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Lemony Hummus with Baharat-Spiced Plant-Based Meat Topping

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on January 31, 2022

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 12 to 14

Lemony Hummus with Baharat-Spiced Plant-Based Meat Topping

Ingredients

Hummus

⅓ cup lemon juice (2 lemons), plus extra for seasoning3 garlic cloves, minced to paste (1 tablespoon)1 teaspoon table salt 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed¼ cup water, plus extra as needed½ cup tahini 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Topping

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling¼ cup finely chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon ground coriander ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon 8 ounces plant-based ground meat ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted, divided2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

Before You Begin

You can gently warm the hummus in the microwave to make it even smoother.

Instructions

    for the hummus

  1.  Whisk lemon juice, garlic, and salt together in bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain garlic-lemon mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over second bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
  2.  Process chickpeas, water, and garlic-lemon mixture in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add tahini and oil and process until hummus is smooth, creamy, and light, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. (Hummus should have pourable consistency similar to yogurt. If too thick, loosen with water, adding 1 teaspoon at a time.) Season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste. (Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Let sit, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.)
  3. for the topping

  4.  Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasion ally, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Add paprika, cumin, pepper, coriander, cloves, and cinnamon and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until firm crumbles form, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup pine nuts and lemon juice.
  5.  Transfer hummus to wide, shallow serving bowl. Using back of spoon, make 1-inch-deep well in center of hummus, leaving 1-inch border. Spoon topping into well in hummus. Sprinkle with parsley and remaining pine nuts and drizzle with extra oil. Serve.
Lemony Hummus with Baharat-Spiced Plant-Based Meat Topping
Photography by Carl Tremblay. Styling by Joy Howard.

Lemony Hummus with Baharat-Spiced Plant-Based Meat Topping

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 12 to 14

Ingredients

Hummus

Topping

Ingredients

Hummus

Topping

Ingredients

Hummus

Topping

Why This Recipe Works

Such a fantastically flavorful topping deserves an equally flavorful homemade hummus, and this simple version comes together in a snap in a food processor. Topped with the meat mixture and served with pita and crudités, this is no ordinary bean dip. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. The hummus will thicken slightly over time; add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to restore its creamy consistency.

Before You Begin

You can gently warm the hummus in the microwave to make it even smoother.

Instructions

    for the hummus

  1.  Whisk lemon juice, garlic, and salt together in bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain garlic-lemon mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over second bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
  2.  Process chickpeas, water, and garlic-lemon mixture in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add tahini and oil and process until hummus is smooth, creamy, and light, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. (Hummus should have pourable consistency similar to yogurt. If too thick, loosen with water, adding 1 teaspoon at a time.) Season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste. (Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Let sit, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.)
  3. for the topping

  4.  Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasion ally, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Add paprika, cumin, pepper, coriander, cloves, and cinnamon and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until firm crumbles form, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup pine nuts and lemon juice.
  5.  Transfer hummus to wide, shallow serving bowl. Using back of spoon, make 1-inch-deep well in center of hummus, leaving 1-inch border. Spoon topping into well in hummus. Sprinkle with parsley and remaining pine nuts and drizzle with extra oil. Serve.
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