Name: Hummus with Beef
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 2 cups Chick Peas ((1 15.5oz Can)); 2 tb. Tahini Paste; ¼ cup Lemon Juice; 2 small Cloves Garlic; 2 tb. Water; ½ tsp. Salt; Olive Oil (for Serving); ½ lb. Minced Ribeye; 2 tb. Vegetable oil; ½ tsp. Salt; 1 tsp. Seven Spices; ¼ tsp. Black Pepper; 3 tb. Pine Nuts

Smooth Lebanese Hummus topped with sautéed spiced beef and pine nuts is a classic mezze (appetizer) in Lebanese cuisine. Known as “Hummus bil Lahme,” this is my favorite way to eat Hummus!

Ramadan Kareem to all! I am kicking off another exciting “Ramadan Series” filled with new recipes that will hopefully inspire you to cook your way through the month. Take a look at my recipes from last years (2017)’ “Ramadan Series,” including my recipes for Fattoush, Yellow Lentil Soup and some of the desserts such as Sfouf and Atayef!

For today’s recipe, I made a classic Lebanese “mezze” (appetizer), Hummus with Beef, known in Arabic as Hummus bil lahme. Hummus and beef are an irresistible combination. It turns a simple and classic dip such as hummus, into a filling and delicious appetizer or even light lunch.

An Elevated Hummus

I posted my classic smooth hummus recipe a few months back, and included it for you guys in this recipe. However, you can use your own hummus recipe if you’d like or even store-bought. As for the beef, you can use ground beef but, I like to cut up tender ribeye in small bite-size pieces. I noticed in Lebanon at restaurants that this is how they usually serve it, and I like the texture of bite-size beef compared to ground beef.

The beef is seasoned with seven spices and mixed with toasted pine nuts. I cook the pine nuts in a little bit of oil for a few minutes. An alternative to this is dry toasting the pine nuts. This dish makes a wonderful appetizer during Ramadan for iftar or any other time of the year as well. It is served with pita bread. It can also be served with pita chips.

STEP 1

Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas.Proceed to peel them one by one.The skin should easily come off (Peeling optional but recommended)

STEP 2

Place the chickpeas into a food processor along with the tahini, garlic cloves, salt and lemon juice. Puree for about 1-2 minutes.

STEP 3

Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time to get the perfect consistency.Style hummus in bowl and set aside.

STEP 4

In a small skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the pine nuts and sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat until golden brown and toasted. Set aside.

STEP 5

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and minced beef. Sauté for 2 minutes on medium heat. Season with seven spices, salt, pepper and cook for a couple more minutes. Add the toasted pine nuts and mix well.