This Simple Step Will Make Your Homemade Hummus More Flavorful

When it comes to hummus, storebought hummus just doesn't compare to making it homemade. Not only do we have the ability to customize the flavor by adding extra garlic, using our own fine olive oil and tahini, or dressing it up with our favorite herbs and spices, but the taste and texture we're able to achieve at home is unmatched by anything pre-packaged. That is, unless, we're out to eat at our go-to Mediterranean/Middle Eastern restaurant. In which case, yes — we'll be taking extra hummus and pita to go.

Even after going the extra mile of adding authentic tahini, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and fancy extra virgin olive oil, there are times when the flavors in our hummus fall flat. With all the benefits there are to making hummus at home, there's a simple step that a lot of us may be missing, one that is crucial to its flavor. So before we give up on our hummus game, we should be patient — not just with ourselves, but with our hummus too.

Like most of the finer things in life, really good hummus takes time. As Bon Appétit notes, hummus isn't just a bland chickpea cream — it's the canvas for a wide range of colors, fragrances, and flavors. These flavors, ranging from sweet to spicy to even slightly sour, don't just need the time to blend together, they deserve it.

That's why there's an important step we need to take before dipping into that just-made hummus. According to Foodiosity, to really do our homemade hummus justice, we should let it sit in the fridge overnight before we eat it. As Foodiosity explains, doing so will allow all the beautiful ingredients within it to blend, develop, and intensify. Although this will require some pre-planning — as well as a hefty dose of self-control — the reward will be an intensely flavorful serving of hummus that's well worth the wait.