Caramelized Onion Hummus

There’s so many different variations of Hummus, but Caramelized Onion Hummus truly is the god among them. Better still, it couldn’t be easier to make!

If you’re looking for a show-stopping dip to serve as an appetizer, I’ve got you covered. This is the ultimate crowd pleaser which never fails. Follow me…

Hummus with Caramelized Onions

Caramelized onion hummus is quite a popular variation in the UK, but if you’ve never heard of this fusion you’re certainly in for a treat. 

The sweet and slightly tangy taste of the onions blend perfectly with the rich and nutty flavours from the hummus. I got into a bit more depth of how to Perfectly Caramelize Onions, but just for a little recap:

How to Caramelize Onions (quick summary)

1. Add onions to a non-stick pan with butter and fry over medium heat until they soften and begin to catch colour.
2. Turn heat to low and add balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and seasoning.
3. Continue to fry until deep caramelized and sticky.

Can I use store bought caramelized onions?

You sure can! I’d just be aware that store bought caramelized onions are often more ‘saucy’ than homemade, which in turn may alter the consistency of the hummus. As such I’d start off with a little less and adjust accordingly.

How to make Caramelized Onion Hummus

First things first, you gotta start off with a homemade hummus. I can’t express to how much better a homemade hummus is in comparison to store bought. Honestly, every time I buy hummus it tastes massively different every time. With a homemade hummus you know it’s gonna taste great each time.  Well, if you make this recipe anyway 😏

For caramelized hummus I definitely recommend using a food processor, just to ensure you completely smooth out all the onions. Here’s some tips for making ultra smooth and creamy hummus:

• Chickpea Brine – Don’t waste the chickpea brine, use it to thin out the hummus as needed!
• Time – I usually blitz my hummus for at least 5mins, to really ensure any tiny lumps are dealt with. Scrape a few times during with a spatula.
• Canned Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas are already quite soft, which is great. If you’ve only got dry, just soak them before adding to the food processor.

How to make Homemade Hummus with Caramelized Onions (quick summary)

1. Add all of your hummus ingredients to a food processor.
2. Pulse until completely smooth.
3. Add in caramelized onions, saving some to garnish.
4. Pulse again until the onions are nicely blended.

How to serve Caramelized Onion Hummus

When it comes to serving, I use a big flatish bowl (easiest to scrape/dunk) and have the hummus at room temp. Always serve hummus at room temp.

Caramelized Onion Hummus Garnish

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• More Caramelized Onions
• Fresh Thyme

Just a few thyme leaves, don’t go overboard.  Onions are thyme are a match made in heaven, so this garnish actually adds a gorgeous hint of flavour to the hummus.

What to serve with Caramelized Onion Hummus?

• Pita Chips
• Tortilla Chips
• Chicken Tenders
• Potato Wedges
• Peppers, Carrots or Veg of choice!

And finally, just whilst I’ve got you and before we tuck into the full recipe, you should totally check out my different hummus recipes!

Hummus Variations

• Classic Hummus
• Peri Peri Hummus
• Roasted Beetroot and Feta Hummus

Alrighty, to the caramelized onion recipe we go!!

How to make Caramelized Onion Hummus (Full Recipe & Video)

Caramelized Onion Hummus

There's so many different variations of Hummus, but Caramelized Onion Hummus truly is the god among them. Better still, it couldn't be easier to make!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer / Dip

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings (click & slide): 6

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Cost per serving: £1.50 / $2

Equipment:

• Food Processor
• Fry Pan
• Serving Bowl
• Spatula
• Colander (to drain chickpeas)
• Small Pot (to catch chickpea brine)

Ingredients (check list):

Hummus

• 1x 14oz / 400g can of Chickpeas (Don't drain away liquid!)
• 1/3 cup / 80ml Chickpea Brine from the can, or as needed
• 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for serving
• 2 tbsp Tahini
• 1 Lemon, juice only
• 1 clove of Garlic
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
• Fresh Thyme Leaves, to serve

Caramelized Onions

• 14oz / 400g Red Onion, finely diced (approx 6 small onions)
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

• Melt 1 tbsp butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat and add your onions. Sauté until they start to soften and become sticky (10-15mins). Add 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and seasoning (to taste), then turn down heat to a low. Fry until deep golden and sticky (around 15mins longer). Don’t let them go crispy, if they start to char then lower the heat. The aim of the game is to cook them low and slow so they release their natural sugars and caramelize. (see notes)
• Add all of chickpeas, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, cumin, approx 1/4cup chickpea brine, salt & pepper to a food processor and pulse until completely smooth. Test for seasoning then add in your caramelized onions, saving some to garnish. Pulse again until the onions blend in. Add the last splash of chickpea brine to thin out if needed.
• Serve with an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves and some caramelized onions. Serve at room temp with pita chips, tortilla chips and veg of choice!

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Caramelized Onions - For truly caramelized onions you actually want to start on a low heat and keep it low the whole way through. This will give the onions the best chance of releasing their natural sugars to caramelize. I go through this in a bit more detail in my Perfect Caramelized Onions. However, for this recipe the above timings work perfectly.

b) Non-stick pan - You never want your onions to catch on the pan as they caramelize. Give them the best chance of not doing so by using a non-stick pan.

c) Smooth Hummus - You can of course peel the chickpeas, but in my opinion it's too much fuss. For a smooth hummus I simply blitz it for a good 5 minutes. I'll also stop it a few times in between to scrape around the edge so no lump goes uncovered.

d) Room temp - always serve hummus at room temp, never straight out the fridge. To store, cover right away and pop in the fridge, then allow it to come to room temp before serving.

e) Calories - per serving (6 servings):

Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Caramelized Onion Hummus

Amount Per Serving

Calories 275 Calories from Fat 118

% Daily Value*

Fat 13.06g20%

Saturated Fat 2.339g12%

Trans Fat 0.003g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2.948g

Monounsaturated Fat 6.844g

Cholesterol 2mg1%

Sodium 225mg9%

Potassium 383mg11%

Carbohydrates 32.57g11%

Fiber 5.6g22%

Sugar 9.96g11%

Protein 9.08g18%

Vitamin A 150IU3%

Vitamin C 9.1mg11%

Calcium 60mg6%

Iron 2.5mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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