This post may contain affiliate links of products that I use and know. I will earn a small commission if you purchase through those links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
PREP : 15 MIN | COOK : 45 | TOTAL : 1 HOUR | SERVE : 4
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, fresh dill, and cilantro. 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 places renowned for their Riesling wines!)
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 want 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.
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 becomes milder and sweeter. To balance this newfound sweetness of the garlic, I added some lemon zests for an extra kick. Sesame seeds bring crunch while fresh coriander and dill elevate this oil with their fennel-y and nutty/citrusy flavors.
A few details about the ingredients
What to serve this with?
My easy-to-make Fluffy Skillet Flatbreads 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 with my Turmeric Flavoured Baba Ganoush with Crumbled Feta and Sumac. Successful party dinner guaranteed!
🍷Wine Pairing for 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 levels 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 (Australia)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The hummus can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
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
Print
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 cilantro. 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.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the roasted lemon hummus
2 lemons (preferably organic as this recipe uses both zest and juice)
¾ cup (125 g) of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
½ teaspoon of baking soda
1 medium clove of garlic, crushed
½ cup (135 g) of creamy tahini
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
⅓ cup (80 ml) of iced water
For the herb and roasted garlic oil
half a garlic head (+ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil to roast it)
1 teaspoon of paprika powder
2 teaspoons (5 g) of sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon of ground pepper (I used green pepper but black pepper works too)
¼ cup (60 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil
the zest of the two lemons
2 tablespoons (7 g) of fresh dill
2 tablespoons (7 g) of fresh cilantro, plus more to serve
Instructions
Roast the lemon and garlic
- Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C).
- Using a zester, remove the zests from the lemons. Set the zest aside for later.
- Cut the lemons in half and place them cut-side up on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- 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.
- Drizzle a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil on top of the garlic head, so that the oil sinks down and in between the cloves. Wrap the garlic head with the tin foil and transfer to the sheet pan with the lemons.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until the lemon is golden and slightly caramelized.
- Set aside to cool down.
Make the hummus
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- Drain the cooked chickpeas and transfer them to a food processor.
- Add the juice of the roasted lemons (remove the pips), crushed garlic, tahini, and sea salt. Mix for 5 minutes, adding the iced water halfway through, until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and cover with a clingfilm. The cling film must be in direct contact with the hummus to prevent skin from forming.
Meanwhile, make the spicy herb oil
- Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the skin and mince them.
- In a bowl, add the minced roasted garlic cloves, paprika powder, sesame seeds, and ground pepper. No need to stir at this stage.
- In a small saucepan, bring ¼ cup (60 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil to a simmer, for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the hot oil over the top of the spice mix. It will sizzle nicely. Stir well to combine everything.
- Add the lemon zest along with the chopped dill and cilantro and stir.
- Plate the hummus in a serving bowl by making swirly waves with the back of a spoon.
- Drizzle the spicy herb oil on top and sprinkle extra chopped cilantro and dill.
- Serve with flatbread or pita bread and enjoy with a glass of chilled off-dry Riesling.
Nim Keys
- 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.
- Adding iced water makes the hummus lighter and fluffier. Don’t skip this step!
- 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.
- 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
Delicious!
★★★★★
The green pepper is omitted in the ingredients…so unsure what green pepper to use…otherwise delicious
Hi Siobhan, thank you so much for making the recipe and taking the time to share your feedback 🙂 I just edited the recipe with the missing info, so sorry about that!