Looking for a filling and wholesome budget-friendly meal? Consider adding simple Mediterranean hummus bowls to your repertoire. Make a big batch of hummus and prepare the toppings and meals will be easy all week!
Beans are a great addition to a frugal pantry. Here are more than a dozen delicious ways to add beans to your menu!
Quick and Easy Hummus Bowls
Whether it’s for breakfast (see my son’s favorite below), lunch, or dinner, these bowls are an easy-to-assemble dish that can be made as a vegan or vegetarian meal, or amped up with a little meat for the carnivores. They’re naturally gluten free, too.
The great thing about these is that you can keep an assortment of chopped vegetables, ferments, and krauts in the fridge and it’s a perfect way to meal prep for the week.
Start with Homemade Hummus
Making hummus as home is simple if you have a food processor or blender. You’ll simply combine the ingredients and process until finely pureed. Once made, the hummus will last in the fridge for about a week.
5 Easy Steps to Transform Your Pantry!
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Ingredients
Garbanzo beans — Traditional hummus is made with a base of finely processed garbanzo beans, aka chickpeas. You can use canned beans or prepare your own starting from dry beans for an easy pantry recipe.
Tahini — This sesame seed paste can be expensive to buy, though a jar does go a long way. It’s also a hummus ingredient that many households won’t have on hand. (Once you get in the habit of making this hummus recipe, you’ll make sure it’s in your pantry!)
Lemon juice — Use fresh lemons if you have them. If not, bottled is fine. The amount on this is variable, depending on just how tangy you like your hummus spread. If you need more liquid for the recipe but don’t want to use the full amount of lemon, add some reserved water from the beans.
Garlic cloves — Definitely use fresh garlic for this — garlic powder just won’t cut it. I’m a fan of a very garlicky hummus recipe and often add a few extra cloves for extra kick.
Cumin — This seasoning gives this easy hummus recipe a little earthy depth.
Salt — Use your favorite table salt or sea salt.
Making the Hummus
If you start with dry garbanzo beans for this basic hummus recipe, its super budget friendly. You can cook them on the stove top, or use an Instant Pot. [Instant Pot instructions here.]
- Soak one and a half cups of dry garbanzo beans overnight, making sure they’re covered by about 4″ of water.
- Drain and rinse beans.
- Put beans in a stock pot, again covering them with several inches of water.
- Gently boil for about an hour or until beans are soft.
- Drain.
You can also use canned beans for this recipe. If you don’t can your own, you can use convenient canned beans, though that’s not quite as inexpensive as starting with dried beans. Be sure to opt for canned beans that are not lined with BPA if you’re concerned about adding extra chemicals to your diet.
To prepare the hummus, you’ll need a food processor or blender to create a creamy smooth consistency. Simply combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender carafe and whiz until smooth.
The recipe included here makes a basic hummus. Switch it up by trying one of these delicious alternatives:
Topping Hummus Bowls
The list of what you can top your hummus bowl recipe with is pretty much endless. It is the perfect high-protein vehicle for lots of different vegetables and grains and a favorite for the vegetarian, non-dairy people in my family.
- Feta cheese provides a creamy tang to the bowl and is a must for Mediterranean hummus bowls when combined with kalamata olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
- My son likes a simple combination of hummus topped with fried eggs and beet kraut.
- Roast up some veggies and add those to a bowl with some fresh greens.
- Fresh greens like arugula, chopped kale, or microgreens add flavor and crunch.
- Ferments like sauerkraut, kimchi, or fermented carrots are delicious and add probiotics to the meal.
FAQs
Can I use store bought hummus?
You certainly can. There are two reasons I don’t. 1. It’s crazy expensive compared to the homemade version, especially if you start with dry beans. 2. I’d just as soon eliminate that unnecessary plastic container.
How can I make hummus without a blender for food processor?
When my son was away at college he mastered the art of mashing cooked garbanzo beans with the back of a wooden spoon. It won’t be as creamy as hummus made with an appliance, but he assures me it’s still delicious.
Easy Hummus Bowls
Enjoy the ease of homemade hummus bowls for a satisfying and delicious meal. Invite everyone to make their own to accommodate different palates!
Ingredients
For the Hummus
- 4 cups cooked garbanzo beans, (canned or prepared dry beans, see below)
- 3 Tablespoons tahini
- 1/2-2/3 cup lemon juice
- 4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Sea salt
Hummus Bowl Toppings
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes
- Kalamata olives
- Feta cheese
- Roasted red peppers
- Whole garbanzo beans (seasoned or plain)
- Grains like brown rice, bulgur wheat, or quinoa
- Sliced carrots
- Mushrooms
- Sesame seeds
- Tofu
- Pickled red onions
- Sauerkraut
- Roasted vegetables like squash, Brussels sprouts, or carrots
- Arugula
- Eggs (boiled or fried)
- Diced chicken (for omnivores)
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Drain beans, reserving some liquid.
- Measure all ingredients except salt into the bowl of a food processor.
- Process until smooth, adding a little more lemon juice, some of the reserved liquid, or water if necessary. (My husband thinks it’s too lemony if I use the full amount of lemon juice; I like it that way – this totally depends on your preference.) Add salt to taste.
- Store in fridge for up to a week.
To use dry garbanzo beans in this easy hummus recipe:
- Soak one pound of beans overnight, making sure they’re covered by about 4″ of water. Drain and rinse beans. Put beans in a stock pot, again covering them with about 4″ of water. Gently boil for about an hour or until beans are soft. Drain. Use four cups of cooked beans in recipe and freeze the rest for next time.
To assemble the hummus bowls:
- Choose your desired toppings and arrange them in a bowl.
- Top with a large dollop of hummus.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil if desired.
Notes
If you don't have a food processor, you can still make this easy hummus recipe, though it will take a bit more effort to smash the garbanzo beans. You can use a pastry blender, a potato masher, or the back of a wooden spoon.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1/2 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 403Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 286mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 13gSugar: 10gProtein: 19g
