Loaded Hummus

This fully “loaded” hummus features homemade hummus (so quick + so easy!), and I serve it with warm pita (hello!) and my go-to Greek salad & feta.

Inspiration:

Oh hummus, how I love thee. Such a great snack: eat it with veggies, eat it with crackers, spread it on sandwiches, have it as a snack with salty olives. 

This fully “loaded” hummus features homemade hummus (so quick + so easy!), and I serve it with warm pita (hello!) and my go-to Greek salad & feta. Think of it as Mediterranean nachos. 

What’s up with making your own hummus? Have you ever read the food labels on a lot of store-bought hummus brands? Read those labels. A lot of store hummus has sneaky added ingredients. So here we are, making hummus from scratch. Making your own hummus is very very very simple. Trust me. You can also add fun flavors or seasonings to “make it your own.”

To save time (we are into saving time, right?), we make this super speedy version using canned chickpeas…and no one will notice the difference! Hot tip: heat your chickpeas so they’re warmed all the way through before pureeing them to make an even creamier hummus.

While your garbanzos are getting a quick warm-up on the stove, assemble this Greek-inspired salad. Warm your pita’s at the very end just before serving. Serve with your favorite protein  and salad greens and you have a weeknight meal plus hummus to snack on the remainder of the week.

Ingredients:

serves 4

Hummus:
1 15 ½ -ounce can chickpeas
1 lemon, juiced
1 clove garlic, smashed
½ cup tahini, mixed well
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons olive oil + plus more for serving.
Sumac for serving (optional)

Greek Salad:
1 sweet bell pepper, seeded and chopped
¼ red onion (or 1 scallion), thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 English cucumber, quartered and chopped
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
¼ cup parsley, leaves chopped
¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

To serve:
1/2 cup feta, cut or crumbled into large pieces
Mixed greens
Pita bread or your favorite crackers

Instructions:

Put the chickpeas and their liquid in a small pan and heat on medium low until the chickpeas are warmed through - approximately 10 minutes. Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid,  and add to a food processor with all of the remaining ingredients except for the olive oil. Process until very smooth, about 2-3 minutes. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil, then continue to process until hummus is very light and creamy, about 1 minute longer. If hummus needs to be thinned or you prefer it on the creamier end of things, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved liquid (or water). Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Meanwhile, make the salad. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables, olives, and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and red wine vinegar with salt and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the Greek salad and toss well. 

In a large pan or over an open flame, heat pita bread until just warm. Flip over and repeat. Slice into triangles. 

Transfer the hummus to a large shallow bowl or platter. Smooth the top out with a spatula or spoon. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sumac (totally optional). Top with a scoop of Greek salad and crumbled feta. Serve with warm pita triangles. Enjoy!

A few notes

Pro tip: this hummus recipe can easily be doubled to serve a crowd or ensure you have leftovers for snacking on all week.

Make this into a meal by serving with leafy greens and your favorite protein.

Did you know pre-crumbled Feta cheese has additional “anti-caking” agents added to it? Read your labels and if you can, fresh is best!