Hummus & Spreads Recipe

Warm pita or house flatbread on a sheet pan in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–7 minutes brushed lightly with 2 tbs olive oil and sprinkled with 1 tsp sea salt; keep wrapped in a clean towel until serving.

Prepare crudité: trim and cut carrots, cucumbers, and peppers into sticks; halve radishes. Arrange on a platter and chill until service.

Rinse and prep

If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse well. For a silkier hummus, remove skins by rubbing chickpeas between your fingers or use as-is for quicker prep.

Blend

In a food processor combine 2 cups cooked chickpeas, 0.5 cup tahini, 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, 0.5 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Pulse to combine.

Emulsify

With the processor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tbs ice water then continue streaming in 1–2 tbs additional water as needed until the hummus reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency (~1–2 minutes). Taste and adjust salt or lemon.

Finish & plate

Spoon into a shallow serving dish, create a small well in the center, drizzle 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle 0.5 tsp smoked paprika. Keep covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours before service.

Toast walnuts

Toast 0.5 cup walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, ~3–4 minutes; watch carefully to avoid burning. Cool slightly.

Blend

In a food processor combine 1 cup roasted red peppers (peeled), toasted walnuts, 1 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp pomegranate molasses, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes, 0.5 tsp salt, and 2 tbs olive oil. Pulse and scrape down sides until coarsely smooth.

Adjust & finish

With processor running, drizzle up to 1 additional tbs olive oil to reach a spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust acidity with more lemon or pomegranate molasses. Transfer to serving bowl; drizzle a little olive oil over top.

Strain yogurt (if making ahead)

If you prefer thicker labneh, line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth and drain 2 cups Greek yogurt over a bowl in the refrigerator 2–12 hours. For quick service, proceed without extra draining.

Mix

In a bowl combine strained or unstrained yogurt, 1 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp lemon zest, 2 tbs chopped dill, 1 tbs chopped mint, 0.5 tsp grated garlic, and 0.5 tsp kosher salt. Stir until smooth and herbs are evenly distributed.

Chill & plate

Transfer to a serving dish, smooth the top, drizzle a little olive oil, and sprinkle a few extra herbs. Keep refrigerated until service (up to 24 hours).

Combine 0.75 cup extra virgin olive oil with 3 tbs za'atar, 0.5 tsp sea salt, and 0.5 tsp lemon zest in a small bowl. Whisk to combine and let rest 10–15 minutes to bloom the spices. Serve in a shallow dish for bread dipping.

For each guest (priced per person), select any three spreads from the prepared options: Classic Chickpea Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Spread, Herbed Labneh, and Za'atar Olive Oil Dip. Spoon approximately 1/3 cup of each selected spread into separate shallow bowls or a segmented platter.

Arrange warm bread (6 pieces to share) and 1.5–2 cups assorted crudité around the spreads. Garnish hummus with smoked paprika and olive oil, muhammara with a drizzle of olive oil, labneh with fresh herb sprigs, and za'atar oil as-is. Serve immediately.

Leftovers: keep spreads refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 3 days (labneh up to 5 days). Bring to cool room temperature before serving for best texture.