also really good to put inside omelets, too!

You can halve the hummus recipe if you would like to make a smaller batch. However, I would not recommend doubling it, as you will likely have trouble fitting the ingredients in your food processor and blending them smoothly.

Can I freeze hummus?

You can! You can freeze hummus for up to 6 months. So if you made too much, feel free to keep a few containers in the freezer and thaw them in the fridge overnight.

Instant Pot Dips

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Instant Pot Hummus

This Instant Pot Hummus is simple and easy and made with rich Mediterranean flavors. The perfect homemade dip!
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: garbanzo beans, Hummus, instant pot hummus
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 10
Author: Corrie

Ingredients

  • 3 cups garbanzo beans (dried chickpeas)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ onion
  • 2 bay leaves optional
  • ½ cup cooking liquid made in the recipe
  • 2 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • paprika for serving
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Add the dried chickpeas, water, onion, and bay leaves into the Instant Pot.
  • Put on the lid and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.
  • Quick release. Remove the food from the Instant Pot and add to the food processor.
  • Add in the remaining ingredients (minus the paprika) and mix until creamy.
  • Top with paprikla (optional) and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal Carbohydrates: 39g Protein: 12g Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g Monounsaturated Fat: 5g Sodium: 133mg Potassium: 567mg Fiber: 11g Sugar: 7g Vitamin A: 49IU Vitamin C: 9mg Calcium: 74mg Iron: 4mg

Video

Notes

  • Chop up the onion before adding it to the Instant Pot. 
  • Don't use canned chickpeas for this recipe. 
  • Tahini is a must, however, there are alternatives in the post that you can use in a pinch. 
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @corriecooksblog or tag #corriecooks!

6 thoughts on “Instant Pot Hummus

  1. I'm wondering if the quantity of the water on this recipe is wrong. Should the water quantity be 3 cups and the garbanzo beans 1 cup? Your photo does not look like 3 cups of beans.

  2. Hi Corrie,
    Can't wait to try this.... Only thing is the sodium, My doc has me on low salt diet. How to do I bring this to 145 mg from 250 mg of sodium?
    TIA!

    1. My nutrition tracker says this recipe should have 133 mg sodium. Make sure you are using dried chickpeas, not canned, and omit the added salt. I think that should get you there, but make sure you double check.

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