Most of us are familiar with using hummus cold, as a dip for crudité veggies and a spread on sandwiches and wraps. That’s how I’ve used it happily for years. But then I experienced a baked hummus appetizer at Talullas, and it was so good. Yes, their hummus is particularly good, but when the hummus is warm, it’s just a different experience. A really comforting meal can be whipped up as easy as 1-2-3!
- Whip up a batch of quick easy hummus.
- Roast up some seasonal vegetables.
- Spread hummus on a plate, microwave for a bit, and top with the roasted vegetables.
If you like some more protein in a meal, roast up some merguez sausage along with the vegetables. The flavor pairs really well with the dish.
Roasting Vegetables
The vegetables represented in the photo above are sprouting broccoli, sprouting cauliflower, orange and white sweet potatoes, and purple carrots. But so many other vegetables would work equally well. Winter squash, brussels sprouts, asparagus, sweet peppers, eggplant, beets, parsnips, turnips, and radishes are all great options.
Different vegetables will require different amounts of time to roast, so give each vegetable it’s own place on the baking sheet. As each vegetable reaches perfection, remove them from the baking tray. To make sure all the vegetables are nice and warm when served, return the early vegetables to the oven for a few minutes at the end of the roasting process.
I usually preheat the oven to 425°F when roasting mixed vegetables. One at a time, I clean and cut each vegetable, place them in a bowl to toss with salt, pepper and olive oil, and then arrange them together on their section of a baking sheet. Make sure that baking sheets are not overcrowded. Expect the smaller and more tender vegetables, such as the sprouting broccoli and sprouting cauliflower, to take about 20 minutes. Expect the larger cuts and more hardy vegetables to take 10 to 15 minutes longer.
Za’atar or Gremolata
Roasted vegetables are great with simply the salt, pepper, and olive oil used to cook them. The warm hummus underneath them provides an awesome flavor boost. That’s usually good enough for me. But sometimes I feel like gilding the lily. One option is to sprinkle some za’atar on top of everything. Za’atar is a Middle Eastern herb blend of woodsy oregano and time, citrusy sumac and nutty toasted sesame seeds. Or you can brighten the dish with a gremolata. Gremolata is made with fresh parsley, lemon zest and garlic. Take a medium sized bunch of parsley. Discard the thick stems and finely chop the thin stems and leaves. Mince up a clove of garlic and zest one lemon. Stir everything together.
