Rich, savory caramelized onions pair with creamy chickpeas in this caramelized onion recipe. Made in just a couple of steps and from wholesome ingredients, this spin on hummus is excellent as a dip, spread and more. Get all of my tips for how to achieve smooth and creamy homemade hummus.
Jump to:
Hummus is a great example of how a few simple, wholesome ingredients can become something incredibly delicious (just like Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Squares are).
I make a homemade batch regularly, and while I love the classic flavor, I also enjoy trying different twists like dill pickle or even pumpkin pie (if you haven't embraced dessert hummus yet, you're missing out!).
I recently had some extra onions on hand and so naturally caramelized onion hummus has become my latest favorite. You'll love it too because it is:
- Fusion of Flavors. The sweet, savory depth of caramelized onions blends beautifully with the creamy, base of classic hummus. Think hummus meets a dipp-able French onion soup.
- Straightforward. With just a few steps, this recipe comes together easily, making it perfect for hummus beginners.
- Wholesome Ingredients. Packed with chickpeas, extra virgin olive oil and tahini, this hummus is a satisfying option for snacking or meal prep and doesn't contain all of the additives that are unfortunately found in most store-bought versions.
- Versatile. Enjoy it as a dip with fresh veggies, spread it on sandwiches or use it as the topping on a Mediterranean inspired bowl.
The Ingredients
- Chickpeas (AKA Garbanzo Beans)- Either canned or homemade cooked and cooled dry chickpeas work. You need about 1 and ½ cups. You could also make this hummus with white beans such as slow cooker navy beans.
- Tahini (AKA Sesame Paste) - Tahini adds signature taste to hummus but almond butter or pumpkin seed butter can be used if needed.
- Red Wine Vinegar- Lemon is typically used for the acid in classic hummus recipes but I swap it out with red wine vinegar for this recipe. Red wine vinegar nicely complements the flavors of caramelized onions. Fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar can be substituted but their flavor is a bit different.
- Olive Oil- This is the kind of recipe where using good quality extra virgin oil is worth it as it impacts the flavor. If you don't have any, you can leave it out and add more water to reach your desired consistency (the butter from the onions helps to ensure it is still rich and creamy).
- Onions + Butter- This recipe starts by slowly cooking onions in butter until soft and caramelized. Yellow or white onions work best but I have made this recipe with red onion as well.
- Garlic- You could also use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder instead or leave it out if needed (or check out this recipe for hummus without garlic).
- Fine Sea Salt- Kosher or table salt will also work; adjust to taste.
- Black Pepper
The Method
1. Caramelize onions. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat and add the onions.
Cook uncovered, stirring every 3-4 minutes until softened and caramelized (this will take about 30 minutes). Turn down the heat to medium low if the onions seem to be browning too quickly. Check out this full tutorial on how to make caramelized onions for more details and tips!
2. Prepare the chickpeas. If using homemade, cook your chickpeas. Drain and rinse (cooked or canned) and then set aside.
3. Whip tahini. Add the tahini, vinegar, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of water, onions, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor and blend on high for one minute until combined and creamy.
4. Puree. Add the chickpeas and process for a minute. Remove the lid and scrape down the edges.
Process for an additional minute then pause to scrape the edges again. Repeat 1-2 more times until smooth and creamy. If it seems like it might be too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time.
5. Taste and Season. Taste the onion hummus and add additional salt and pepper as needed.
6. Enjoy!
Leftovers and Storage
To Store: Store leftover caramelized onion hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Make it Your Own
- Use Roasted Garlic- Like in beet hummus, you can roast the garlic before adding it to the hummus for extra flavor.
- Garnish it with:
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Sesame seeds
- Additional caramelized onions
- Balsamic glaze
- Chopped fresh parsley and thyme
- Toasted sesame or pumpkin seeds
Serving Ideas
This caramelized onion hummus recipe is an excellent dip for:
- Fresh Vegetables (such as tomatoes, carrots, peppers and cucumbers)
- Crackers
- Pita Bread or Chips
- Tortilla Chips
Or try it on:
- Burgers- It is a unique way to add caramelized onion flavor to burgers.
- Spread on Sandwiches- Add flavor and creamy texture to your favorite sandwiches (or check out these other Healthy Sandwich Spreads).
Check out this what to serve with hummus post for more ideas for dippers and other ways to use it!
To make this a fluffy hummus without tahini, almond butter, pumpkin seed or sunflower seed butter will all work.
Tips for the Best Hummus
- Add the Chickpeas Last- I find whipping tahini first makes the hummus turn out creamier and smoother and so I encourage you to follow the order of addition written in this recipe. (It's even how I make all of my dessert hummus recipes).
- Make it Extra Smooth- The hummus turns out smooth enough for my liking with the recipe as written, but there are some things you can do to make it even smoother:
- Simmer your canned chickpeas with baking soda for about 20 minutes until soft.
- And then drain the chickpeas and rinse with warm water to remove most of the skins.
- No Food Processor? You can make this recipe in a high speed blender instead- add 2 tablespoons of water at the start to make it easier.
And if you liked this recipe...
...you might also like:
Recipe Card
Caramelized Onion Hummus
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions about 2 cups, sliced
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoon water plus additional as needed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil good quality
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt plus additional to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (19 oz) chickpeas rinsed and drained (1 and ½ cups)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook uncovered, stirring every 3-4 minutes until softened and caramelized. This will take about 30 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium low if the onions seem to be browning too quickly. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Add the caramelized onions (reserve 1 tablespoon for topping), tahini, red wine vinegar, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of water, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor.
- Blend for about a minute until combined and creamy. Add the chickpeas and process for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the edges of the bowl.
- Repeat 2-3 additional times until smooth and creamy. If the hummus seems too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse until desired consistency is reached.
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Enjoy topped with the reserved caramelized onions and a drizzle of olive oil.
Comments
No Comments