Soft and fluffy Sourdough Flatbread with Feta hits the spot when you want the perfect flatbread to dip into anything from Hummus to Stew. Sourdough gives a lovely tang while the potato keeps these really soft and moist. Fill with feta for an extra cheesy treat or leave them as they are. An aromatic Za’atar-oil brushing makes them utterly irresistible.
Why You Want to Make This
Not sure about you, but I was always on the hunt for the perfect flatbread recipe and think I have finally found it. A bread that is easy to make, stays soft and fluffy, even the next day, has sourdough in it and tons of flavour. This really is the one.
The Inspiration came from Claire Saffitz, who made her version just with yeast and white flour. I’ve added sourdough and a bit of whole wheat flour to mine, for both flavour and nutrition.
Versatile
While I made mine specifically to go with the large Mezze Feast I have started to post bit by bit over the last few days (you will get the complete article soon), which meant filling with feta and brushing with Za’atar oil, you can use them for literally anything that requires a soft and fluffy flatbread.
Fill with different cheese or leave plain, add different herbs to the oil (rosemary and garlic would be lovely) or just brush with some garlic butter to finish.
Easy
Most of the work is done by the stand mixer and the sourdough. You could even make them virtually no-knead, by just leaving them over night, to let only the sourdough develop the gluten.
Or knead yourself by hand, if you don’t have a stand mixer.
Basically it’s mashing a boiled potato, mixing the wet with the dry ingredients, kneading (or waiting) and rolling them out to quickly pan fry.
The Ingredients
Potato
This sets these Sourdough Flatbread with Feta apart from other flatbreads you might have tried. It adds moisture and softness to the dough, you don’t get from just flour and water alone and makes them quite unique.
Don’t throw out the starchy cooking water, since we will use it as liquid for the dough, helping the yeast to rise and the dough to stay lovely and soft.
Sourdough
I realise some are intimidated by sourdough, but it’s really just water, flour and time that makes it. Top up with more water and flour every few days, and you always have the base for all kinds of breads and even sweet treats on hand.
Here is a guide on how to start your own.
Flour
You can use plain white flour if you like or bread flour, both will come out fine. I had bread flour on hand and more than plain for that matter, so that’s what I used. I replaced some of the white with whole wheat flour, for nutty flavour and nutrition.
I wouldn’t raise the whole wheat content much further than this, as you might get very firm instead of soft and fluffy flatbreads.
Yeast
If you leave the dough to ferment overnight, you can skip the yeast. Since I wanted them on the same day and give a bit of extra rise, I included just a tiny bit, which helped with the extra fluffy texture.
Salt
I’m using kosher salt, as most of the time when cooking, So if you are using fine sea salt, half the amount, as it has about double the salting power of fine kosher salt.
Olive oil
This helps the dough stay moist and soft but makes for a pretty sticky and soft texture. Which is what we want. So apart from the 2 tbsp that get added to the mixture, use it liberally on your hands when working the dough, instead of the usual flour, which would dry it out.
That’s already everything for the plain flatbread version. If you’d like to take them over the top, there are two more.
Now since you can make the flatbreads plain, I didn’t include the Za’atar and Feta in the first ingredient picture. Both come only in towards the end and are optional.
Za’atar
A middle eastern spice mix, Za’atar usually contains dried soft thyme, sesame, and sumac (a sour dried and ground berry). Sometimes with other added ingredients, depending on the brand. It’s absolutely delicious mixed into olive oil as dip or topping for all kinds of bread or sprinkled over all sorts of dips like Hummus or Labneh. https://forthepleasureofeating.com/hummus-two-ways/
In this case we are brushing the flatbreads with a mix of this and olive oil while frying, to get the flavour to really soak into the bread.
Feta
Use good quality creamy feta here, as you want it to melt into the dough, for little cheesy pockets of salty tang.
The Process
Start by boiling your potato until soft. Just barely cover it with water, don’t salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until you can pierce the pieces easily with a knife.
Drain over a sieve with a cup underneath, to catch the cooking water. We need about ½ cup of it.
Leave both potato and water to cool to room temperature, so they don’t kill the sourdough or yeast when we mix them in.
Once cooled enough, in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, mash the potato with a fork or a potato masher.
Add the flour, sourdough starter, salt, and olive oil.
To the ½ cup lukewarm cooking water, add your yeast and let it stand for about 5-10 minutes, to allow it to activate. Once it has started to bubble a little, add the mix to your bowl with the flour and potato.
At this point I usually mix briefly with a spoon, to get the wet and dry roughly incorporated, as my stand mixer never gets to all the flour on the sides of the bowl if I don’t. If yours does, feel free to skip this step.
Knead on medium speed for about 8-10 minutes, until you have a very smooth and sticky dough that comes off the sides of your bowl.
If you are kneading by hand, you may add a little flour, to make it easier to work with, but you still want a fairly soft and moist result.
Once your dough is smooth and elastic, form it into a ball and leave it to rise in an oiled large bowl you cover with clingfilm for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
I usually put mine overnight in the fridge, which gives the sourdough time to ferment and add all it’s goodness to my flatbread. You can get away making it on the same day, I just feel the flavour develops much better overnight and it gives me a more flexible schedule on the day I plan to use it in whatever meal I want it to go with.
Once your dough has doubled in size and you want your flatbreads ready in about 1h, oil your work surface (I like using a silicone mat, for easy cleaning) and divide it into 8 pieces.
Now we are getting them into a round shape and give them even more rise by tucking in any irregular edges, until you have a round and smooth dome top, then put them on a parchment covered, oiled baking tray for their second rise. Here is a great video that shows this process with buns.
Cover them loosely with oiled clingfilm and let them rise for another 30-40 minutes while you prepare whatever dip you plan to have with them.
If you are filling them with feta and topping with Za’atar oil, crumble your feta into a bowl and mix the Za’atar with olive oil.
Once the dough had it’s second rise, oil your work surface again. Take a piece of dough and roughly flatten it with your hands until it’s the size of about 2 hands. This doesn’t have to be exact.
Crumble 2 tbsp of your feta over the dough, then roll it up like shown in the pictures.
First into a sort of sausage shape.
Then in a spiral into itself, as if you were making cinnamon rolls one by one. Try not to pierce it, so the feta stays inside. But don’t worry if a bit crumbles out, these are homemade after all. We are not looking for perfection.
Put each spiral back on the oiled baking sheet, while you form the rest.
Get your pan lightly oiled first, then slowly heat it to medium/high heat. We want the dough to puff up pretty much instantly when it hits the pan, but not burn.
While working with the dough, you will have noticed how sticky and soft it is, so we need a trick to get it into the pan in one piece. Claire Saffitz had a great one for that:
2 lightly oiled pieces of baking parchment. Transfer your dough onto one, flatten a bit with your hands, then top with the second piece and roll out to a round-ish shape about 8in across.
Peeling off the top piece of parchment, carry the flatbread on the bottom one to your pan and just flip it over, to transfer the dough into it.
If using Za’atar oil, brush it onto the top side of the flatbread, while the first side is frying.
Sprinkle with a little sea salt.
Fry until one side is golden brown and comes off the pan easily. Since these behave very similar to pancakes, the cues will be little bubbles appearing on the top and the dough going from very shiny to a little matte. You will also start seeing slightly browned edges.
In doubt take a peek underneath with your spatula.
Flip and fry the second side until done. This will take less time than the first side.
Keep warm in the oven, which you turned to the lowest temperature, while you fry the remaining pieces.
Enjoy your warm homemade Sourdough Flatbread with Feta with all sorts of dips, as a side for stew or, just as they are with some olives and maybe pickles. I always want pickles. But maybe that’s just me?
Meal Prep
These Sourdough Flatbreads with Feta are fantastic for meal prep, as there are multiple ways to prepare and store them.
For one you can prepare the dough the day before and let it rise overnight in the fridge, then take it out about 1h before you want to eat, to shape and fill them.
The fried ones can be stored in a lidded container or plastic bag for about 2 days and just reheated when you’d like to eat. They reheat fantastic in air fryer, oven or pan.
Alternatively you could freeze the portioned dough (though I wouldn’t fill it, as cheese isn’t ideal for freezing, since it can get watery) and just take it out a few hours before you want to eat them to thaw and roll out.
The Mezze Feast
Here are the recipes posted for the Mezze Feast so far. Mix and match whatever you like, use just one as super quick snack or dinner or all of them for one stunning feast:
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot.
Sourdough Flatbread with Feta
Soft and fluffy Sourdough Flatbread with Feta hits the spot when you want the perfect flatbread to dip into anything from Hummus to Stew. Sourdough gives a lovely tang while the potato keeps these really soft and moist. Fill with feta for an extra cheesy treat or leave them as they are.
An aromatic Za’atar-oil brushing makes them utterly irresistible.
1/4cupextra-virgin olive oilplus more for rolling out
Instructions
Start by boiling your potato until soft. Place the potato pieces in a pot, just barely covering them with water (do not add salt). Cook for 10-15 minutes until you can easily pierce the pieces with a knife.
Drain the potato over a sieve with a cup underneath to catch the cooking water. You'll need about ½ cup of this water. Allow both the potato and the water to cool to room temperature to avoid killing the sourdough or yeast when you mix them in.
Once the potato has cooled enough, mash it in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer using a fork or potato masher.
Add the all-purpose or bread flour, whole wheat flour, sourdough starter, kosher salt, and olive oil to the mashed potato.
In the ½ cup of lukewarm cooking water, add the active dry yeast and let it stand for 5-10 minutes until it starts to bubble. Then, add this yeast mixture to the bowl with the flour and potato.
Mix briefly with a spoon to roughly incorporate the wet and dry ingredients, especially if your stand mixer doesn't reach all the flour on the sides of the bowl.
Knead the dough on medium speed for about 8-10 minutes until you have a very smooth and sticky dough that comes off the sides of the bowl. If kneading by hand, you can add a little more flour to make it easier to work with, but the dough should still be fairly soft and moist.
Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled large bowl. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and let the dough rise for 2-3 hours or until it has doubled in size. You can also refrigerate the dough overnight for better flavour development.
Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into 8 pieces on an oiled work surface.
Shape each piece of dough into a round, smooth dome top, then place them on a parchment-covered, oiled baking tray for their second rise. Cover them loosely with oiled clingfilm and let them rise for another 30-40 minutes.
If you plan to fill the flatbreads with feta and top with za'atar, crumble the feta into a bowl and mix the za'atar with olive oil in a separate bowl.
After the second rise, oil your work surface again. Take a piece of dough and flatten it with your hands until it's about the size of two hands. It doesn't need to be perfectly round.
Crumble 2 tablespoons of feta over the dough, then roll it up. First, roll it into a sausage shape, then roll it into a spiral, making it resemble cinnamon rolls. Try to keep the feta inside, but don't worry if some crumbles out.
Place each spiral on the oiled baking sheet while you shape the remaining flatbreads.
Heat a pan to medium/high heat with a light coating of oil. We want the dough to puff up almost instantly when it hits the pan but not burn.
To transfer the dough into the pan, use two lightly oiled pieces of baking parchment. Transfer the dough onto one piece, flatten it with your hands, then place the second piece on top and roll it out to a round-ish shape about 8 inches across. Peel off the top piece of parchment and carry the flatbread on the bottom piece to the pan, flipping it over to transfer the dough into your frying pan.
If using the za'atar oil, brush it onto the top side of the flatbread while the first side is frying. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.
Fry until the first side is golden brown and comes off the pan easily. Flip and fry the second side until golden brown.
Keep the flatbreads warm in the oven, which you turned to the lowest temperature, while you fry the remaining pieces.
Enjoy your delicious Sourdough Flatbread with Feta and Za'atar!
Notes
I’m giving you the nutrition of flatbread and topping+ filling separate here, so you can decide if it fits your diet.Flatbreads plain:
Calories per Portion: Approximately 166 calories
Protein per Portion: Approximately 4 grams
Carbohydrates per Portion: Approximately 30 grams
Fat per Portion: Approximately 3 grams
Fiber per Portion: Approximately 3 grams
Sodium per Portion: Approximately 524 milligramsZa’atar with oil and feta:
Calories per Portion: Approximately 94 calories
Protein per Portion: Approximately 4 grams
Carbohydrates per Portion: Approximately 2 grams
Fat per Portion: Approximately 8 grams
Sodium per Portion: Approximately 276 milligrams
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcal
Nutrition Facts
Sourdough Flatbread with Feta
Amount per Serving
Calories
265
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Similar to Baba ghanoush, this Smoked Aubergine Dip starts with roasted aubergines, that get roasted to smoky, charred perfection, then mixed with creamy Tahini. The difference to the traditional dip lies in the Greek yoghurt I’m adding. For both added creaminess and protein. If you were always sceptical about aubergines, do give this one a try. It certainly converted me into a lover of their creamy texture!
Why You Want to Make This
Great for a Mezze Feast
Another amazing middle eastern dip for the upcoming Mezze Feast, this Smoked Aubergine Dip is highly addictive. Yet super easy to make. While roasting or charring the aubergines takes some time, it’s mostly hands off, while you can get on with other things.
If you are following along with the feast, you might want to prepare your flatbreads, so they are ready when the dip is. Or the Hummus, if you are preparing it with crudites.
Versatile
The very first time I made this, I had it with roasted lamb shoulder many years ago, long before this blog existed and got entirely hooked. I was never a fan of aubergine before, as I felt it doesn’t taste like much and has a weird texture.
That completely changes once you roast it until completely black and collapsed, which makes them super smoky and creamy when the flesh is scraped out.
You can eat this with meat (lamb is particularly delicious), as dip, with crudites, as spread or just as a side with all kinds of dishes.
Healthy
Based on vegetables, same as the Muhammara I made for the same Mezze Feast, which was based on peppers. And the Hummus, which is based on chickpeas.
With this one being made from Aubergines, you get all the benefits of high fibre and nutrients, while enjoying a super creamy and smoky dip.
Easy
All you need is an oven, air fryer or open flame, to get your aubergines nice and charred. After that a bowl and a fork plus spoon are all the required equipment. Once the aubergine is cooked, it’s just a matter of mushing it a bit with a fork and stirring in the remaining ingredients and you are done.
The Ingredients
Which brings us to the next point indeed. The all-important ingredients.
Aubergines – of course. As mentioned above, are the main ingredient.
0% fat Greek yoghurt – I love this as addition, because it adds incredible creaminess and fresh tang without adding fat and a fair bit of protein, which we want especially when eating a vegetarian Mezze feast like the one I’m preparing.
Tahini – The ground sesame paste is essential here, to transform this into the creamy and nutty dip we are looking for. Same as with the Hummus:
Whatever you do, please don’t use the classic supermarket version of Tahini here, which you will recognise by the firm and hard to scoop paste in a jar topped with a thick layer of oil. I found they are at best just hard to work with, worst case add a horrible, bitter note to whatever you use them in.
What we are after is creamy, liquid and lovely sesame flavoured. Israeli, Lebanese, and Palestinian version like “Al Nakhil”, which is the one I’m using.
Admittedly I have to order it online and often it is sold out in Ireland. So when I spot it, I tend to order several containers, for fear of running out.
I often get it at the Asia Market or Fallon & Byrne in Ireland. But if you live elsewhere in the world, check for the above countries of origin and you should be fine.
Molasses – This might seem like an odd addition but trust me here. I found it takes this already delicious dip over the top, as it complements the aubergine and nutty Tahini perfectly by adding sweet, almost smoky notes. If you don’t have any, you could use date syrup or even a little honey. But much less than molasses, as it’s sweeter.
Garlic – I suppose this one is obvious, as it makes nearly each of the dips better. And if you have guests, everyone will eat it, so no one will be bothered by the smell. Adjust the amount to your liking. But beware, it gets stronger if you make the dip in advance.
Mint – Not traditional, same as the molasses and yoghurt, but it adds herby freshness as contrast to the creamy smokiness which I really love. Dill or parsley could be used instead.
Lemon – There is barely a dish I wouldn’t add lemon to, to bring out all the flavours. We need the acidity here, to balance the mild and creamy aubergine and nutty Tahini.
The Process
Roasting the Aubergines
We want to achieve perfect collapsing softness and charred black skin on the aubergines, so we get the addictive smoky flavour that makes this dip so incredible.
This can be done over a gas flame, as is traditional, or, as I do it since I don’t have a gas hob (and would hate the cleanup) in my air fryer or oven.
Pre-heat your oven or air fryer to 200°C (400°F).
Prick holes into your aubergines with a fork. This is important, so they don’t explode. Trust me, you do not want to clean exploded aubergine.
Rub them with a little olive oil and place either directly in your air fryer (which is much faster than your oven for this) or an ovenproof dish in the middle of your oven.
Roast in the air fryer for about 20-30 minutes, turning every 5min. Or until totally collapsed and with charred skin.
In your oven this will take about 50-60 minutes, turning about 3-4 times.
The consistency should be similar to a completely overripe banana. If it’s not, cook them longer. The flesh will look almost translucent, with none of the white firmness left.
Scooping out the flesh
Once it comes out of the oven, get a sieve that can take both aubergines and make a cut the long side down with a sharp knife, holding them ideally with tongs or an ovenproof glove, as they will be hot. Place them in the sieve, cut side pointing down, so some of the fluid can drain.
When they are cool enough to handle safely, scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a large bowl and mash it thoroughly with a fork. You could use a food processor for this if you want, but usually it’s so easy, that I feel the washing up is more work than the bit of mashing.
Mixing the dip
Add the minced garlic, Tahini, Greek yoghurt, molasses, lemon juice, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly, until you have a creamy dip.
Have a taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Add the finely chopped mint or any other herbs you enjoy.
Serve with flatbread, meat, crudites or as part of a Mezze feast.
Meal Prep
This Smoked Aubergine Dip will last in the fridge for up to 4 days. So you can make it well ahead and enjoy it either as Mezze feast or during the week as healthy snack, which I do a lot.
For the recipes of the upcoming Mezze Fest so far, check these: Muhammara
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot.
Smoked Aubergine Dip
Similar to Baba ghanoush, this Smoked Aubergine Dip starts with roasted aubergines, that get roasted to smoky, charred perfection, then mixed with creamy Tahini. The difference to the traditional dip lies in the Greek yoghurt I’m adding. For both added creaminess and protein. If you were always sceptical about aubergines, do give this one a try. It certainly converted me into a lover of their creamy texture!
Begin by pricking holes into your aubergines with a fork to prevent them from exploding during the cooking process.
Rub the aubergines with a little olive oil and place them directly in your air fryer or in an ovenproof dish in the middle of your oven.
Roast in the air fryer for about 20-30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. In the oven, this will take about 50-60 minutes, turning about 3-4 times. The goal is to achieve perfect collapsing softness and charred black skin on the aubergines, which will give your dip a smoky flavour.
The consistency should be similar to a completely overripe banana. The flesh will look almost translucent, with none of the white firmness left. If needed, cook them longer until they reach this state.
Once the aubergines are done roasting, cut them lengthwise with a sharp knife and, using tongs or an ovenproof glove, place them in a sieve, cut side down, to allow excess liquid to drain. Let them cool for a bit.
When the aubergines are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a large bowl and mash it thoroughly with a fork. You can use a food processor if you prefer, but hand mashing is usually sufficient and saves on cleanup.
Add the minced garlic, tahini, Greek yogurt, molasses, lemon juice, olive oil, and some salt and pepper to the mashed aubergines. Stir thoroughly until you have a creamy dip. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
Finally, stir in the finely chopped mint or any other herbs you enjoy. This will add a fresh and aromatic touch to your dip.
Serve your smoked aubergine dip with flatbread, meat, crudites, or as part of a Mezze feast. Enjoy the addictive smoky flavour and creamy texture of this delicious dip!
Notes
This Smoked Aubergine Dip will last in the fridge for up to 4 days. So you can make it well ahead and enjoy it either as Mezze feast or during the week as healthy snack, which I do a lot.Calories per Portion: Approximately 123 calories
Protein per Portion: Approximately 3 grams
Carbohydrates per Portion: Approximately 12 grams
Fat per Portion: Approximately 7 grams
Fiber per Portion: Approximately 3 grams
Sugar per Portion: Approximately 6 grams
Sodium per Portion: Approximately 158 milligramsPlease note that these values are approximate and can vary based on specific brands and variations in ingredient measurements.
Nutrition
Calories: 123kcal
Nutrition Facts
Smoked Aubergine Dip
Amount per Serving
Calories
123
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Easy, For Guests, Healthy, High Fibre, Low Calorie, meal prep, Vegetarian, versatile
Muhammara is a super quick store cupboard recipe, for which you probably already have everything you need at home. Sweet roasted red peppers are pureed with crunchy toasted walnuts, punchy garlic, breadcrumbs, spices, and fruity pomegranate molasses, to make a versatile dip, spread or side dish for your mezze feast.
Why You Want to Make This
Easy
This dip comes together in 5 in a food processor or blender, making it the perfect emergency staple. Sure, you could use fresh peppers and roast them yourself, then peel and get the seeds out, but why would you?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m usually all for making things from scratch, but not having a gas hob or other open flame around, does complicate charring the skin of anything. Plus it’s pretty messy. I tried it in a house that did have a gas hob once. Once. For a reason. The cleaning was no fun.
Red roasted peppers are easily available in pretty much every supermarket these days. Even Lidl in Ireland has them, and that says a lot! And they are delicious. So go grab a jar, to have on hand for this dip whenever the mood strikes you. And after you had this once, it will strike you again and again.
Versatile
I’m making this particular Muhammara for the Mezze Feast you will see in a post soon. Still a few recipes to go, until it all comes together. It goes fantastic with hummus, as dip, side dish, with pasta (I’ve used it instead of red pesto and loved it), on meat, with your next BBQ, or just spread on warm toasted bread.
Healthy
I mean, look at the Ingredients:
Peppers mean the base is made from vegetables. And while I was personally not a fan of peppers for ages (apparently I’m weird), this dip finally convinced me that they can taste really good. I even started eating them in other dishes after trying this for the first time.
Garlic, in many cultures used for its medicinal properties, is used here mainly for flavour. Not much, just enough to give a bit of a punch.
Parsley with its lovely minerality adds fresh herbs notes to Muhammara, plus vitamins of course.
Lemon juice for vitamin C and acidity and a little olive oil for creaminess and healthy fats.
Pomegranate molasses is basically reduced pomegranate juice, giving it a very distinct and intense sweet-sour-fruity flavour. I found it at my favourite health food shop.
But these days some supermarkets have it too. If you can’t find it, good balsamic vinegar is a decent substitute.
Breadcrumbs – I’m using panko breadcrumbs here, as that’s what I had on hand, but you could just process some leftover stale bread until you have crumbs and use that instead. It’s great to use up leftovers.
Spices wise, cumin would be classic here. But as mentioned before, my body isn’t keen on it, so I’m substituting ground coriander. Use whichever you prefer.
I added mild red pepper flakes, Aleppo chili would be very traditional, if you can find them. They are mild and fruity, which makes them perfect for this Muhammara.
If you prefer it on the spicy side, feel free to add some hotter types of chili flakes.
The Process
Add everything except the breadcrumbs to the small bowl of your food processor or your blender. Process until you have a coarse paste. You might have to scrape down the sides once.
Don’t overprocess. You still want bit of crunchy walnuts instead of a smooth paste.
Transfer into a bowl, stir in the breadcrumbs. Season and have a taste. Adjust seasoning to your liking.
And you are ready to serve your fresh Muhammara.
Meal Prep
Muhammara keeps in the fridge for about 3-4 days. I kept mine for my work week, to enjoy as a Mezze plate for several days. I was a very happy bunny that week, looking forward to dinner every day.
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot.
Muhammara
Muhammara is a super quick store cupboard recipe, for which you probably already have everything you need at home. Sweet roasted red peppers are pureed with crunchy toasted walnuts, punchy garlic, breadcrumbs, spices, and fruity pomegranate molasses, to make a versatile dip, spread or side dish for your mezze feast.
Course Appetizer, condiment, Side Dish, Snack, spread
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 8
Calories 124kcal
Equipment
Food Processor or Blender
Ingredients
2cupsroasted red peppersroughly chopped
½cupwalnutstoasted
¼cuppanko breadcrumbs
2clovesgarliccrushed or grated
1tbsplemon juice
3tbsppomegranate molasses
1tspred pepper flakes
1tspground corianderor cumin
1tbspchopped parsley
2tbspolive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Add the roasted red peppers, toasted walnuts, crushed garlic, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, red pepper flakes, and ground coriander (or cumin) to the small bowl of your food processor or blender.
Pulse the mixture until you achieve a coarse paste. You might need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to ensure all the ingredients are well incorporated. Be careful not to overprocess; you want to maintain some texture and crunch from the walnuts.
Taste the Muhammara and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Adjust other seasonings if necessary; you can add more lemon juice for brightness, more pomegranate molasses for sweetness, or more red pepper flakes for heat.
Once the mixture has the right balance of flavours and textures, transfer it into a bowl.
Stir in the panko breadcrumbs. This will help thicken the Muhammara and give it a slightly more substantial texture.
You're now ready to serve your fresh Muhammara. Garnish it with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil for an extra layer of flavour and a pop of colour. Serve it as a dip with pita bread, crackers, or fresh vegetables, or use it as a spread on sandwiches or wraps.
Notes
Muhammara keeps in the fridge for about 3-4 days. 8 PortionsCalories per Portion: Approximately 124 calories
Protein per Portion: Approximately 2 grams
Carbohydrates per Portion: Approximately 8 grams
Fat per Portion: Approximately 10 grams
Fiber per Portion: Approximately 1 gram
Sugar per Portion: Approximately 2 grams
Sodium per Portion: Approximately 182 milligrams
Nutrition
Calories: 124kcal
Nutrition Facts
Muhammara
Amount per Serving
Calories
124
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Easy, For Guests, Healthy, meal prep, Vegetarian
Super creamy Hummus Two Ways is just so much better home made than store bought!
This one is based on the fantastic version from Cookie and Kate, who did the research to find all the tricks for you.
I’m adding Beetroot to the basic version here, which gives it not just a lovely pink colour, but also an earthy sweetness that goes so well with the chickpeas.
Why You Want To Make This
Create Your Own Mezze Feast
In the next weeks, I will be posting a series of recipes that can be mixed and matched to create your very own Mezze Feast. Perfect for the upcoming holidays, each recipe can be prepared ahead of time, so you don’t have to stress when your guests are arriving.
Deliciously Creamy and Healthy Snack
There is a reason Hummus is so incredibly popular, and its not the stuff you buy in the shops that is responsible for it. While some of the versions you can buy are decent, I have yet to come across one as creamy and dreamy as this. And that’s after I made countless versions including the one from Ottolenghi at home.
But after trying the incredibly well researched one from Cookie + Katie, I don’t think I ever need another recipe. Please visit her blog for the in-depth details. I don’t want to take away from the work she has done.
If made the right way, there is nothing dry or grainy about it. Just a creamy sesame laced fluffy mousse you want to eat with everything from carrots (my favourite way) over any other crudites to flatbread and falafel.
For the rather impressive health benefits of Chickpeas, check here.
For me, the fact that they contain protein is particularly important, as I eat very little meat, so I struggle to get my recommended amount every day. Hummus makes it a lot easier, as I can just snack on it or have it as part of a…do I say it? Girl Dinner, or as we call it in Germany: Abendbrot in the evening, when I can’t be bothered to cook.
– Excellent Quality Tahini that gets whipped thoroughly in the blender with ice cold water.
– Garlic steeped in lemon juice and salt, to take off the edge and mellow its bite
– Overcooked Chickpeas, boiled with baking soda to soften the skins. They are the key here.
My Tiny Adaptation of Katies original
I decided to mash the garlic clove instead of chopping it in the food processor, as I found that still leaves too many noticeable pieces, no matter how long I let it run. Chopped garlic always remains chopped garlic, no matter how finely you chop it. While mashing it in the garlic press, grating it or with salt and a knife on a chopping board will give you an even smoother experience.
My Beetroot Version
I’ve tried a few shop bought versions of hummus with beetroot and while they were ok, they were never that creamy. That’s what we are solving with this method.
I’m pre-processing the beetroot together with the garlic, which gets smashed, then pureed even finer in the food processor until incorporated with the lemon juice.
I’ve tried to add the beetroot later with the chickpeas and found, that while it gets decently creamy, it never reaches this super fluffy stage we are aiming for, but leaves little beet chunks, which is exactly what we are trying to avoid here.
The end result is a Beetroot Hummus that is savoury and sweet at once, extremely pretty and goes with anything your standard version works well with. I honestly prefer it to the plain version.
The Ingredients
Tahini
A word on Tahini: Whatever you do, please don’t use the classic supermarket version of Tahini here, which you will recognise by the firm and hard to scoop paste in a jar topped with a thick layer of oil. I found they are at best just hard to work with, worst case add a horrible, bitter note to your Hummus.
What we are after is creamy, liquid and lovely sesame flavoured. Israeli, Lebanese and Palestinian version like “Al Nakhil”, which is the one I’m using.
Admittedly I have to order it online and often it is sold out in Ireland. So when I spot it, I tend to order several containers, for fear of running out.
I often get it at the Asia Market or Fallon & Byrne in Ireland. But if you live elsewhere in the world, check for the above countries of origin and you should be fine.
Chickpeas
You can use either canned or dried chickpeas here, as long as you make sure to literally cook them until mushy. I mean falling apart soft.
This is achieved by adding baking powder, which will dissolve the skin, that is responsible for the hard bits in most kinds of hummus.
Some traditional recipes, among them one of Ottolenghi’s versions, has you manually remove each skin. And while that is sure a labour of love, I prefer to show mine in different ways.
Lemon Juice
Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Please. Don’t use the bottled stuff. I’m all for shortcuts, but lemon is a main component in a dish that has so very few of them, so use the best quality you can get. Which is fresh.
Beetroot
Now this is my time for shortcuts. I have actually used the steamed or boiled ones from a packet. I found they are just right and don’t require you to roast and peel or cook. Plus they last for ages, so you can always have them around when you are craving some Beetroot Hummus.
Date Syrup
I added a bit of date syrup to the beetroot version, to emphasize the sweetness and bring out more of the fruity flavour. If you don’t have date syrup, pommegranate molasses would be lovely or just a bit of maple syrup with lemon juice in a pinch. This might not give you the extra fruityness, but will bring out the sweetness of the beets.
Cumin
Now this one is optional. I know it’s very traditional in Hummus and pretty much every recipe has it, but I have an adverse reaction to it (feeling sick and getting headaches), so I leave it out. I love using ground coriander instead. Include or leave out according to your preference.
The Process
Chickpeas
Being the main component of Hummus, this is the most important part to get right. But all the details matter, so let’s start with Chickpeas.
If you use dried, pre-soak overnight, then cook with the baking powder until super soft and easy to mash with a spoon. Some of them should literally dissolve. How long this takes depends on how old your chickpeas are. I’ve cooked some fairly old ones for over 1h before getting even close to done. So plan accordingly.
For the canned or jarred version: Cook in water for about 20 minutes, which should have them mushy enough. But try to smash them before switching off the hob. If they don’t mash very easily, boil a little longer.
Do not add salt here, or they might take longer to cook or not get as soft.
Garlic
As briefly mentioned above, my small change to the original is, that I use a garlic press here, to smash the garlic. Or use the flat side of your knife with some salt. Or a micro plane grater. I don’t feel a food processor does a particularly good job of chopping garlic into the fine mash we are looking for here. The blades just smash it against the walls of the bowl in still far too big chunks. And we want the creamiest hummus we can get.
Once is satisfyingly pureed, do add it to your food processor and top with the salt and (fresh) lemon juice, to let it mellow a little, while you get on with the rest.
Beetroot Version
If you are just making basic hummus, skip this step.
For those of you that want the lusciously creamy pink beauty of it, add your cooked and roughly chopped beetroot to the food processor now and puree it as fine as you possibly can. This may take a few minutes. I have a rather powerful Sage processor and it took about 1.5 minutes, to get it to a reasonably pureed stage.
Tahini
Onto the second main ingredient. And I’m not saying this lightly. Tahini is the main flavour component. And before I followed katies recipe for the first time, I always thought it’s a bit silly to specify adding iced water to your hummus.
Most recipes do that towards the end, but similar to pre-whipping your butter and sugar for a sponge cake, processing the Tahini together with the garlic (and beetroot if using) while slowly drizzling in iced water, makes a huge difference in the texture. It should become rather light in colour and really fluffy. More like a mousse, than the fairly dense texture of Tahini. Which is where the quality of it comes into play. Starting with big “chunks” of really firm Tahini will probably not get you the results we are looking for here.
So: With the added tahini after the garlic (and beetroot) have been sufficiently pulverized, let the processor run and slowly add spoons of iced water until really light and creamy. It should look roughly as in the picture above. See the colour and texture change from the picture with the unwhipped Tahini and the whipped? That is what we are looking for.
Back to the Chickpeas
You can see the cooked texture we are aiming for above in the picture with the Tahini. The skins are very soft, so no need to remove them.
Now it’s time to add the cooked chickpeas to your already stunning looking mousse. And continue processing until really creamy. Towards the end, drizzle in some olive oil. It adds extra creaminess to the Hummus.
Once you have a super fluffy, irresistibly silky cream, give it a try. Maybe add some more lemon juice, salt and cumin (or coriander) if you like.
The plain Hummus version above.
The Beetroot Hummus version below.
And it’s time to enjoy. Grab some warm Flatbread (a sourdough recipe for a rather incredible one is in preparation), dip and enjoy a really good hummus.
Variations
I think there is as many different recipes for hummus as there is families in the middle east. Apparently there are heated discussions about its origin and what the “correct” recipe is.
Thankfully I’m not overly concerned with that part and just enjoy different variations.
If you are of the same mindset, feel free to add things like sweet chili sauce, all kinds of soft herbs, caramelised onions, peppers, roasted carrots, roasted tomatoes or similar to it and enjoy the flavour explosions those will give you.
Or use another legume as a base, while following the same process. I found butter beans really enjoyable.
Meal Prep
I found making hummus at the start of my week and enjoying it on my workdays with all sorts of things is pretty perfect. Classic hummus should keep for about 5 days in a lidded container in the fridge.
If you add any more acidic components, like, for example beetroot, it might shorten that timeframe slightly.
Parts of the Mezze Feast
While this Hummus is fantastic on its own, I am slowly posting recipes to give you everything to mix and match for your perfect Mezze Feast. You’ll be able to meal prep most parts of it, which makes it a great idea for the holidays, when you don’t want to stand in the kitchen while your guests are having all the fun.
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot.
Hummus Two Ways
Super creamy Hummus Two Ways is just so much better home made than store bought!
This one is based on the fantastic version from Cookie and Kate, who did all the research to find all the tricks for you.
I’m adding Beetroot to the basic version here, which gives it not just a lovely pink colour, but also an earthy sweetness that goes so well with the chickpeas.
1can15 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
½teaspoonbaking sodaFor cooking the chickpeas
¼cuplemon juicefrom 1 ½ to 2 lemons, more to taste
1medium-to-large clove garlicroughly chopped
½teaspoonfine sea saltto taste
½cuptahini
2 to 4tablespoonsice wateror more as needed
½teaspoonground cumin
1tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
For the Beetroot version:
1medium sized cooked and peeled beetroot
1.5tbspDate SyrupOr Pommegranate Molasses
Instructions
Garlic:
Use a garlic press or the flat side of a knife with a pinch of salt to mash the garlic. A fine garlic mash is what you're aiming for, and a food processor may not achieve this.
Once the garlic is finely pureed, add it to your food processor and top it with salt and fresh lemon juice. Let it sit for a few minutes to mellow while you cook the chickpeas.
Chickpeas:
If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight, then cook with baking soda until they are super soft and easy to mash with a spoon. Some of them should literally dissolve. The cooking time may vary depending on the age of your chickpeas, so be patient.
For canned or jarred chickpeas, cook for about 20 minutes until they are mushy enough. Try to mash them before switching off the heat. If they don't mash easily, boil them a little longer. Do not add salt during this step as it can make them take longer to cook or not get as soft.
Beetroot Version (Optional):
If you're making the beetroot hummus, add your cooked and roughly chopped beetroot to the food processor. Puree it as finely as possible, which may take a few minutes.
Add the date Syrup
Tahini:
Tahini is a crucial flavour component. For the creamiest texture, process the tahini with the garlic (and beetroot if using) while slowly drizzling in iced water. The mixture should become light in colour and fluffy, resembling a mousse.
The quality of tahini matters. Starting with a high-quality, smooth tahini will yield better results. Process until you achieve the desired consistency.
Back to the Chickpeas:
Add the cooked chickpeas to your tahini mixture and continue processing until it's smooth and creamy.
Drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil towards the end. This will enhance the creaminess of the hummus.
Taste the hummus and adjust with more lemon juice, salt, and ground cumin (or coriander) to your liking.
You now have a super fluffy, irresistibly silky hummus. It's ready to enjoy.
Serving:
Serve the hummus with warm flatbread or your choice of dipping items. This creamy and flavourful hummus is perfect for snacking or as a delicious side dish. Enjoy!
Notes
8 portions:Calories per Portion: Approximately 143 calories
Protein per Portion: Approximately 4 grams
Carbohydrates per Portion: Approximately 10 grams
Fat per Portion: Approximately 10 grams
Fiber per Portion: Approximately 3 grams
Sugar per Portion: Approximately 1 gram
Sodium per Portion: Approximately 256 milligrams
Nutrition
Calories: 143kcal
Nutrition Facts
Hummus Two Ways
Amount per Serving
Calories
143
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Easy Tzatziki is one of those fantastic 10 minute dishes that are just so much more than the sum of their parts. After you made it once at home, you’ll never buy it again, as it’s literally just Greek Yoghurt, grated cucumber, garlic, and salt. So much better than shop bought, as it has no preservatives.
Why You Want This
I have made Tzaziki so many times, I can’t even count it anymore. It’s one of my all-time favourite dips or snacks.
Usually I feel it’s nearly too easy to justify even a recipe, but some friends I talked to were still baffled by how quick it is to make at home.
So, I decided to give you a recipe and include in a series on how to create a huge Mezze Feast, which you can mix and match for all kinds of occasions. With all the holidays coming up, it’ll be the perfect meal prep menu for having a crowd over. Stay tuned for more recipes in the next week.
Healthy
Since Tzatziki is made from exactly 4 ingredients, of which 3 are really good for you, its one of the foods I try to include in my diet often.
Let’s see why, shall we?
Greek Yoghurt
Greek Yoghurt has protein, which helps with bone health and building muscle.
One cup of 2% fat Greek yoghurt contains about 19g protein and has only 150 calories. That is a pretty impressive statistic right there.
And if that’s not enough to convince you, it has probiotics, which help with digestive health and tastes just really good. Which, let’s be honest, is my main reason for eating it.
For those of you with lactose intolerance like me, it’s also good news, as the bacterial cultured in yoghurt help break down the lactose, so try with a small portion first of course and consult with your doctor (I’m neither a nutritionist nor doctor, so please check with your GP first), but you might help your gut.
I can’t drink cows milk for example, but can eat anything fermented like yoghurt and cheese, since the little bacteria basically do the job my gut can’t do for me.
I’m using a mix of 0% fat and Glenisk full fat Greek yoghurt for its amazing flavour. I loved the balance this gave me of lower calories and creaminess.
Choose whichever Greek yoghurt you enjoy and fits your diet.
Cucumber
With Cucumber being mostly water and some fibre, this is fantastic news if you want to lose weight or simply enjoy something refreshing and crunchy.
Garlic
Apart from its vampire fighting (entirely unproven) qualities, it helps you fight off pushy strangers by breathing alone. Oh, wait. That wasn’t what you wanted to hear, was it now?
Ok then, the real ones are here.
It’s a whole range of benefits right there, but for me, again, flavour is the main reason to include it in so many meals. And combined with Greek yoghurt and cucumber, it makes the most delicious dip.
Uses
The classic uses are as a dip, which is how I used it in an upcoming Mezze feast, for which I’m giving you the separate parts to pick and choose from in the next weeks.
Other uses are in Kebabs, with grilled meat (Lamb is particularly good), and, my personal favourite, with simple boiled new potatoes. That’s been my “I have no idea what to cook today and am too lazy to think of something” meal for as long as I can think.
Variations
You can make this with different types of Greek yoghurt as mentioned above (neutral flavoured ones without sugar that is), add herbs like dill or mint or even basil. Any soft herb will be lovely with it.
Add more or less garlic to taste. Add olive oil for an even creamier Tzatziki. Or some chili flakes, if you want more heat than you get from the sharpness of garlic.
That’s not traditional, but your Tzatziki, your rules.
The Process
This is where it gets really quick.
Cucumber
Grate the cucumber. I like mine grated coarsely, as I love the crunch it gives, but have seen it grated fine before too. Try it out and adjust to the way you prefer it.
Now the important part: Over a sieve, squeeze the grated cucumber, to remove a lot of the water. Otherwise your Tzatziki will be very runny.
See all the water I squeezed out? Imagine that in your nice and creamy yoghurt.
Garlic
Either grate your garlic, mash it with a pinch of salt or use a garlic press, as I have done here. I find that’s the easiest method. I use 2 cloves or garlic on 2 cups of Greek yoghurt. You can use more or less, depending on how garlicky you like it.
Yoghurt
In a medium bowl mix your Greek Yoghurt with the smashed garlic, grated cucumber and about 1 tsp kosher salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
I don’t add pepper here, as I feel the garlic gives enough spiciness. If you enjoy it a little hotter, feel free to add some.
And you are done. You just made the best Tzatziki you will ever have.
Serve as dip, with kebab, crudites, bread, potatoes or just by the spoonful. It’s that good.
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot.
Easy Tzatziki
Tzatziki is one of those fantastic 10 minute dishes that are just so much more than the sum of their parts. After you made it once at home, you’ll never buy it again, as it’s literally just Greek Yoghurt, grated cucumber, garlic, and salt. So much better than shop bought, as it has no preservatives.
Course Appetizer, condiment, Side Dish, Snack, spread
Cuisine Greek
Servings 8
Calories 53kcal
Ingredients
2cupsGreek yoghurt. I used a mix of 0% fat and full fatas I wanted slightly lower calories, but also the flavour of the full fat yoghurt.
1cucumbergrated
1-2clovesgarlicsmashed
1tspkosher salt or ½ tsp if using sea salt.
Instructions
Grate the Cucumber:
Start by grating the cucumber. You can choose to grate it coarsely for a crunchy texture, or finely if you prefer a smoother consistency. Experiment to find your preference.
Remove Excess Water:
To prevent your Tzatziki from becoming too runny, place the grated cucumber in a sieve over a bowl or sink. Squeeze the grated cucumber to remove as much water as possible. This step is crucial for the right texture.
Prepare the Garlic:
For the garlic, you have a few options. You can either grate it, mash it with a pinch of salt, or use a garlic press. Using a garlic press is the easiest method. Use 2 cloves of garlic for a moderately garlicky flavour. Adjust the quantity based on your personal preference.
Mix the Ingredients:
In a medium bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, smashed garlic, and grated cucumber.
Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon if using sea salt). You can adjust the salt to your taste, so start with a little and add more if needed.
Adjust Seasoning:
Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If you prefer a spicier Tzatziki, you can add a pinch of black pepper at this stage, but keep in mind that the garlic already provides some spiciness.
Serve and Enjoy:
Your homemade Tzatziki is now ready to be enjoyed! You can serve it as a dip with pita bread, fresh vegetables (crudites), or as a side with kebabs, grilled meats, or roasted potatoes. It's even delicious by the spoonful.
Notes
Tzatziki will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.8 portions
Calories per Portion: Approximately 53 calories
Protein per Portion: Approximately 4 grams
Carbohydrates per Portion: Approximately 5 grams
Fat per Portion: Approximately 2 grams
Fiber per Portion: Approximately 0 grams
Sugar per Portion: Approximately 3 grams
Sodium per Portion: Approximately 342 milligrams
Nutrition
Calories: 53kcal
Nutrition Facts
Easy Tzatziki
Amount per Serving
Calories
53
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Easy, Healthy, High Protein, Low Calorie, Vegetarian
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