Roasted Cauliflower Hummus and Pita Chips

Let’s bring classic hummus to the next level with this new version made with roasted lemon cauliflower! A beautiful healthy vegan dip to serve with pita chips.

It seems like lemon and cauliflower together have become a little obsession for me lately. As you probably noticed already, my last week’s recipe was indeed my roasted lemon cauliflower & halloumi pita pockets with a vegan aioli. This new recipe has already become a new favorite of yours, and it makes me so happy because I absolutely love it myself (and already made it several times, it’s so simple, healthy, and savory)!

However, as strange as it may seem, the two recipes are pure coincidence and have indeed very little to do with each other. I actually first tried a cauliflower and lemon hummus back in November in an art & foodie event, way before I would have the idea of pita pockets. Both David and I loved this hummus version, especially the addition of lemon that makes the hummus very refreshing, with a beautiful silky and creamy texture.

I love hummus and I always find a good excuse to make some. To me, it’s the perfect healthy and nourishing snack to enjoy anytime of the day. You can use it as a spread on your toasts, or you can dip in some raw veggie sticks (such as carrots, celery or cucumber sticks), which is a fun way to increase your veggie intake. Not to mention that it is way healthier than grabbing a cookie when you have a little craving – even though I have nothing against a cookie once in a time either. Life is all about balance in everything after all!

I often stick to the classic hummus recipe made with chickpeas and tahini paste exclusively, but I have other favorites too, and among them there is my roasted red paprika hummus for instance that you can find on the blog already, and one other recipe with roasted carrots (note to self: should I share the recipe with my readers too? They would probably love it). And now today you have my new favorite with roasted lemons and cauliflowers.

While searching on the web, I found several cauliflower hummus recipes, but none of them really satisfied me as they were made with cauliflower almost exclusively (aren’t chickpeas one of the core ingredients of a hummus traditionally?). Intrigued, I gave it a try, making for the first time of my life a hummus without chickpeas – or should I say a dip, then? Anyway, it was ok-good, but I found that it tasted too much of the cauliflower and it was not what I was looking for.

So I started experiments in the kitchen, in search of the perfect cauliflower hummus recipe, involving roasted lemons and cauliflower florets, chickpeas, tahini paste, and garlic of course. I adjusted the taste several times and finally obtained a great result. The addition of chickpeas cuts off the bitterness of cauliflower, while the roasted lemons add this refreshing taste I was looking for. Just perfect!

To serve with my cauliflower hummus, I suggest some pita chips that you simply grill in the oven for a few minutes with olive oil and garlic. I prefer pita bread made with whole-wheat flour, but it is of course a personal choice, and you can totally use regular pita bread if you want. Oh, and for the crunchy taste, I added some pine nuts on top, that I simply grilled for a few seconds in a frying pan until they turn golden. Drizzle some olive oil on top and enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower Hummus

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
• Yield: 2 cups 1x
• Category: Savory
• Cuisine: Healthy

Let’s bring classic hummus to the next level with this new version made with roasted lemon cauliflower! A beautiful healthy vegan dip to serve with pita chips.

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Ingredients

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For the hummus:

• 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
• Olive oil, for roasting
• 2 or 3 medium lemons
• 1 1/4 cup (200g) cooked chickpeas (approx. half a can)
• 1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) tahini paste
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice (from the above listed lemons)
• 1 teaspoon agave syrup
• 1 teaspoon paprika powder
• Salt and pepper

For the pita chips:

• 4–5 pita bread
• Olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Pine nuts and/or parsley to garnish

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking tray with parchment or a silpat mat.
2. Lay the cauliflower florets out on the tray and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Halve the lemons and place them face down on the sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, or until the cauliflower is golden. Halfway through the cooking time, toss the cauliflower and remove the lemons from the oven.
3. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes.
4. When the cauliflower is cooled, add it to the bowl of a large food processor. Process for about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. Add the chickpeas, tahini paste, garlic cloves, juice from the roasted lemons*, agave, paprika, salt and pepper. Process until very smooth, up to 1-2 minutes if needed. Add more water or lemon juice if needed.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. For the pita chips: line a baking tray with parchment paper. Slice the bread into triangles and lay down to the tray. Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle some garlic over. Grill in the oven for about 10 minutes.
7. Serve the hummus garnished with more extra-virgin olive oil, roasted pine nuts, or chopped parsley, and enjoy with the pita chips.

Notes

* You want about 1/4 cup of lemon juice. If you don’t get enough from the roasted lemons, you can complete with the juice of a raw lemon until you reach 1/4 cup.

Cauliflower, Citrus, Dairy-Free, Dips, Fall, Healthy, Savory Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Roasted Cauliflower Hummus, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!