Roasted Garlic Hummus
This easy roasted garlic hummus with chickpeas, tahini, lemon and spices is the perfect dip. But you can also spread it on sandwiches or keep it all to yourself and make it a meal by adding lots of toppings.
With the countless varieties and options of hummus at the grocery, it can make you wonder if it’s worth making it from scratch. I always throw at least a tub in my cart on every shopping trip because it’s one of my favorite snacks with homemade crackers or veggies.
And yes, you should try making it yourself. Nothing beats your own hummus. It’s very fresh and the ingredient list doesn’t have anything extra like citric acid, which lengthens the shelf life of packaged foods. Plus you can experiment with your own spices and additions including roasted garlic.
There is something magical when you pull an entire head of roasted garlic out of the oven. The strong (and wonderful) raw garlic flavor that can hog the spotlight in many dishes takes it down a notch. It purees beautifully with the chickpeas and tahini.
How To Roast A Whole Head Of Garlic
Roasting a head of garlic is very easy. If you’ve never done it, please add it to your to-do list as soon as possible. It will fill your kitchen an irresistible aroma, at least for my fellow garlic lovers out there.
All you have to do cut the top off a whole head of garlic. You want to take off just enough, so that you can see the individual cloves. But don’t cut too far down because you will end up wasting precious garlic.
Then put the garlic head on a piece of foil on a baking sheet. Drizzle it with olive oil, and fold the foil into a loose packet. You can put multiple heads of garlic inside.
Roast at 400 degrees F for 40-45 minutes. The cloves will turn golden and be soft to the point that they are spreadable. They are really wonderful smeared on a piece of crusty bread. You can easily squeeze out the cloves or use a spoon to scoop them out.
The Ingredients
This is what you need:
- Garlic: Two heads may sound like a lot, but garlic mellows when you roast it. So don’t reduce the quantity because you think it will be too much.
- Chickpeas (a.k.a garbanzo beans) are the base of a homemade hummus recipe. They are legumes and are a good source of fiber and protein. It is up to you whether you take the time to peel off the skins. Some say this is the secret to an ultra smooth creamy texture. For convenience, I use canned rather than dry chickpeas. The can of chickpeas should be drained and rinsed.
- Tahini is paste made from ground sesame seeds, and it’s another mush-have. You will end up with more creamy hummus if you use tahini that’s on the runnier side. I know when I get to the bottom of a jar it tends to be much thicker and drier. Maybe I should do a better job stirring it!
- Lemon juice adds something bright and acidic, which balances out the roasted garlic.
- Cumin, salt & pepper are my seasoning mix for the hummus.
- Water helps to thin out the hummus as it purees in the food processor.
- Olive oil is for drizzling the heads of garlic before they roast.
How To Make Roasted Garlic Hummus
- Roast the garlic. Slice the tops off the heads of garlic. Put them on a piece of tin foil on a baking sheet. Then drizzle them with a little olive oil and fold the foil into a packet. Roast the garlic for 40-45 minutes at 400 degrees F until the cloves are golden and very soft.
- Make the hummus. Scoop out the cloves of garlic and place them in the bowl of a food processor with the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, water, cumin, salt and pepper. Puree everything. Be patient and process it for a few minutes depending on the power of your machine. Give it extra time if it needs it. The hummus is ready when it’s smooth.
- Serve the hummus. Once you have put it into a serving bowl. Don’t be shy about adding toppings. Of course you can keep things simple with just a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many things you can do with hummus. Don’t limit yourself:
The perfect dip: This one is the most obvious. Spoon the hummus into a small bowl and surround it with roasted or fresh vegetables like carrots, bell peppers and cucumbers. Pita chips, crackers and pretzels are good options for something salty and crunchy. You can garnish the hummus with toasted pine nuts and chopped fresh parsley.
A healthy sandwich spread: It doesn’t matter if it’s warm pita bread or something more basic and sliced, hummus is a healthier choice than mayo or other condiments to slather onto any sandwich.
The hummus bowl: If you’re in the mood for A LOT of hummus, put it into a bowl with plenty of space for toppings. Great options include roasted tomatoes, feta and olives. You can even add a protein like shredded chicken or baked tofu. Then you have turned your hummus into lunch or dinner instead of just an appetizer or snack.
Storing Hummus
If you have leftover hummus, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing it because it will change the texture and consistency.
More Hummus Recipes
Smoked Almond Hummus
Sweet Potato Hummus
Spicy Grilled Veggie Sandwich
Roasted Garlic Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 heads of garlic
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1-15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup runny tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional toppings: chopped fresh parsley crumbled feta, roasted tomatoes, olives
- Serving suggestions: pita chips cut raw vegetables such as carrots, peppers or cucumbers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice the tops off the whole garlic heads, so all the cloves are visible. Place the heads on a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil. Fold into a loose packet.
- Roast the garlic for 40-45 minutes until the cloves are soft and have turned light golden brown.
- Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the heads and place them in the bowl of a food processor with the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, water, cumin, salt and pepper. Puree the ingredients until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Spoon the hummus into a bowl or on a serving dish. Garnish with desired toppings. Serve with pita chips, crackers and raw veggies.
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