Sahara Dune Creamy Hummus (Printable)

Creamy hummus nestled among spiced, crisp pita chips shaped like desert dunes.

# What You Need:

→ Hummus

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 3 tablespoons tahini
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
05 - 1 garlic clove, minced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
08 - 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

→ Pita Chips

09 - 4 large pita breads (white or whole wheat)
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Garnish

14 - Pinch of ground sumac or sweet paprika
15 - Fresh parsley leaves, optional
16 - Additional olive oil for drizzling

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Cut pita breads into irregular, curved triangles resembling rolling dunes. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika, ground cumin, and salt.
03 - Arrange pita pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp. Allow to cool.
04 - Combine chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth, adding cold water one tablespoon at a time to achieve a creamy consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Use a spoon or offset spatula to form hummus into smooth, undulating mounds on a serving platter, evoking desert dunes. Drizzle with olive oil, dust with sumac or sweet paprika, and garnish with parsley. Arrange pita chips around the hummus.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly elegant but takes barely half an hour, so you'll actually make it for guests without stress.
  • The tahini and lemon combo creates this silky, tangy hummus that tastes like you've done something fancy, even though it's pure simplicity.
  • Homemade pita chips taste nothing like the store-bought kind—they're actually crispy and flavored, not stale and bland.
02 -
  • Overblending hummus is actually harder than it sounds—stop when it's smooth and creamy, not when it turns into wallpaper paste.
  • Pita chips are done when they look golden, not dark brown; they'll continue crisping as they cool, so don't let them go too far or they'll taste burnt instead of toasted.
03 -
  • Use really cold water when blending the hummus; cold water creates a silkier, fluffier texture than room-temperature water.
  • Save a little bit of the chickpea cooking liquid if you have canned chickpeas that came with liquid; sometimes that helps achieve the perfect consistency even faster.
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