Zhoug or Spicy Cilantro Sauce and Hummus

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If you love a fresh and fiery appetizer, you'll love the combination of my homemade zhoug (zhug) drizzled over cool hummus. Zhoug is a flavorful, bright green Middle Eastern sauce served over hummus, chicken, fish, vegetables, and more.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: israeli, Jewish, Mediterranean

Keyword: beet hummus, cilantro sauce, zhoug, zhug

Servings: servings

Calories: 151kcal

Author: Jenny Levine Finke

Equipment

1 Food processor

Ingredients

For the Zhoug

1 bunch of cilantro washed (leaves and stems)
2-3 garlic cloves (2 large or 3 small)
2 jalapeno or serrano peppers (or a combination of the two) stems removed + remove some of the seeds depending on how hot you want it - see notes
1/2 teaspoon cardamom ground
1 teaspoon cumin ground
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns or fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes optional

For the Hummus

15 ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tahini sesame paste
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt more to taste if needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 tablespoons water add until you achieve desired smooth consistency

For Serving

1 package Crunchmaster crackers or other gluten-free cracker
Variety of crudties (vegetables)

Instructions

For the Zhoug

Place the cilantro in the food processor. Pulse 4-5 times.
Add the garlic cloves, peppers (with seeds), cardamom, cumin, peppercorns, kosher salt, red pepper chili flakes (optional), and lemon juice (1/2 lemon) to the food processor. Pulse until smooth.
Add 1/3 cup of olive oil and mix the ingredients on high until well combined and the sauce is smooth. Add more olive oil, if needed, to smooth out the texture. The consistency should be thick but pourable and not watery.
Taste the sauce and add more salt or heat (i.e., more red pepper flakes), if needed. Set aside.

For the Hummus

Combine the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, olive oil, and water in your food processor and blend until smooth. Add more water, if needed, to achieve the desired texture. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
Add the hummus to a serving dish and top it with 3-4 tablespoons of the homemade zhoug. Serve it with gluten-free Crunchmaster crackers and vegetables.
Add leftover zhoug to a resealable glass jar or storage container and store it in the fridge for up to one week.

Notes

Peppers: Jalapenos provide milder heat to your zhoug. Add more jalapeno seeds or serrano peppers instead for a spicier zhoug. I like combining one jalapeno and one serrano to balance the hot and mild flavors. I also use about 1/3 of the seeds from each pepper.

Cilantro: Don't like cilantro? You can use flat-leaf (known as Italian parsley) instead.

Nutrition Details: Nutrition information is approximate and includes the zhoug and hummus divided into 12 servings. Nutrition information does not include Crunchmastaer crackers or accompaniments.

Crunchmaster sponsored this recipe.

Nutrition