I LOVE HUMMUS. However, I didn’t realize how much I really liked hummus until I had some of the dreamiest creamiest hummus at top notch restaurants like Zahav in Philadelphia! Once you’ve had a spoonful of the most luscious authentic hummus, you can never really go back to the store bough stuff. I have, over the span of many years, tried different brands of store bought hummus but they have just way too much tang for me. When I get hungry or need a quick snack, I love reaching in the fridge and just indulging in a spoonful of hummus.

Another great way to enjoy it is to try it with different toppings. You could top it with grilled chicken, roasted veggies, toasted nuts, yogurt…the possibilities are endless!

Today I am sharing with you just one of the variations on hummus I make. Roasting the garlic brings out a delicious sweetness and adds a real smooth and creamy texture to the hummus. Using raw garlic is not the same, so please take the time to roast it! You can roast a few heads of garlic at a time and keep it refrigerated. It is great added to pasta sauces!

I also add green chilis to mine and you can omit this step or add some roasted red peppers, fresh herbs, etc. Have FUN with this recipe!

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Creamy Dreamy Roasted Garlic Hummus

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

2 Heads Garlic

2 (15 oz.) can chipckeas, drained & rinsed

2 serrano peppers, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons tahini

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Lemon (juiced/Squeezed)

1 tsp chili powder

2-3 tablespoons water

salt to taste

Garnish:

Minced fresh parsley

Sprinkle of paprika or cayenne pepper

Drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel away the outermost skin of the head of garlic while leaving all of the cloves intact.  Cut  the tops of the heads of garlic off so they the cloves are exposed.  Set the two heads of garlic on two separate squares of aluminum foil and drizzle 1 tbsp over each of the heads and wrap in the foil. Set on a pan and roast for 40 minutes.
  2. Unwrap the garlic and pierce with a fork to make sure it is soft and cooked all the way through. If it's not, re-wrap the foil and continue to roast, checking every 5 minutes or so, until garlic is done. Unwrap the garlic and set aside to cool.
  3. Once the garlic is cool, squeeze the cloves out and place in the food processor.
  4. Add chickpeas, green chilis, salt, chili powder, 2 tbsp water,  lemon juice and tahini in the food processor  or blender with the garlic.
  5. With the food processor/blender running, begin to drizzle in 1/4 cup of olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add additional water by 1 tbsp increments if the mixture is not getting creamy.
  6. Puree until smooth, adding additional water as needed until a creamy consistency is reached. Taste for salt if you added more water. 
  7. Transfer the hummus to a serving dish and swirl the surface. Drizzle the top with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika and minced parsley. Serve with pita wedges or chips, crackers, and/or raw veggies.