A classic hummus base topped with eggplant, this caramelized eggplant hummus has a great rich flavor without losing the traditional hummus taste. Serve this with Lebanese pita or taboon bread, crackers, or cruditรฉ for a tasty snack or fun main.
For more great Middle Eastern dip ideas, try my Mutabal (roasted eggplant dip) or Hummus with Blistered Tomatoes and Za'atar Spice.

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Ingredients
The only slightly more rare ingredient needed here is Asian eggplant, a long thinner variety with very thin skin. It has less seeds and is typically less bitter than other eggplant varieties. Otherwise, you're using ingredients you probably already have.

- Chickpeas: canned chickpeas work really well here. Be sure to drain and rinse them carefully before using for the best flavor. Other chickpea-based recipes to try: Fattet Hummus (chickpea and yogurt with pita chips), Ful Medames (bean stew) and Musabaha (creamy chickpeas with tahini)
- Eggplant: while another variety of eggplant can be used, I really recommend seeking out Asian eggplants if you can get them. If not, choose the smallest regular eggplant available, which will have slightly thinner skin and less seeds. If you're a fan of eggplant, try my Eggplant Bruschetta recipe!
- Tahini: use a tahini you like the taste of. Hummus isn't the right place to try to hide the flavour of bad tahini!
- Spices: the spice topping can be changed based on your personal preference, but the combination of Aleppo chili pepper, honey and sumac is out of this world. You can certainly use regular chili flakes if you can't find Aleppo, however, use less as regular chili flakes tend to be spicier than Aleppo flakes.
- Cilantro: if you're one of those who tastes soap, it's possible to sub finely chopped flat-leaf parsley in place of the cilantro for topping.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make this Recipe
Ready in about 15 minutes, all you need for this dreamy hummus is a food processor and frying pan. The trick is to blend the hummus very well, so don't skimp on that mixing time, and add a little more oil if needed.

Step 1. Blend the hummus: add all the hummus ingredients to a food processor and mix until very smooth.

Step 2. Cook the eggplant: caramelize the eggplant strips in a hot pan, being careful not to overcrowd.

Step 3. Add the eggplant: spoon the golden eggplant strips over the plated hummus.

Step 4. Top: add the cilantro, spices, honey, olive oil, and lemon juice to the hummus and serve.
What to Serve with Eggplant Hummus
It's classic with pita or another flatbread, but can be served with vegetables, as a side, or in any way you like. This chickpea dip is fantastic served alongside almost any kind of meat, too. See my post on what to eat with hummus for inspiration.
Serve with sides: hummus is perfect served with options that can be dipped - think bread and hard vegetables like carrot sticks. Try making your own homemade pita or taboon (flatbread) or have it with flavorful air fryer cauliflower. Dip Jerusalem bagels in it.
Think main dish: serve it alongside steak or spiced chicken breast (authentic shish tawook) or minced meat (chicken kafta or beef kofta), with some salad (Lebanese Fattoush or Jerusalem chopped salad), batata harra (spicy potatoes) and refrigerator pickles to make a healthier, low-effort dinner. Leftovers work well for lunch, too.

Expert Tips
While hummus is one of the easiest things you can make at home, it's not quite as easy to get it exactly right. With my expert tips, though, you'll be on your way to making it perfectly from here on out.
- Keep blending: when you think it's done, blend for 2 minutes longer. Trust me, this is how you'll get perfectly smooth, creamy hummus.
- Use baking soda: if you want to cook the chickpeas yourself rather than using canned, add a teaspoon of baking soda to both the soaking water and the cooking water. It'll make ultra-soft chickpeas that are perfect for hummus.
- Don't crowd: you want to caramelize the eggplant, not steam it. There has to be enough space between the pieces for any water to evaporate in order for the vegetable to brown properly. Cook it in several batches if necessary.
- Hot Honey: If you have the time, make a hot honey by infusing the Aleppo flakes and honey together in a small saucepan on medium-low heat for 2 minutes. For a quick fix, skip this step. But trust us, you might want to take the extra 2 minutes for this!
Recipe FAQs
Hummus is made of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and spices.
You can choose to serve it with whatever you'd like. While Lebanese pita is a typical option, any type of bread or cracker can be used, or raw vegetables for dipping.
Traditionally served warm, the flavour of hummus is best either warm or at room temperature. Eggplant hummus should be served warm.
No need to peel this eggplant variety, as the skin is very thin. This, in addition to fewer seeds in Asian eggplants make them the perfect option to top hummus.
The hummus can be made a couple days in advance and kept in a sealed container in the fridge. The eggplant should be cooked immediately before serving, but you can do the steps separately.
Storage: while it won't spoil if stored for a couple of days in the fridge, this is best served warm, and won't be as good after refrigerating.
Freezing: I don't recommend freezing hummus.
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Recipe Card

Caramelized Eggplant Hummus
Equipment
- Food Processor You can use a blender in a pinch, but a food processor is the ideal tool.
Ingredients
Hummus Base
- 1 can Chickpeas (19oz) - Drained and rinsed
- ยฝ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- ยผ cup Lemon juice - juice of 2 lemons, approximately
- ยผ cup Tahini
- 1-2 Garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Caramelized Eggplant Topping
- 2 Asian eggplants - Cut into 2" long strips on the bias
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon Cilantro - chopped
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Sumac
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
Instructions
- In a food processor, place drained and rinsed chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and big pinch salt. Process and scrape the sides down. Because lemons have varying levels of juice, you may need to add more lemon juice to taste. If the hummus is too thick, add more olive oil to loosen it up.
- Process until very smooth. When you think you're done processing, process for another 2 minutes. Trust me, this is how you get the creamiest hummus ever. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spread hummus in a bowl or plate.
- To a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, carefully add the eggplant strips. Season with a big pinch of salt. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your frying pan. Do not overcrowd the eggplant.ย Fry the eggplant strips for 2-3 minutes on each side. You're looking for a deep brown caramelization to develop on the eggplant flesh.ย Spoon warm fried eggplant strips over hummus.
- Optional Step: make hot honey by infusing the Aleppo flakes and honey together in a small saucepan on medium-low heat for 2 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, hot honey (or simply just honey and Aleppo pepper flakes), sumac, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.ย
Notes
- Chickpeas: canned chickpeas work really well here. Be sure to drain and rinse them carefully before using for the best flavor.ย
- Eggplant: while another variety of eggplant can be used, I really recommend seeking out Asian eggplants if you can get them. If not, choose the smallest regular eggplant available, which will have slightly thinner skin and less seeds.
- Tahini: use a tahini you like the taste of. Hummus isn't the right place to try to hide the flavour of bad tahini!
- Spices: the spice topping can be changed based on your personal preference, but the combination of Aleppo chili pepper, honey and sumac is out of this world. You can certainly use regular chili flakes if you can't find Aleppo, however, use less as regular chili flakes tend to be spicier than Aleppo flakes.
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