The inspiration for this duo of dips came while I was gazing at the contents of my dark, crowded pantry. I was in “the zone,” my eyes flitting from can to can, from box to box, observing the pantry’s contents and calculating possible creations given the ingredients at hand. My eureka moment struck when my eyes landed on two big cans of chickpeas. All of a sudden, I was jolted from my trance, and I exclaimed, “Hummus!”
But then I paused. Plain old hummus is not good enough for The Smart Cookie Cook. So I kicked my foodie mind back into gear to determine how to dress up the simple spread. It didn’t take long before I remembered the fresh eggplant waiting patiently in the fridge.
“Roasted Eggplant Hummus!” I cried.
I felt as if I’d just solved the world’s greatest conundrum as I sauntered to the fridge to retrieve necessary ingredients. but I hit a roadblock when I spotted a perfectly ripe avocado perched in the fruit bowl.
“Avocado Hummus!” I exclaimed.
I then frowned, feeling conflicted and exasperated. Both hummus varieties sounded so good. How to choose?
Simple, I made both.
Each hummus recipe is quick and easy to put together. It’s merely a matter of tossing fresh, quality ingredients into the food processor and pureeing away. The Roasted Eggplant does require an extra step of, well, roasting the eggplant, but that’s something you can do in advance, and only takes a few minutes.
So which one did I like better? I’m sorry, but I simply cannot choose. The Avocado Hummus is so incredibly rich thanks to the avocado. I guarantee it’s the creamiest hummus you’ll ever have. Plus, I sneaked in a little parmesan to give it that cheesy backbone. This is hummus like never before. Any avocado lover will be in heaven with this dreamy dip.
The Roasted Eggplant Hummus is equally divine. It has such deep flavor from that oven-roasting. I was worried you wouldn’t be able to taste the eggplant, but that sure as sugar is not the case. Every bite is bursting with caramelized eggplant flavor, plus a little kick from red pepper flakes. Watch out for those suckers.
It doesn’t matter which dip you choose; both are beyond delicious. Plus, they boast nutritious benefits like protein, healthy fats, and more. If you’re going to indulge in dip, this is the way to do it. Good thing too, because both dips are dangerously addicting.
You know what I say: you might as well try both dips! Then you don’t have to choose. Serve ’em up with some of my delightful Homemade Tortilla Chips, and you’ve got a snack fit for the Gods.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
- Hummus makes a great appetizer for dinner parties, picnics, or any get-together.
- If you have a hard time getting your kids to eat healthy snacks, this is a great way to do it!
- Don’t like eggplant? Try using roasted peppers instead.
- You could pre-cook or roast the chickpeas (in either recipe) to make the spread extra creamy.
- Roasting the garlic would make either dip crazy flavorful.
Avocado Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 15.5-oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1-2 drops lemon or lime juice
Instructions
- Slice the avocado in half. Stab the pit with a knife and pull it free from the avocado. Scoop the innards from the skin and into a food processor. Add the chickpeas, parmesan, and garlic and pulse until the mixture breaks down into small chunks. Stream in the olive oil while pureeing until hummus is smooth and homogenous (or you can leave it a bit chunkier if you prefer). Pulse in salt & pepper to taste, then stir in the lemon or lime juice (this prevents browning). Serve with chips or pita bread. Store in fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Roasted Eggplant Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant , peeled & chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp divided
- 1 15.5 -oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes omit if you don’t like heat
- more salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the eggplant out in an even layer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil then sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast for 10-15 minutes, or until tender & golden brown. Let cool.
- Put the roasted eggplant in the food processor with the chickpeas and garlic. Pulse until the mixture breaks down into small chunks. Stream in the olive oil while pureeing continuously until hummus is smooth. Pulse in red pepper flakes and salt. Serve with chips or pita bread. Store in fridge in an air-tight container for up to a week.