Spicy Harissa Hummus
PIN IT!This spicy harissa hummus will be a huge hit at any of your spring and summer potlucks, that is, if you can handle sharing it!
I’ve been in talks with a good friend of mine about a possible trip to Morocco in the fall. Morocco to me is such an incredibly enticing country, filled with beautiful colors, mysterious people and unique smells, sounds and tastes. I love that there’s such a variety of geography too, from beautiful beaches to miles of dry dessert to stunning & dramatic snow capped mountains. It’s such a romantic place, too. A place not overrun with tourists or souvenir shops. I’m insanely excited for the possibility of seeing the country, but most especially, for trying the food.
Moroccan food is incredible. It’s so full of spice, flavor and depth. It’s refined, without being pretentious, beautiful without being “fancy.” Like Thai food, most of the incredible flavor comes from the natural spices grown in the region. They don’t load their dishes with sauces, creams or salt because the red peppers, hot chiles and fresh herbs add more than enough kick. I’ve had some Moroccan food here in the states and that enough has more than convinced me to go there just to eat. Probably my newest Moroccan obsession is Harissa, a spicy red pepper sauce, made with cayenne, ancho chiles and chile de arbol. It’s commonly used to add flavor to couscous and chicken, but I added it to hummus.
And holy sh*&.
Hummus on its own is delicious, but when you add a few spoonfuls of harissa, it just changes the game, completely. You get the perfect kick of spice with each bite while still having the creamy, smooth texture of traditional hummus. Topped with some high-quality olive oil and pine nuts, it’s downright addictive. I made it two days ago and just polished off the remainder of it yesterday. You can eat it with chips, put it on a sandwich, use it over chicken or beef. It’s versatile.
But if you plan on using it for anything other than a dip, I’d suggest making double. I found myself eating it off my finger it’s that good.
Spicy Harissa Hummus
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Serves about 4.
Prep time: About 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup cooked chick peas*
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 – 3 tablespoons spicy harissa sauce (I used Mina brand)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- Cracked black pepper
For the toppings:
- Olive oil
- Pine nuts
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced red sweet peppers
*I used dry chick peas that I had boiled and let sit for 2 hours. You can sub in canned if you have them.
*I used about 3 tablespoons, but add more or less depending on taste
Directions:
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the chick peas, vegetable broth, olive oil, lemon juice, harissa, garlic salt and pepper. Pulse until mixture is smooth and looks like a paste, about 3 – 4 minutes. If needed, add additional broth to thin it out and salt and pepper for taste.
- Pour the hummus into a bowl and garnish with olive oil, pine nuts, cilantro and sliced peppers. Add cracked pepper and serve with fresh vegetables or chips. I used my favorite Food Should Taste Good sweet potato tortilla chips!
Nutritional information per serving (about 3 tablespoons):
Calories: 186.5
Fat: 9.2 grams
Carbohydrates: 15 grams
Fiber: 1.45 grams
Protein: 5.25 grams
Weight Watchers points: 4
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