Chickpeas are the traditional legume blended into hummus.
Hummus is a creamy dip made by combining cooked, mashed chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. The Arabic word ḥummuṣ means chickpeas, making the dish’s name a direct reference to its principal ingredient.
Hummus is especially associated with the Levant, including Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Israel, although it is now eaten widely around the world. Recipes vary in texture and in the amount of tahini, lemon or garlic used.
A common mix-up is treating hummus as a generic name for any bean dip. Traditional hummus specifically centers on chickpeas; dishes based mainly on fava beans belong to a different family of preparations.