Hummus is a staple for plant eaters, so when something new comes along it gets my attention.
This eggplant hummus has done just that. Naturally earthy and smokey from the roasted eggplant, this hummus is lighter and incredible complex.
I’m so excited about it I am spreading it onto e v e r y t h i n g!
Ohh Goodness! I cannot begin to tell you how delicious eggplant hummus is. We always have a container of hummus kicking around in our fridge. The versatility is beyond compare. So great as an afternoon snack, sometimes it’s hummus on toast before tennis, or I might use is as an ad hoc dressing for a salad (thin it out, add tons of lemon, you get the idea).
As I am also always looking for ways to add more vegetables into everything, this is just incredible. I love baba ganoush and I love hummus. The two together!?! Kinda genius.
The trick is to char the eggplant over an open flame on all sides. I just place it directly on the burner and patiently keep it there until the skin blisters and I hear the pop and then hiss of the juices. Then turn and wait again. All I all it takes about 15 minutes. Then, right onto a baking sheet and into the oven to fully roast and get all gooey and soft.
When it’s good enough to handle, I just pulled the soft flesh away from the skin and tossed it into the cuisinart with the chickpeas and all. Super simple and very satisfying. A great starter for the holiday table, or any other gathering. Won’t it be cool when everyone is so excited they didn’t get the same ol’ hummus?
I will tell you a secret- after I took these photographs I took a nice hunk of crusty sourdough baguette, smeared a generous portion of the eggplant hummus, then layered some zucchini, lettuce and tomato and enjoyed a kickin’ good sandwich! Smokey, lemony, slightly spicy. Soooooo so so good.
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized eggplant
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed, or 1 1/2 cup homemade
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds for sprinkling and a dash of smoked paprika
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Over the flame on your gas stove, or on a grill, blister and char the eggplant on all sides. Use tongs to turn every 2-3 minutes. Take the time to do this step well, since a lot of the flavor comes from here. Place the eggplant onto a baking sheet and place into the oven. Roast until completely deflated, approximately 30 minutes depending on the size of your eggplant. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. In a food processor add the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Add the flesh of the eggplant, avoiding the skin. You may also avoid the seeds if you like a smoother hummus. I personally like the seeds. Blitz away until the hummus is smooth and creamy. Serve with a sprinkling of caraway seeds (or any other seed or nut you prefer) and an assortment of sliced veggies such as zucchini, carrots and escarole.