Pop the chickpeas into your smoker to make Smoked Hummus for your next cookout or game day event! I am a huge fan of hummus and I often include some variation of this savory Middle Eastern dip to my appetizer rotation. I prefer to smoke the chickpeas first, and let me tell you, it’s absolutely delicious! You might be wondering if this will make the hummus too smoky. Never fear. Choosing the right wood and adjusting your smoking time will allow you to control the outcome.
Want your smoked hummus to have some serious chops? Smoke it for 45 minutes. If you’d prefer a subtle smoke flavor, smoke them for 30 minutes instead. Remember that we need to keep the temperature low, so plan on smoking these chickpeas at 225 degrees F. Please note that you will need a 9″ x 9″ disposable drip pan (or a grill-safe metal tray) and a food processor or high-powered blender to make your smoked hummus.
Using the Right Wood
The key to the right type of smoke starts with your wood choice. I recommend using a milder fruit wood like apple or peach for delicate items like the chickpeas. You can also use alder wood. If you’re using a charcoal grill, add a small number of wood chunks to the fire 5 minutes before the chickpeas go into the smoker. If you are using a pellet grill, you probably already have a great selection of wood pellets in your arsenal. Reach for the mildest option, similar to the wood suggestions listed above.
Smoked Hummus Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- Tahini
- Fresh lemon juice
- Plain whole-milk yogurt
- Fresh garlic
- Olive oil
- Cumin powder
- Sea salt (you can use table salt in a pinch!)
- GARNISH:
- Flat-leaf parsley
- Smoked paprika
- Toasted pine nuts (optional)
- Toasted sesame seeds or raw flax seeds (optional)
How to Smoke Chickpeas
- Preheat your pellet grill or smoker for 225 degrees F.Place the drained chickpeas into a 9″ x 9″ aluminum drip pan along with the unpeeled garlic.
- Once your grill or smoker is up to temperature, place the pan onto the grill grates, close the lid, and let it smoke for 40 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the grill, and let it sit for 15 minutes uncovered, so the contents have time to cool.
How to Make Smoked Hummus
- Remove garlic peels and discard.
- Add the smoked garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, plain yogurt, garlic, cumin, water, salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a food processor. Pulverize mixture together until smooth. No lumps or bumps, just smooth.
- Taste mixture for flavor and adjust to suit your palate. If the mixture is too thick, add another 1-2 tablespoons of water to the smoked hummus and pulse a few times to thin it out.
Serving:
- Transfer hummus to a serving dish.
- With a spoon, create a shallow spiral well in the center. Carefully drizzle in 1/4 cup extra olive oil and top with parsley and optional toasted pine nuts or sesame seeds. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and serve immediately.
- If you make the hummus ahead of time, cover the serving dish with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Smoked Hummus can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container. Do not add garnish items until you are ready to serve.
Smoked Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 3 cloves garlic unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt use more if needed
For garnish:
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
- 1/4 teapoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup Toasted pine nuts (optional)
- 2 teaspoons Toasted sesame seeds or raw flax seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill or smoker for 225 degrees F.Place the drained chickpeas into a 9" x 9" aluminum drip pan along with the unpeeled garlic.Once your grill or smoker is up to temperature, place the pan onto the grill grates, close the lid, and let it smoke for 30-45 minutes. The longer the time, the smokier the chickpeas.
- Remove pan from the grill, and let it sit for 15 minutes uncovered so the contents have time to cool. Remove garlic peels and discard.Add the smoked garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, plain yogurt, garlic, cumin, water, salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a food processor. pulverize mixture until smooth. No lumps or bumps, just smooth.
- Taste mixture for flavor and adjust to suit your tastes. If the mixture is too thick, add another 1-2 tablespoons of water to the hummus and pulse a few times to thin it out.
- Transfer hummus to a serving dish. With a spoon, create a shallow spiral well in the center. Carefully drizzle in 1/4 cup extra olive oil and top with parsley and optional toasted pine nuts or sesame seeds. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and serve immediately.If you are making the hummus a few hours ahead of time, cover and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- This smoked hummus can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container. Do not add garnish items until you are ready to serve.
