Parsley-Powered Hummus
This recipe is inspired by the Israeli-style hummus served at Pita Place in Fairbanks and co-owners Nadav and Teri’s passion for parsley.The duo insists that while there are no “secrets” to this family-favorite dish, searching out high-quality Lebanese tahini can make a huge difference in flavor. This super adaptable, crowd-pleasing spread can be made with canned chickpeas for ease, along with verdant parsley, the classic undercurrents of cumin, lemon, and olive oil, and accented with charred garlic and a spoonful of rich red miso for that extra something something—umami goodness—that will keep folks going back and asking for your hummus secrets.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 2 cans drained and rinsed)
- ½ cup loosely packed and roughly chopped parsley, stems and all
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1½ tablespoons red miso
- Juice from 2 lemons
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2–3 tablespoons ice cold water
Instructions
- First, char the garlic on both sides in a dry cast-iron skillet on medium heat, being careful not to burn. Add the charred garlic, drained chickpeas, parsley, tahini, miso, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Pulse a minute or 2 until the parsley is incorporated and broken down, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed. Add the ice water and olive oil, and continue pulsing. Add another tablespoon of ice water if it’s looking thick (this will depend on your canned chickpea consistency). Pulse a few more times, keep scraping down the sides, and adjust seasonings to taste.
- Garnish the finished hummus with any/all of the following: za’atar, minced parsley, drizzled olive oil, cumin, chili flakes, toasted sesame seeds, olives. Serve with crudités, pita, tortilla chips, crackers, pita, etc.
Notes
There was no looking back once I tried a spoonful of miso in hummus—I was hooked. The notion comes from Lucky Peach Presents Power Vegetables! by Peter Meehan, who in turn credits Chef Caroline Fidanza’s Satlie restaurant in Brooklyn for this savory tip.
