Home » Appetizers »  Creamy Roasted Lemon Hummus with Spicy Herb Oil

PREP : 15 MIN | COOK : 45 | TOTAL : 1 HOUR | SERVE : 4

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This roasted lemon hummus with spicy herb oil is the quintessence of flavor depth and warmth. Roasting both the lemons and garlic in the oven brings a slight sweetness and smokiness to the hummus. The roasted lemon is used in the hummus while the roasted garlic is added to extra-virgin olive oil along with lemon zests, sesame seeds, paprika and fresh dill and coriander. Perfect for a cozy fall evening, isn’t it? If you are having family and friends over and want to open a bottle of wine, go for an off-dry Riesling from either Germany, France or Australia (all placed renowned for their Riesling wines!)


Roasted lemon hummus topped with roasted garlic and spicy herb oil

The hummus

In my opinion, when it comes to hummus, no recipe can beat Yotam Ottolenghi’s from his amazing book Jerusalem. Trust me, I’ve tried. But this one is the best of the best. I have therefore used Ottolenghi’s hummus technique to create this recipe.

But I did not just wanted hummus, I also wanted warmth and depth. Fall is at its full tempo when I am typing these words and I wanted to share a comforting version of a creamy hummus. What better way to concentrate flavors and create a warming feeling than with oven roasting.

The roasted lemon creates an extra sweetness and smokiness, less tangy than with fresh lemon. It is the perfect fall variation for this legendary Middle-Eastern dip.

Smooth hummus in a food processor

The spicy herb oil

But roasting the lemon was not enough! I needed more… concentrated flavors. This spicy oil and herb topping needed to match the level of “roastiness”. What better ally to olive oil than roasted garlic. I decided to use a whole head, because why not?

When roasted, garlic loses its pungent flavors and become milder and sweeter.To balance this newfound sweetness of the garlic, I added some lemon zests for an extra-kick. Sesame seeds brings crunch while fresh coriander and dill elevate this oil with their fennel-y and nutty / citrusy flavors.


Close up of the spicy oil made of roasted garlic, paprika, lemon zests, sesame seeds, fresh herbs and olive oil

A few details on the ingredients

  • Dried chickpeas, the secret to the creamiest budget-friendly hummus. Soak the chickpeas overnight in a large bowl covered with cold water. The newt day, you are good to go!
  • Creamy tahini : try to find the creamiest type of tahini. Some ressemble sesame seeds purée are will create a grainier hummus.
  • Iced water: adding iced water is brilliant tip made popular by Yotam Ottolenghi. It somehow makes the hummus lighter and fluffier. Add 6 ice cubes to a large glass of water and wait a couple minutes before adding it, one tablespoon at a time, to the hummus.
  • Roasted lemon: a smoky and sweet lemon flavor. Make sure to remove the pips when squeezing the roasted lemon juice. Pips will bring bitterness to the hummus.
  • Roasted garlic: a sweet and umami rich version of garlic. I recommend to mince it not too fine, as it is a treat to bite into coarser chunks of this roasted goodness.
Roasted Lemon Hummus on a plate

What to serve this with?

My easy to make Fluffy Skillet Flatbread are a great option to dig in this creamy hummus. Make sure to serve them warm or toast them in a toaster for a few seconds, just to warm them up.

For a mezze type dinner, you can serve this along my Turmeric Flavoured Baba Ganoush with Crumbled Feta and Sumac. Successful party dinner guaranteed!

Roasted lemon hummus topped with roasted garlic and spicy herb oil with a glass of white wine

What to drink with this Roasted Lemon Hummus?


The Match

Riesling

Riesling produces aromatic white wines which often display aromas of lemon, pineapple and ripe apricot. They can be found in a wide range of sweetness level from bone dry to sweet. For this recipe, I recommend asking your wine shop for an off-dry Riesling (meaning there is still a small amount of residual sugar left in the wine).

Serve it chilled (take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving to let it warm up ever so slightly). The sugar and cool temperature of Riesling will alleviate the tongue, while the aroma of Riesling will complement the flavors of this recipe.

WINE APPELLATION SUGGESTIONS

Off-dry Riesling from Mosel (Germany)
Off-dry Riesling from Alsace (France)
Off-dry Riesling from Clare Valley (Asutralia)


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long does this keep?

The hummus can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

I don’t like roasted garlic, can I skip it?

Absolutely, feel free to skip the roasted garlic if you do not like it. The oil contains plenty of other delicious flavors.

Other delicious Middle-Eastern inspired recipes

Recipe

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Roasted lemon hummus topped with roasted garlic and spicy herb oil

Roasted Lemon Hummus with Spicy Herb Oil

This roasted lemon hummus with spicy herb oil is the quintessence of flavor depth and warmth. Roasting both the lemons and garlic in the oven brings a slight sweetness and smokiness to the hummus. The roasted lemon is used in the hummus while the roasted garlic is added to extra-virgin olive oil along with lemon zests, sesame seeds, paprika and fresh dill and coriander. Perfect for a cozy fall evening, isn’t it? If you are having family and friends over and want to open a bottle of wine, go for an off-dry Riesling from either Germany, France or Australia (all placed renowned for their Riesling wines!)

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Roasted lemon hummus

2 lemons

¾ cup (125 g) of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight

½ teaspoon of baking soda

½  cup (135 g) of creamy tahini

1 medium clove of garlic, crushed

⅓ cup (80 ml) of iced water

½ teaspoon of sea salt

Herb and roasted garlic oil

half a garlic head (+ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil to roast it)

¼ cup (60 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon of paprika

the zest of the two lemons

2 teaspoons (5 g) of sesame seeds

2 tablespoons (7 g) of fresh dill

2 tablespoons (7 g) of fresh cilantro

Instructions

Roast the lemon and garlic

  1. Preheat the oven at 430°F (220°C).
  2. Using a zester, remove the zests from the lemons. Set the zests aside for later.
  3. Cut the lemons in half and place them cut-side up on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
  4. Peel the papery outer layers of the half garlic head. Trim the top off (about ¼ inch – 0,5 cm) to expose the top of the garlic cloves. Transfer the garlic head to a sheet of tin foil.
  5. Drizzle a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil on top of the garlic head, so that the oil sink down and in-between the cloves. Wrap the garlic head with the tin foil and transfer to the sheet pan with the lemons.
  6. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until the lemon is golden and slightly caramelized.
  7. Set aside to cool down.

Make the hummus

  1. The day before, soak the chickpeas. Add the chickpeas to a large bowl. Cover with cold water and soak overnight (or for at least 8 hours).
  2. Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Add them to a large pot, along with ½  teaspoon of baking soda. Place the pot on your stove over high heat and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
  3. After 2 minutes, add 4 cups (one liter) of cold water and bring to a boil. Let it cook at a rapid simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes or until the chickpeas are soft and smush when pressed with a fork.
  4. Drain the cooked chickpeas and transfer to a food processor.
  5. Add the juice of the roasted lemons (remove the pips), crushed garlic, tahini, sea salt. Mix for 5 minutes, adding the iced water half way through, until smooth and creamy.
  6. Transfert to a serving bowl and cover with a clingfilm. The cling film must be in direct contact with the hummus to prevent a skin from forming.

Meanwhile, make the spicy herb oil

  1. Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the skin and mince them.
  2. In a bowl, add the minced roasted garlic cloves, paprika powder, sesame seeds and green pepper. No need to stir at this stage.
  3. In a small saucepan, bring ¼ cup (60 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil to a simmer, about 2 minutes.
  4. Pour the hot oil overtop of the spice mix. It will sizzle nicely. Stir well to combine everything.
  5. Add the lemon zests along with the chopped dill and coriander and stir.
  6. Plate the hummus on a serving bowl by making swirly waves with the back of a spoon.
  7. Drizzle the spicy herb oil on top and sprinkle extra chopped coriander and dill.
  8. Serve with flatbread or pita bread and enjoy with a glass of chilled off-dry Riesling.

Nim Keys

  1. Heating the chickpeas for 2 minutes with baking soda before adding water will help soften the skin and make the chickpeas easier to cook. It is normal if a thin layer appears at the bottom of the pot while doing so. It is simply the bicarbonate reacting with the heat.
  2. Adding iced water makes the hummus lighter and fluffier. Don’t skip this step!
  3. For a very smooth hummus, make sure to mix it for long enough (5 minutes being ideal). If you don’t have a high-power food processor, or blender, you can use a hand mixer but make sure to take some break from pulsing to avoid overheating.
  • Author: Ninon
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Category: Appetizer, Snack
  • Cuisine: Middle-Eastern
  • Diet: Vegan

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 405
  • Sugar: 3.4 g
  • Sodium: 592.6 mg
  • Fat: 32.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 28.6 g
  • Protein: 9.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: roasted lemon hummus, roasted garlic, spicy oil, dip

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