Hummus is a creamy dip or spread made from mashed chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds), lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. It originated thousands of years ago in the Middle East and remains popular throughout that region and around the world today.

The chickpeas are cooked until soft, then blended with the other ingredients until smooth. The result tastes nutty, tangy, and savory all at once. People typically eat hummus by scooping it up with warm pita bread, spreading it on sandwiches, or using it as a dip for raw vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers.

You'll find hummus in most grocery stores, often in the refrigerated section near other dips. Some versions include extra ingredients like roasted red peppers, extra garlic, or pine nuts on top. Making hummus at home is straightforward: if you have a food processor or blender and the basic ingredients, you can create your own batch in just a few minutes.

When you see it on a menu or in a store, it's pronounced HUM-iss or HOO-miss.