Making your own hummus can be easy when you start with canned chickpeas, and it is always worth it. The flavor you can achieve is leaps beyond any store-bought brand. Smear a fat dollop on the bottom of a bowl and top it with crisp roasted cauliflower, chopped tomatoes and cucumber, and a smattering of herbs and spices and you’ve just elevated your normal dinner routine. Enjoy this dish with soft pita bread to mop up the flavors.
Cauliflower Hummus Bowl
Making your own hummus can be easy when you start with canned chickpeas, and it is always worth it. The flavor you can achieve is leaps beyond any store-bought brand. Smear a fat dollop on the bottom of a bowl and top it with crisp roasted cauliflower, chopped tomatoes and cucumber, and a smattering of herbs and spices and you’ve just elevated your normal dinner routine. Enjoy this dish with soft pita bread to mop up the flavors.
Ingredients
For the hummus:
- 15- ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
- juice from ½ lemon
- ½ cup well-stirred tahini
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
For the tomatoes and cucumbers:
- 8 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 persian cucumber, or about ⅓ of an English cucumber
- ½ small white onion, large dice
- Juice from ½ lemon
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- a handful of Italian parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or mint
- Optional: crumbed feta for topping, warm pita bread
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 F.
- Begin with the hummus. If you want to take an extra step to get very smooth and creamy hummus, put the chickpeas in a pot with water to cover, and add a half teaspoon of baking soda. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, then drain.
- Add the chickpeas (whether they are fresh from the can or drained) to a high powered blender. You could also use a food processor, but the results will not be as smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, garlic, lemon, tahini and a few pinches of salt, and blend. If you’ve skipped the cooking step, you’ll need to add some water to get the blender going. Add just enough so that it purees the mixture, without making it overly watery. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt if needed. Set aside until later.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets, and place on a baking sheet. Add all of the remaining ingredients for the cauliflower; salt, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, and olive oil. Toss to combine, then place in the hot oven. Roast, stirring once or twice, until golden brown and tender. It should take about 25 minutes.
- While the cauliflower cooks, make the tomato/cucumber salad. Cut the tomatoes in half and add to a bowl. Using the flat side of your knife, smack the cucumber until it is slightly smashed. Cut it into bite-sized pieces, then add to the tomatoes along with the diced white onion. Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl, then add the parsley, dried oregano, and olives. Season with a few pinches of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- To serve, place a fat dollop of hummus on the bottom of a bowl. Use the back of a spoon to spread it over the bottom of the bowl, then top that with some roasted cauliflower. Spoon the tomato salad over top, then drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Repeat with remaining bowls.
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