This easy to make, Roasted Garlic and Za'atar hummus is a garlic lover's dream come true. It has an entire bulb of roasted garlic! Blended with tahini, chickpeas and lemon it makes an extra creamy and luscious dip. A generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a topper of pungent za'atar spice really make the Middle Eastern flavors pop!
What is Hummus?
Hummus is a vegan Middle Eastern and Levantine dip made from blending chickpeas with sesame tahini, olive oil and lemon. Different regions add various spices and amounts to make hummus their own.
What is Za'atar?
Za'atar is a Palestinian and Middle Eastern spice blend which usually combines dried oregano, thyme and marjoram with sumac and sesame seeds. The dried herbs are pungent and flavorful and sumac gives it a distinct lemony flavor.
Why you'll love this Roasted Garlic and Za'atar Hummus
- Easy to make
- Full of flavor
- Delicious and nutritious
- It's versatile. Perfect for a dip with veggies, chips or pita bread.
- Great spread for veggie sandwiches and burgers
- Cheaper and tastier than store-bought hummus
- Uses simple pantry friendly ingredients
Roasted Garlic and Za'atar Hummus Ingredients
This Hummus recipe only has 7 ingredients! Talk about simple!
- Garlic: Garlic is one of the biggest stars of this show. Normally strong and pungent, roasting mellows out the flavor and brings out some sweetness.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The olive oil makes the hummus creamy and glossy
- Chickpeas- Garbanzo beans/chickpeas are the meat of this dip. They are super creamy when whipped with extra virgin olive oil and tahini
- Sesame Tahini- Tahini is creamy, nutty and distinctly flavored with a slight bitterness and sweet undertone
- Lemon- Lemon brightens it up with that zing of fresh citrus
- Salt-
- Za'atar- Za'atar is pungent and herbaceous, really flavorful and special.
Tip: For an extra creamy hummus add 4-5 ice cubes once everything is blended and blend again. The cold ice helps to emulsify the olive oil.
How to make Roasted Garlic Hummus
Making your own hummus at home is incredibly easy. All you need is a high speed blender or food processor. Just add the ingredients to your appliance and blend until smooth!
- First Roast the garlic- Split an entire bulb of garlic in half, cover with olive oil and enclose it aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes until soft and golden.
- Add all Ingredients to a blender_ Chickpeas, tahini, lemon, salt, roasted garlic and extra virgin olive oil
- Blend until Smooth
- Garnish- Top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and za'atar spice
Tips for Making the Best Roasted Garlic and Za'atar Hummus
- Get creative with toppings. You can add chopped olives, tomatoes or cucumbers. Or a combination of them with a drizzle of tahini.
- Add veggies! Roasted peppers, cooked beets or sweet potatoes are delicious blended into hummus dips.
- Make it easy and skip the garlic roasting step. Use roasted garlic spice instead or add 1 clove of regular garlic for a sharper garlic flavor without all the cooking.
FAQs
In my experience, a high speed blender works just fine to make a great hummus. You may have to stop blending a couple of times to scrape down the sides and blend again but eventually it will be smooth and creamy. I prefer a blender because they are easier to clean and to assemble.
Absolutely not, you may certainly use chickpeas which were cooked from dry. I like to make my recipes as easy as possible for my audience which is why I recommend the canned ones. If you want to used home cooked chickpeas, you will need about 3 cups.
Some people don't like the skin of the chickpeas, and they insist that peeling them makes creamier and smoother hummus dip. For me it seems a little silly and a total waste of time to take something off that will be undetectable once blended. But feel free to do it if you want.
Not all tahini is created equal! Make sure that when selecting your tahini you check the ingredients. There should only be one, sesame seeds. I look for runny tahini that will be pourable and not in hardened clumps in the bottom of the jar. My favorite brands are Mighty Sesame Co, Joyva, Krinos, Sesame King and Baracke.
Other Delicious Vegan Dip Recipes
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Creamy Roasted Garlic Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 bulb garlic split in half, roasted and skinned
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 30 oz chickpeas (2 cans) drained
- ⅓ cup pourable sesame tahini
- 2 lemons juiced
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp za'atar
Instructions
- First, roast the garlic. To do this, split an entire bulb of garlic in half with the peel on. Place in the middle of a 8x8 square of aluminum foil and drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Fold the sides up to enclose the garlic and oil in a package so that It all stays inside. Place the package in a pan to ensure the oil will not drip inside your oven and cause a fire. Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes until the garlic is soft and golden. remove from oven and let cool.
- Next, once garlic is cool, open the cans and drain the chickpeas. Place them in the blender.
- Remove the roasted garlic's skin by simply squeezing the bulbs. All of the cloves should exit the skins easily that way. Then add the roasted garlic to the blender.
- Add the lemon, tahini, 3 tbsp olive oil and salt
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Top with 1 tbsp extra drizzle of olive oil and za'atar spice
Ana Mumaw
This hummus looks delish & easy! Help - I don’t see the links for your favorite blender and kitchen tools as mentioned in the recipe. Thanks!
Kate
Can i use dried chickpea?
Sara Tercero
Absolutely but you must cook them first!
Sara Tercero
Ooh! Amazon changed some linking during the transition to the new year. If you look on my essential links page there is a link to my Amazon page and you will find my favorite stuff!
Mayadah
If you are in a hurry, just peal 2 gloves of garlic, add to the blender and blend. Adding a cube of ice to the blender and using refrigerated hummus can will give you a tastier and lighter coloured hummus paste. Enjoy
Mayadah
‘Wash the drained canned hummus twice to remove part of the preservatives
Sara Tercero
Thanks for the tip!
Sara Tercero
I have heard of this ice cube trick but never tried it!
Leah Reilly
Looks amazing! Can I omit the tahini? My daughter is allergic to sesame. Do I need to replace with anything?
Robin Heth
You are amazing!!!
I LOVE Your recipes💜 Thank You 🙏☀️
Sara Tercero
Hi Leah! Well, I have never made hummus without tahini, so I cannot attest to the flavor. Can you replace with cashew or sunflower butter? Those are both mildly flavored and have a similar texture to tahini. You have really piqued my curiosity! I may have to try this myself! Let me know how it goes. I think if you leave out the tahini and do not replace it with something, it will probably taste good but have a way less creamy texture, perhaps it will be a bit gritty even. Will you keep me posted if you try?
Sara Tercero
Thank you Robin, you made my day!