This homemade Caramelized Onion Hummus is savory and creamy. Serve this chickpea dip with vegetables, pita or tortilla chips, for a delicious and healthy appetizer or snack!
If you're looking for healthy appetizer and snack ideas, you'll be pleased to know that this Caramelized Onion Hummus is made with good for you ingredients.
Though you are most likely familiar with the taste of hummus, you may not have had the opportunity to try different flavoured hummus such as this Caramelized Onion Hummus. Adding caramelized onions to hummus adds a slightly sweet and mellow flavour to plain hummus.
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How to Make it
This Caramelized Onion Hummus recipe is so easy to make at home, though it takes a little bit of time to caramelize the onions, this homemade hummus tastes so much better than storebought.
If you would rather make plain hummus you can simply leave the caramelised onions out.
Ingredients Overview
- Onion: white or yellow
- Canned chickpeas: You could also start from dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans) if you have the time. You'll have to soak them and cook them ahead of time.
- Tahini: A sesame-seed paste made from raw or toasted sesame seeds.
- Garlic clove
- Lemon juice: Only fresh lemon juice will do, bottled lemon juice shouldn't be used here.
- Sea salt
- Extra virgin olive oil: Using a good quality olive oil makes all the difference.
Steps Overview
- To make hummus using canned chickpeas I like to start by simmering the chickpeas for about 15 minutes. This step helps to tenderize the chickpeas. Canned chickpeas tend to be firm, which is great when you're including them in salads but not so much when making hummus.
- Meanwhile, slice the onion and cook the slices in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown.
- Remove and discard the loose skins from the simmering chickpeas and drain the water. For an extra creamy and smooth hummus you can remove all of the skins from the chickpeas by gently pressing on each chickpea to pop it out of its skin.
- Let all of the ingredients come to room temperature and add them to the bowl of a food processor. Purée until all of the ingredients are well blended and creamy. If you don't own a food processor you can also use a high-powered blender to make hummus.
Serving Suggestions
To garnish the hummus with some frizzled onions, slice up half a small onion into very thin slices and fry in oil until brown and crisp. Lay the onions on a paper towel to remove the excess oil and then use it as a garnish.
Hummus can be served as an appetizer, snack or as a side dish. Transfer the hummus into a shallow bowl. Drizzle with a touch of extra-virgin olive oil, (or better yet use the olive oil you used to frizzle the onions in) and sprinkle with paprika or cayenne.
What to Eat with Hummus
Hummus can be eaten as a dip with pita chips, bagel chips or crackers. I also love this chickpea dip with fresh vegetables. Try it with carrot and celery sticks, sliced radishes and sweet peppers, so delicious!
You can enjoy hummus as a spread. Spread hummus on pita or other bread, add a drizzle of olive oil and if you like spicy food you can add a touch of cayenne. Or for something more filling, spread hummus onto bread and add sliced tomato, avocado and cucumbers. It's also delicious with sliced roast chicken or beef.
You can also eat hummus as a side dish. Serve it with pita bread and grilled or roasted meats, such as these Kafta Kebabs, Chicken Shawarma Kebabs or roast chicken. It can also be eaten with fish, try it with this Pistachio crusted Salmon or this Baked Rainbow Trout. Since hummus is vegetarian it can also be served with other vegetarian dishes such as this Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa or this Tabbouleh Salad.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Enjoy!
More Appetizers to Try
- Mhammara (Roasted Red Pepper Dip)
- Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Dip
- Butternut Squash and White Bean Dip
- Pear and Brie Crostini
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Have you made this recipe? Let us know how it turned out! Leave a star rating and a comment below—we’d love to hear from you.
Caramelized Onion Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil to caramelize the onion
- 540 ml or 19 ounces can chickpeas
- ⅓ cup tahini sesame-seed paste
- 1 clove garlic medium-sized garlic clove
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 3-4 tablespoons cold water
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt more to taste
- ½ onion, thinly sliced for frizzled onion garnish
- Extra-Virgin Olive oil for drizzling
- Cayenne or paprika for sprinkling
Instructions
- Slice the onion. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a frypan on medium-low heat and add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Stir them frequently so that the onions caramelize evenly. Once browned, remove the onions from the heat and let them cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, drain the canned chickpeas and rinse them under cold water. Place them in a saucepot and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the chickpeas for 10 minutes.
- Remove all of the loosened chickpea skins and drain the water. Let chickpeas cool to room temperature.
- Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and purée until very smooth, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water as needed to thin the hummus and make it creamy.
- Transfer the hummus to a shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with paprika or cayenne (if you want to add some heat).
- You can also garnish the hummus with some frizzled onions. Just slice up about half a small onion into thin slices and fry in olive oil in a small pan until brown and crisp. Lay the onions on a paper towel to remove the excess oil and then use it as a garnish.
- Serve with pita bread wedges, toasted pita chips, tortilla chips or raw vegetables.
Notes
- Make use of the olive oil used to frizzle the onions by drizzling it over the finished hummus. The oil becomes infused with the flavour of onion and adds even more flavour to the hummus.
- Store leftover hummus in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a week.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in January 2014. The post has been updated with new text and images.
Ani says
This sounds fantastic!! I have a couple varieties of hummus recipes on my blog including roasted red pepper, but this might have to be my next batch!
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Thanks Ani! I have to admit I've never tried making a roasted red pepper hummus. I'll check your recipe and give it a try!