We stumbled across this idea after trying it on the appetizer menu at a local restaurant. We loved it and couldn’t wait to try it at home! It is best served as a delicious light dinner, for a Saturday evening at our home, or an appetizer with a Mediterranean dinner of sorts. It is hands on all the way! If you like hummus and feta, you will love this dish! When you make your hummus from scratch, this is a very frugal meal! Hummus is an excellent source of protein and nutrition from garbanzo beans and sesame seeds. Yum!
Hummus (we tried this homemade hummus recipe with good results using homemade tahini – it’s so incredibly easy and cheaper than the store! I used dry garbanzo beans, soaked them for 24 hours, and then cooked them for 5-7 hours in the crockpot. I added about 1 tsp cumin to my hummus with excellent results! Tahini, a main ingredient of hummus, can easily be made at home with a little coffee grinder and sesame seeds! Check out the recipe here.)
Crumbled Feta Cheese
Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Olives, kalamata or black, as desired, sliced in half
Naan, Pita, or flat bread (I attempted to make soaked whole wheat naan, but it was a failed experiment. For now, we greatly enjoy Trader Joe’s Naan. Next time, I will try this Whole wheat naan recipe!)
Scoop a little of each topping onto your piece of naan or pita and enjoy!
I made this for my mostly picky 2 year old and 3 year old boys today and they both loved it. The older one said over and over again how good it was. I made homemade pitas from the Sourdough cookbook from GNOWFGLINS, fermented hummus from our own recipe, and everything else the same. This will definitely be a keeper in our monthly rotation.
Thanks for the idea!
This looks so good! Great suggestion for a snack platter.
I have a question about Tahini paste. I bought some last year so I could make hummus and ended up storing this big jar in my cupboards. I didn’t say to refridgerate. Does anyone know if you are supposed to refridgerate or does it keep in the cupboards. Also how long does it keep?
I cannot say for sure, but I have always considered it an item that needs to be refrigerated, unless it is unopened of course…but if it doesn’t say anything about refrigeration, I don’t know.
Sorry that I cannot be more helpful.
This is one of my favorite light lunches/dinners, especially in the summer! There’s a restaurant near where I used to go to college that served Middle Eastern food for very low prices, which was a favorite of ours. My favorite was the hummus pita. It was exactly what the name said, and they had about 20 different vegetables/toppings you could add to it for no cost. My favorite was lettuce, olives, feta, cucumbers, pickles, carrots, and pickled beets (and their “seasoning,” which I never figured out what it was). So good!
If you’re having trouble with using dry garbanzo beans, try using Alton Brown’s recipe for Slow Cooker Chickpeas (from FoodNetwork.com). He soaks a pound of chickpeas overnight (this is not in the recipe on the website, but I just watched the actual episode of Good Eats last night…), drains and rinses them, and combines them in the slow cooker with 7 cups of water, 1/4 tsp aluminum-free baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt (which is also not listed on the website). He then cooks them on high for 4 hours or low for 8 – 9 hours.
He explained on the show that the baking soda and salt act as water softeners, which help the beans cook evenly, so they’ll grind more smoothly. I think they also helped break down some of the skin to water absorbs more easily.
This is a great tip. Thanks so much!
If you think Katamalas are expensive try looking for them at Costco. I buy a large jar there for $7. I did the math and for me they ended up being cheaper then black olives when I buy them this way. I love olives and put them in salads and on margarita pizzas YUM! Plus you get a nice size jar for storing things in when your done with the olives.
This looks and sounds fabulous!! I am going to have to try this this week!
Hi! I’m new to this blog and I love it! Thank you for all the work you’ve put into it! Even though this post is over a year old I wanted to comment. My husband and I lived in the Middle East for a while (we met there, in fact) and love hummus also! We used to eat hummus with flat bread for dinner (they eat a light dinner and heavy lunch). Some other easy combinations with an authentic Middle Eastern flare for light dinners or lunch are flat bread spread with leban (cream cheese works) topped with fresh mint, cucumbers and honey all rolled up. Kids loved this! They walked around with these all the time. They even eat this for breakfast too. We also ate scrambled eggs with flat bread and goat cheese. Sometimes we’d have some tabbouli with these light dinners or we’d throw in some fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. And we’d have some fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice straight from the tree. Super yummy! Oh I miss it! Amazingly delicious and soooooo cheap! You’ve inspired me to do this for lunches and Sunday night dinners. I don’t know why I haven’t thought of before!
We love hummus and naan too. I just tried the whole wheat naan bread recipe. I did the overnight soaked method with the yogurt and water and left out the milk for the yeast the next day because it was already moist enough. It worked great. I used hard white wheat for the flour. It’s a lot easier to make than my usual naan bread recipe (fewer steps for the dough) and it works better with whole wheat as the flour than mine did so thanks for sharing
I have made this hummus so many times! Thank you for the link to the homemade Tahini! We live overseas and while you can find Tahini it is a little bit difficult to find and quite expensive. This way I can make just the amount I need! I just made some and it is delicious!
I want to try making hummus using dried garbanzo beans. Could you clarify the amount of beans and water for cooking in the crock pot, and what is the equivalent to a can of beans? I read somewhere that it can be tricky in the crock pot so I would like to try your process since it worked. I have never tried the cumin, but it is a favorite spice of ours so I will be adding it next time.
Thanks for all your information. It’s so inspiring!
I don’t think I have quite perfected cooking garbanzos in the crockpot, but I usually just cover the beans with water by an inch or two and turn on low for 6-8 hours. I keep an eye on it and add more water if necessary. I just keep checking the tenderness of the beans with a fork till they are soft and breakable with my fork.
Delicious meal!! We had hummus w/ feta, grapes, and dates tonight. So good! The olives would have been a good touch, but I didn’t think of it!
For anyone having issue w/ the texture, DO NOT USE DRIED BEANS. They just don’t come out quite right. My Armenian grandmother (raised in Jeddah & Beirut) uses canned beans and a food processor. We’ve burned up way too many blenders.
This looks like a GREAT MEAL! I am trying to find healthier options for my family – and while my husband doesn’t like hummus – my girls & I love dips and I want to introduce new things to them. This looks and sounds delicious – and a great Sunday night supper! Thank you for the tips & links to make this easier!
Well this looked so good that I made it today and my hubby and I and my 2 year old son scarfed it down! I used homemade tortillas, which for me come out more like flat bread and it was fabulous. My husband has even requested we bring it for everyone on Fathers Day
Also this is just a quick tip: I LOVE kalmata olives but yes, they are a little pricey so what I do, is when I’m done with the olives in the jar, I take a can of whole black olives and rinse them off. Then I put them in the kalmata jar so they can soak it that brine. Of course the texture is different, but the taste is very similar.
Thanks so much for the post!
(I’m preparing to make sourdough pitas tomorrow, wish me luck!)
ooh what a great idea Bethany for the Kalamata/black olives! I’ll have to try that:)
We’ve been eating humus and homemade pita bread a lot. Yum! Here’s the recipe we’ve been using for pita.
http://madey-kay.blogspot.com/2009/05/pita.html
We also love home-made hummus here! It’s our morning snack served with carrot sticks and celery. Like others have mentioned, we think cumin adds a great flavor. I think I’ll try some roated peppers or artichokes next time. So many great ideas! Yum!
I heartily agree! The cumin made this hummus!
Do you think the tahini recipe would work in a food processor or blender? I don’t own a coffee grinder but I would love to try it. I currently buy tahini at a mediterranian grocery store nearby. It is cheaper there but I know we won’t always have that option.
Hummus is my favorite! I could eat it every day. Homemade is definitely cheaper and tastier!
Yes, many recipes online use a blender or food processor. I found my blender was too deep, so unless I was making a big batch of tahini, it did not grind up very well. The coffee grinder was far more effective for a small batch. I understand that it goes rancid pretty fast, so that is why I made a small batch (just enough for the hummus recipe). If you made a larger batch of hummus, using all the tahini, it would preserve it just fine.
Hi:) I absolutely love hummus too. There is one recipe that instead of garbanzo beans it called for navy beans. There is another recipe that calls for roasted red peppers and a healthy dose of cummin….delicious combo. I just love it on a piece of homemade bread as a sandwich too.
Thanks for sharing. I will try Traders Naan sometime. How are the little ones?
Hi there,
That platter looks yummy. Sorry your naan didn’t work. I love Trader Joes naan too. In a pinch, I used your Whole Wheat Pizza dough and shaped it like naan bread. Then cooked it on my electric skillet with a little olive oil until it was lightly brown. It was delicious! Just be sure to eat it then or it gets a little tough.
Best wishes,
Arianna
Hi Lindsay,
Do you happen to know the price difference between store bought and homemade hummus? I definitely want to start making my own. I’ve been enjoying your blog and this probably sounds strange, but I’m curious to know what a day’s schedule is like for you. You really have such great priorities and I’m wondering how you fit everything in each day or week? Between taking care of your kids, husband, spending time with the Lord, serving, planning, buying food from different sources, cooking, cleaning…How do you do it? I’m encouraged by your site and tips, and want to start so many things you’ve shared as I’m getting married soon and want to make my home a haven without getting overwhelmed with all the details. Any tips on some of the best ways you organize your time?
I haven’t figured out the price difference exactly, but I formally bought a small 8 oz container for around $3 dollars at the store, and can definitely make it at home for less than $1. This recipe made about 1 1/2 cups so it was a bigger quantity as well. I would love to share about my day’s schedule…I’ll put that down as a future blog topic. Thanks for asking!
I have been looking for a hummus recipe. Thanks for the link. Any success with different flavored hummus? We love the roasted red pepper and lemon hummus from the store. Can’t wait to try at home.
Thanks and I just love your blog.
I have been eating hummus platters like this since I was a little girl. It’s a favorite in my family, only we eat ours with pine nuts on top.
http://shewhoislaughingorcrying.blogspot.com/2009/03/you-asked-for-it-my-hummus-recipe.html
Lindsay, this looks wonderful! Trader Joe’s Naan ROCKS. I’ll definitely try this.
How wonderful! I love all of the above, so I look forward to trying this sometime soon.
we love hummus here as well, I even make roasted peppers with salt, pepper and olive oil just so I can top hummus with them. I often add marinated artichoke hearts at the end, make my hummus more interesting
Oh, and I noticed that the recipe you linked to doesn’t list ground cumin as an ingredient. I think it’s a *must* though, try it and you’ll see what I am talking about!
and in case you want to try Uzbek flat bread sometime, here’s the recipe I tried and really enjoyed the results
thank you so much for doing this! i have tried and failed making my own sesame tahini for my hummus too many times and caved and bought store bought (so expensive) i cant wait to try it out!
I can’t wait to make this, it looks so yummy and summer inspired. I came across a naan recipe that you might like. I haven’t tried it yet but plan on it soon.
OOPS, I forgot to add the link: http://jphillips4.blogspot.com/2009/05/photo-tutorial-making-naan.html
I have really been enjoying your site since I stumbled across it last week. I love your recipes and you are inspiring to make more things at home. I’ve been wanting to try to make hummus for a awhile now. We love the organic Roasted Red Pepper hummus from the grocery and my 18 month old scarfs it up! Excited to make my own! Thanks for inspiring us young moms to make healthy decisions for our families and to make God the center of our homes! Blessing to you!
Ah – YUM! We love mediterranean food. Thanks for the recipes. I’ve tried homemade hummus with not so good results. Maybe the homemade tahini is the key. We’ll try it.
We ADORE hummus in our house. It is so yummy and homemade is awesome! Thanks for the recipe and the tip on homemade tahini! I have always just bought it in the past.
That looks beautiful! We’re big fans of hummus here. I need to make some again and some flatbread/naan to go with it! This looks like a great summer meal.
This looks delicious. I made some homemade hummus a few weeks ago for the first time. I used dried garbanzo beans as well. I’m not sure if I didn’t mix it long enough or if I need a new food prcessor because it came out a little chunky. I tried mixing it more but it seemed like the mixture wasn’t hitting the blade completely. It also lacked flavor. It’s like I need to add more lemon and paprika next time. I will plan to also add some cayenne pepper and roasted red peppers. My sister-in-law made hummus like this and it was amazing!
Have you tried Kalamata olives instead of green or black? I happen to enjoy the Kalamata olives better. They have a more distinct flavor that goes really well with the feta cheese and hummus. Thanks for the idea of a hummus plate as a light dish!
We do this only with Kalamata olives for extra flavor and kick! They are more spendy then black olives. Trader Jo’s has the best price I have found. Thanks for sharing about the Tahini I look forward to makeing my own!
I LOVE HUMMUS!!! I am excited to try your recipe!! It looks so delicious on your blog that I could eat it off the computer! I can’t wait to get to the store!! I would so love for there to be a Trader Joe’s near me, but there isn’t one any where near. I’m hoping that the next place God moves us, we’ll be able to be near one!! Any how, I’m can’t wait to try the recipe!! Thanks for posting it!