Sahara Dune Creamy Hummus (Printable Version)

Smooth hummus mounds with spiced, crisp pita chips evoke rolling desert dunes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Hummus

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 3 tablespoons tahini
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
05 - 1 garlic clove, minced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
08 - 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Pita Chips

09 - 4 large pita breads (white or whole wheat)
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Garnish

14 - Pinch ground sumac or sweet paprika
15 - Fresh parsley leaves (optional)
16 - Additional olive oil for drizzling

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pita breads into irregular, curved triangles to resemble dunes. Lightly brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika, ground cumin, and salt.
02 - Arrange pita pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
03 - In a food processor, combine chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and salt. Blend until smooth, adding cold water one tablespoon at a time until creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Spoon or use an offset spatula to form the hummus into smooth, undulating mounds on a serving platter evoking desert dunes. Drizzle with olive oil, dust with sumac or sweet paprika, and garnish with parsley. Arrange pita chips around the hummus.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Creamy hummus that tastes like you've been perfecting it for years, done in one food processor bowl.
  • Homemade pita chips that shatter satisfyingly instead of the stale store-bought kind.
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but genuinely takes less time than ordering takeout.
  • Works perfectly for last-minute guests or as a confidence-boosting first course.
02 -
  • Over-blend the hummus and it becomes gluey; under-blend it and you'll taste each grain, so hit that middle ground where it's silky but still has body.
  • Pita chips go stale within hours once baked, so make them closer to serving time or store them in an airtight container with a silica packet.
  • The sumac adds brightness that paprika can't replicate—if you can't find it, a small pinch of lemon zest does the job in a pinch.
03 -
  • Bloom your spices in the food processor with the tahini and oil first before adding the chickpeas—this wakes up the flavors in a way that changes everything about the finished dish.
  • If your hummus breaks or becomes grainy, you likely added water too quickly or blended at the wrong speed; transfer it to a bowl and whisk in a splash more olive oil to rescue it.
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