Caramelized Onion Hummus

One of my favorite “easy button” snacks these days is this Caramelized Onion Hummus. Something that was a product of wanting a healthy dip on hand heading into the work week + having a few too many onions in the pantry. This healthy, no tahini, minimal oil bean dip is a go to at our house. And whatever - it’s hummus as far as I’m concerned. Whether it’s a dipper for cucumbers + fresh pita, or a side for a Greek dinner, it’s one of those “any excuse to whip it up” kind of foods.

 
 

Another thing I won’t hesitate to whip up - caramelized onions. A must when I find myself getting a burger at In-N-Out and a frequent topping for weekend egg sandwiches at home. And as I discovered here, they’re also fabulous in hummus. Like so fabulous! Big picture takeaway is that a little bit of butter + a whole heap of onions goes a long way in getting the most buttery, rich onions. The get soft, tender, and take on this kind of sweet flavor. You combine about 3/4 of them with the chickpeas and that buttery texture lends itself to getting a perfectly whipped, airy hummus.

Save a good heap of onions to place on top of the final product, sprinkle a bit of fresh thyme on top, and get your dip is ready. It’s seriously so good!

 
 

For the hummus

  • 3 tbsp butter

  • 2 onions, thinly sliced

  • salt + pepper

  • 2 cans of chickpeas, drained + rinsed

  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed

  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

  • 1-2 tbsp EVOO

  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the butter. Once it has melted, add in the onion slices. Stir and continue to cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, cooking constantly. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt +pepper, reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue to cook for 25 minutes. Uncover the pan, stir, and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Crank up the heat to medium low if they aren’t developing a rich brown color. Turn off the heat + let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

Add the chickpeas, garlic, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse unti the chickpeas are roughly chopped. Add in about 3/4 of the onions, a tablespoon of EVOO, and the herbs. Continue to pulse until you have a smooth, whipped consistency.

Finish the dip with the remaining caramelized onions + a sprinkle of fresh thyme. Grab your dippers and enjoy.

Lesley ZehnerComment