Whipped Feta Tzatziki Hummus

There was a time, rather recently actually, when I swore my allegiance to a particular hummus recipe. I made some pretty bold proclamations to friends and family, like:

"You could fly to the Middle East and try every centuries-old recipe from every beloved grandmother and every frequented street vendor and still never find hummus this perfect."

and

"If I had to choose between never seeing out of my right eye or never eating this hummus again, I'd learn to deal with the depth perception issue."

and

"I'll never make another hummus recipe in my life."

And while I still stand by my first two statements-- because let's be real, Michael Solomonov is a chickpea-pureeing, tahini-making, modern-Israeli-cooking genius-- the last one makes me a filthy liar. Here I am, peddling another hummus recipe, hoping you'll still take me for my word when I say that it's freakin' incredible and you need to make this version now.

In my defense, Whipped Feta Tzatziki Hummus isn't actually "real hummus", so I think we can make it through this post with your faith in me intact.

For all that Whipped Feta Tzatziki Hummus lacks in authenticity, it makes up for in taste. I'm not knocking the traditional tahini hummus by any stretch of the imagination here, but nixing the sesame paste and subbing in cool, garlicky yogurt and salty, tangy feta cheese is a decision that you won't regret.

Tzatziki is my favorite part of a whole slew of Greek foods that I regularly shovel into my mouth, like gyros and souvlaki and my frequent spin-off dishes (such as Easy Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad, Zucchini, Feta, and Spinach Fritters, and Loaded Greek Chicken "Pitzas"). But truthfully, mixing it into a chickpea base may be my best use of tzatziki to date. The switch-up turns typical hummus into an ultra-refreshing and summery dip that NEEDS to make an appearance at every picnic and backyard bbq 'til the end of time.

Oh, and that tzatziki? It's not just your regular, run-of-the mill stuff. I up the ante by making it in my food processor with plenty of feta, so that the typically crumbly cheese turns soft, airy, and creamy, and spreads throughout the whole hummus. Mmmm, I'm having flashbacks of some beautiful flavors, guys. I think it's time for another batch.

I'm gonna get right on that. While I'm whirring away at my batch of chickpeas, go ahead and get yours started too. Share a picture on Instagram or Twitter of you whipping your Whipped Feta Tzatziki Hummus together (or of the finished dip!) and tag it with #hostthetoast. It'll make me feel like I'm right there in the kitchen with you, but you won't have to worry about me stealing any bites.

Whipped Feta Tzatziki Hummus

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3 from 1 review

• Author: Morgan
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped, divided
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Juice of 1 lemon, plus ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons dill, chopped, plus more to top
• 8 ounces feta cheese, divided
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ¼ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
• ¼ cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• Grilled pita or pita chips, to serve

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Instructions

1. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the baking soda and cover with water. (The chickpeas will double in volume, so use more water than you think you need.) Soak the chickpeas overnight at room temperature. The next day, drain the chickpeas and rinse under cold water.
2. Place the chickpeas in a large pot with the remaining 1 teaspoon baking soda and add cold water to cover by at least 4 inches. Bring the chickpeas to a boil over high heat, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot, and continue to simmer for about 1 hour, until the chickpeas are completely tender. Then simmer them a little more. (The secret to creamy hummus is overcooked chickpeas: don't worry if they are mushy and falling apart a little.) Drain.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, all but ¼ cup of the chopped cucumber, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, dill, all but ¼ cup of feta cheese, and the greek yogurt. Blend until smooth and airy. Set aside ¼ cup of the tzatziki for topping the hummus and leave the remainder in the food processor.
4. Add the chickpeas to the food processor. Puree the hummus for several minutes, until it is smooth and uber-creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add additional olive oil as needed. Season with salt, to taste.
5. In a separate small bowl, combine the remaining cucumber, lemon zest, dill, remaining feta, kalamata olives, and cherry tomatoes.
6. To serve, spread the hummus in a shallow bowl, making small swirls in the top with the back of a spoon. In one of the indentations, spoon in the tzatziki you set aside for topping. Top with the cucumber-tomato mixture and serve cold or at room temperature.

• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins