It’s Friday and it’s a holiday weekend. Can I get a woo hoo?!? I hope you all have fun plans! We will be hitting up the pool with the little ones and playing outside and hopefully getting to visit with some friends and neighbors. Oh, and eating and eating and eating some more 🙂 So confession… I’m a hummus addict, if you were not aware. I’ve been making it for years and love all different flavors, all different ways. Can’t get enough hummus. Especially when it’s homemade!
Neither can my kids, apparently. They have beet hummus for lunch once a week. I have to make it in quadruple batches and freeze some so that I’m not constantly making hummus. Not that that’s a bad thing… This southwestern hummus dip though is hummus on overdrive! The creamy chickpeas and tahini are blended with an array of bold spices, plus a hit of brightness from the lime juice. But we don’t stop there. Oh no, we don’t stop there.
Bring on the toppings, please! I’ve got a super duper easy and very fresh pico de gallo and some (equally easy) charred corn piled up on top of this party bowl. You are going to have to fight to get your chip in there to scoop up this hummus dip. It’s going to be a crowd pleaser and people might start throwing elbows to get more of it! And crowd pleasing apps are just what we need this time of year. This southwestern hummus dip is great for Memorial Day, summer BBQs, pool parties - or just as a weekday lunch. (It’s also great for game days when you’re watching sports!) You’re going to want to find more ways and more occasions to eat it!
Normally I just serve this with some chips or pita chips (or even just crackers) and let everyone go to town. But if you happen to find yourself with some leftover hummus and toppings after the party, which I highly doubt, and have some grilled chicken or burgers, well, the hummus itself can now become the topping. This stuff on a piece of grilled chicken or on top of a burger? Oh my! It’s also delicious in a wrap with some turkey or veggies… and good just licked off a spoon… #addicted
Extra toppings for southwestern hummus:
- I included a recipe for a homemade pico de gallo but you could buy some at the store or use a freshly made salsa instead.
- I’ve left off the corn before (for a friend who can’t have it) and it’s still good. But if you’re using it, I highly recommend you take the few minutes to char it. Adds flavor and looks great!
- Sliced or diced fresh avocado would also be great on this hummus dip.
- Finally, a little crumbled cojita or queso fresca cheese would be delicious here as well. Just keep adding those toppings!
Whatever you do, please, add this to your weekend party plans. (And if you make this recipe and love it, please leave a comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram; I love seeing your creations!) Enjoy! XO, Kathryn
If making ahead, store the hummus, pico de gallo and corn separately in the refrigerator. Assemble before serving. I like using reserved liquid from a can of chickpeas or from cooking my own chickpeas to give flavor to the hummus (and to skip the oil). I use about 2-3 tablespoons. If you’d rather, you can substitute 1-3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to get the hummus to your preferred consistency. You can definitely use frozen corn here. Just thaw it slightly under running water and pat it dry before adding it to the pan to char it. It may need closer to 4-5 minutes to get charred, but otherwise, works just the same. If you don’t like raw red onion, you can soak the chopped red onion in a bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes to take some of the bite off of it in the pico de gallo. You may have extra pico de gallo or corn, depending on the type of bowl you use for the hummus. I find people love the toppings so you can keep it to the side and add more as the party goes on, or save it for yourself to top some grilled chicken or a burger or wrap. Or nachos or quesadillas or shoot, a sandwich.
