Whenever I’m reading a menu, if “caramelized onions” are mentioned in an entree description, I’m on board. Combine that with the fact that hummus is one of those foods that I’m ALWAYS in the mood for, and this Caramelized Onion Hummus becomes a home-run recipe.
Seriously, have you ever had a guest over who wasn’t down for a snack of hummus and chips? If you answered yes, you should probably never invite that guest over again. (kidding- sort of). It can be eaten with cucumbers, peppers, carrots, pretzels, pita chips, sweet potato chips, heck- I’ve even smeared it on a sandwich and tossed it with lettuce as my salad. It literally goes with everything- which is fitting, because to take this Caramelized Onion Hummus to the next level, I recommend sprinkling “Everything But the Bagel” seasoning from Trader Joe’s on top.
All jokes aside, hummus itself is a perfect in-between-meals snack, since the chickpeas are packed with protein and fiber. Tahini is also made up of 20% complete protein, in addition to being high in calcium, Vitamin E, and B vitamins (energy vitamins). What do you need when you’re hungry and in an afternoon slump? Protein to keep you full and B vitamins to boost your energy! Plus, if you use a vegetable as your dipper, you’re getting even more micronutrients… win win! I recommend packing 2-4T in a small container so they’re portioned out and ready to grab-n-go throughout the week.

- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Caramelized Onion Hummus
Ingredients
- 1-2T olive or avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- sea salt
- 1-2T stevia - optional
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup tahini - heaping
- 7-8T citrus juice - half lemon, half lime
- 1 can chickpeas - drained and rinsed
- 1 can white beans - drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 3T olive oil - plus more for serving
- 4-8T water - add 1T at a time until desired consistency
- Everything Bagel Seasoning - Optional
Instructions
- Preheat a medium skillet with 1-2T of oil. Meanwhile, very thinly slice the onion. Add the onion and pinch of sea salt to the hot skillet, then turn the heat to low, and allow to cook slowly until soft and golden, stirring every ~5 minutes. (This should take about 20-30 minutes- the longer and slower onions cook, the sweeter they get). Right before removing the onion from the heat, crush the garlic into the skillet, and saute just until fragrant- 30-60 seconds. Optional: about halfway through the cooking, add 1-2T stevia (or sugar) for a sweeter onion.
- While the onions are cooking, add the tahini, lemon juice, and 3T of olive oil to a food processor. Blend together until smooth.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and white beans. Add to the food processor. OPTIONAL: after rinsing, peel the chickpeas for an even smoother hummus. This step is entirely based on if you have patience and time 😉 but simply squeeze each chickpea until it pops out of the "skin". Discard the skin.
- When the onion is finished, transfer onion and garlic to the food processor. Add the sea salt, cumin, and half the water. Blend until very smooth- scraping down the sides as necessary. Add additional water (or olive oil) 1T at a time until the hummus reaches the consistency you like.
- To serve, swirl the back of a spoon into the top of the hummus, then drizzle olive oil in same path. Sprinkle with Everything But the Bagel seasoning, if desired, and serve with your favorite chip, cracker, or veggie.