Homemade Hummus with Za'atar Pitta
As a vegan hummus is always my obsession I don’t know why its so incredibly addictive but I’m here to tell you that homemade hummus is even more addictive so if you’ve never made it you absolutely must!
This super smooth fully flavoured hummus is topped with crispy chickpeas and jazzed up with the ultimate hummus vessel- not only a pitta bread but a zaatar spiced pitta bread! This is something I struggle not to eat all in one go when I make it so if you’re making it to share be sure to make some extra. There's no better snack than pitta and hummus.
This recipe gives you all of the tips and tricks to make the best homemade hummus so carefully read everything and you’ll have all of your family and friends asking you to make than ‘amazing hummus’ you made for them. Enjoy this hummus as a dip or on sandwiches, salads and more.
Vegan hummus and pitta bread ingredients and substitutes
- Chickpeas- For this recipe I used dried chickpeas. To prep dried chickpeas you need to rinse and soak them overnight in cold water. Boil them for 30 minutes the next morning and leave them to fully cool before using for your hummus. Alternatively if you are going to use pre cooked chickpeas I really recommend bold beans queen chickpeas.
- Baking powder- This is to help soften the chickpeas in the boiling stage, be careful not to add much!
- Tahini- Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds- a middle eastern staple that is full of good fats. I recommend middle eastern brands of tahini due to the runny consistency, some of the supermarket own brands are not runny and glossy enough which can really alter the texture. I recommend Al Nakhil tahini.
- Garlic- I am a garlic girl but often the raw garlic taste is quite punchy in dishes that its not cooked before serving. To help with this be sure to move the garlic core or soak your cloves for 5 minutes in boiling water before adding to your hummus to give you the perfect garlic flavour.
- Lemon juice- This helps with consistency and flavour, I like mine super lemony so I would add extra. You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice if that’s what you have to hand.
- Ice cubes- Adding ice cubes helps with the hummus texture, it adds air and moisture to ensure the hummus becomes light and almost whipped. You can add water in place of ice cubes just be careful not to add too much!
- Pitta- Ordinary shop bought pitta breads are fine but if you’re feeling fancy you can definitely make your own (and send me some because I’m a horrendous baker haha)
- Zaatar- Zaatar is a middle eastern spice mix consisting of thyme, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, salt and sumac. You can make your own if you have all of the ingredients in your spice cupboard.
FAQs
Why has my tahini gone lumpy when first blending?- this is normal for tahini, it often seizes up when liquid is added to it at first but just keep blending and scraping down the sides until it goes smooth. Patience and love needs to be put into your perfect hummus!
Can I add other toppings?- YES!! I would put almost anything on top of hummus and call it a meal! Check out my recipe for vegan meat topped hummus. Other toppings I love are roasted cauliflower, Roasted peppers and Chopped shirazi salad. The possibilities are endless and down right delicious!
Homemade Hummus with Za'atar Pitta
Ingredients
- 170 g Chickpeas (dry weight before soaking)
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 80 g Tahini Middle eastern brand
- 4 Ice cubes
- 2 Garlic cloves Core removed
- 1 tsp Cumin
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tsp Salt
For The Pitta
- 2 Wholemeal pitta breads
- 2 tbsp Olive oil Extra virgin
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Za'atar seasoning
Instructions
- Drain your soaked chickpeas, add to a pot and cover in fresh water and add the baking powder. Bring to a boil then simmer until they are soft. (this should take between 45 mins & 1 hour).
- Add the tahini, lemon juice and ice cubes to the blender and blend scraping down the sides often. This mix is done when it turns to a thick creamy paste.
- Then add your chickpeas (save some for the topping), garlic, salt & cumin and blend until your desired consistency is reached. (you may need to add some water as you go).
- For the chickpea topping place the chickpeas into a bowl add olive oil, paprika and garlic and air fry or bake for around 15 minutes.
- To make the pitta breads mix together the oil, za’atar, and salt until a paste is formed. Brush this on both sides of the pittas and pan fry until golden.
- Now pop your hummus into a bowl, top with whatever you like (I went for roasted chickpeas and some smoked paprika). Now dip your pittas into the hummus and enjoy!
Notes
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Like this recipe? Why not try these other dip recipes?
- Greek style spicy red pepper and feta dip
- Zaalouk- Moroccan eggplant dip
- Lebanese style spiced tempeh topped hummus
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