Cookout season is in full force and that means we’re all scouring the internet for a quick and easy “dish to pass’. Well look no further, this is exactly what you need! Hummus has gained so much popularity over the past few years; it’s hard to find someone who won’t eat it. People will also thank you for providing a healthy option after they fill the rest of their plate with brats and potato salad ? The creamy, rich texture of the chickpeas can be enhanced with just about any flavor. I tried chimichurri sauce for the first time a couple of years ago and it was love at first taste ? If I see it on a menu I’ll order a side to eat with just about anything… I have dipped a BLT in chimichurri before and in case you’re wondering #NoRegrets ?? I did some experimenting and came up with a recipe combining my favorite sauce and snack into a side dish that will be sure to impress! Try this one guys… worth it, promise.
Chimichurri Hummus- Serves 8-10
2 16 oz. Cans Chickpeas
3 Tablespoons Tahini
¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Juice of ½ Lemon
One Head of Garlic
¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
One Bunch Fresh Parsley
One Bunch Fresh Cilantro
One Package Fresh Oregano
½ Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top off of a head of garlic and place on a sheet of tin foil. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and close foil to form a pocket around garlic. Set pocket directly onto the oven rack and back for 30-40 minutes. (Side note- if you have never roasted garlic before, be prepared for your house to smell AMAZING while this is going on.)
While the garlic is roasting, remove leaves from the parsley, cilantro, and oregano. The less stems you get into the mixture, the less gritty your sauce will be. Give the leaves a rough chop, then add into food processor with red wine vinegar and 1/2 cup of the olive oil. Blend until leaves have been ground and mixture has a vinaigrette type consistency. At this point, you could also mix in red pepper flakes to add a little spice (optional).
Pour chimichurri into a separate bowl. Add chickpeas, roasted garlic cloves, tahini, remaining ¼ cup of olive oil, and juice from half a lemon into the food processor. Blend until chickpeas become creamy. Pour in about ¾ of the chimichurri sauce (reserving the last part for garnish) and continue to blend until the mixture has a really smooth texture. Also, taste test here and add salt and pepper as desired. Be patient, the longer you blend, the better.
Transfer the hummus to a bowl, and press a spoon down in the middle to create an indent. Pour the remainder of the chimichurri sauce in the middle, and garnish with red pepper flakes as desired.
Cut up your favorite crudités to put together a pretty plate, and you’re good to go! My favorites are pictured above: carrots, cucumbers, red peppers, and sliced pitas. However, if you really want a quick and easy option, pita chips in a box work well in a pinch! This is totally something you can whip up the night before and stick in the fridge, which is the best type of dish-to-pass in my opinion.
A couple of notes:
- Chimichurri sauce is a great marinade for meat, so if you are making anything for dinner that requires a marinade, you could double that part of the recipe and set aside!
- I used roasted garlic red wine vinegar, mostly just because it’s what we had on hand. I do think it worked well here, but normal red wine vinegar will be just fine.
- Do not skip the tahini. I think a lot of people make this mistake when making hummus. It’s really key for both the texture and flavor. Although it’s not the most common ingredient to have around, once you have it, I promise you will use it often. Tahini is a staple in apartment 3A!
I hope you all enjoy this one; you’ll be the talk of the potluck! People like dips, guys. (? Cue Freak Nasty: When I Dip You Dip We Dip) If you try it out, hashtag #347Foodie so I can see how it goes! And if you have any questions at all, hit me up in the comments or on social media… I love hearing from ya ?
Xo Amanda