Chickpeas are a staple ingredient at Live Eat Learn and in most vegetarian households. And there is no more well-known chickpea recipe than hummus. Usually, the energy is spent on the hummus itself. With flavors like roasted pepper, chipotle, roasted garlic, and jalapeño cilantro, you can totally customize it to your taste buds. But what about taking store-bought hummus or leftover homemade hummus and jazzing it up with a tomato, olive, and feta salad? Well, that’s a next-level hummus dip, and that’s what we’re making.
you’ll need some Mediterranean basics
The Fresh Veggies: For this recipe, you’ll need tomatoes, English cucumber, and red onion. Roma are great because they have less water, but use whatever tomato variety you have on hand. Feta Cheese: This Mediterranean staple cheese is creamy and salty—the perfect complement to hummus. Pine Nuts: These add a sweet and nutty flavor to the dip and are also one of our crunchy elements. Diced almonds or pistachios will work, too. Olives: I prefer to use kalamata olives because they are gorgeous in color but also have the most flavor of canned olives. This variety adds saltiness without being overly salty. Roasted Pepper: Roasted peppers add a sweet, smoky element. You can roast them yourself or simply go with jarred roasted peppers. Hummus: A 10-oz container of hummus will serve as the base of the recipe. You can even make your own plain or flavored hummus!
Let’s Do This
The fewer the steps, the better, right? Well, how about three? Needless to say, this is an easy recipe and is ready in less than 15 minutes! Step 1: Prep The IngredientsTo begin, chop the tomato, cucumber, pepper, onion, and olives. Add them to a medium bowl along with the olive oil, pepper, and salt. Toss to combine everything evenly. Step 2: Toast The NutsNext, add the pine nuts to a small sauté pan and set it over medium heat on the stove. Cook, watching closely, until the pine nuts turn golden brown. Step 3: Assemble The PlateSpread the hummus onto a large platter or serving plate. Top with the veggie mixture, the toasted pine nuts, and the feta cheese.
