The 1-Ingredient Upgrade for the Creamiest Hummus (It Costs Zero Dollars)

We’re pretty much never without hummus in my house. The luscious dip is an almost-daily snack for my husband, paired with either pita or pretzel chips, and a everyday lunch component for me, whether I spread it on avocado toast or dollop it generously on a grain bowl.

When we’re short on time we’ll pick up a tub or two from the grocery store, but I’ve found that if I have a couple extra minutes to spare on a Sunday, I can easily whip up hummus for the week with a can of chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic.

My homemade hummus was always good but never great until I discovered the most brilliant trick to improving it: Add an ice cube to the food processor. This small (and free!) addition makes the hummus lighter, fluffier, and so much creamier.

Add an Ice Cube to Your Homemade Hummus

Whether you use chickpeas you’ve cooked yourself or canned chickpeas when making hummus, adding an ice cube vastly improves the texture. This is especially true of hummus made with canned chickpeas, which is more convenient but tends to be a little less creamy than hummus made with chickpeas you cooked yourself.

For this trick, combine the tahini and olive oil in a food processor then add the garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice, water, and salt as our recipe states. Before you close the lid, add an ice cube. That's it!

Process the hummus as directed, being sure to blend it longer than you might think—at least five minutes or more—scraping down the sides of the bowl to incorporate anything that climbs up the sides.

Why does this work? The ice whips and aerates the mixture as it blends, resulting in smoother, fluffier hummus. And the longer you process the hummus the better, because the more air will be incorporated into it.

5 Hummus Recipes To Try

• Buffalo Hummus
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Beet Hummus
• Pea Hummus
• Basil Hummus