Hummus im Basar (Israeli Hummus with Spiced Ground Meat)

About This Recipe

Hummus im basar (חומוס עם בשר) — hummus with meat — is the Israeli interpretation of a Levantine tradition of topping creamy hummus with savory accompaniments. In Tel Aviv's legendary hummusiot (hummus restaurants), from Abu Hassan in Jaffa to Haim Cohen's modern interpretations, hummus with meat is the dish that converts hummus skeptics: a shallow plate of silky, still-warm hummus topped with spiced ground beef (or lamb) sautéed with onions, pine nuts, and a warming blend of allspice, cinnamon, and cumin, the meat's fat pooling into the hummus below. The contrast of the cold-ish creamy base and the hot sizzling meat is the whole point. The Israeli hummus tradition differs from Lebanese in that hummus is served warm or at room temperature (never refrigerator-cold), and the tahini content tends to be high and the garlic assertive. This topped version turns it into a complete meal — served with warm pita for scooping, raw onion, pickled vegetables, and possibly a fried egg on top in some Tel Aviv joints.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 ggood-quality hummus(homemade or best-quality store-bought, at room temperature)
• 400 gground beef or lamb (20% fat preferred)
• 1 largeonion, finely diced
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 tspground allspice
• 0.5 tspground cinnamon
• 1 tspground cumin
• 0.5 tspsweet paprika
• 0.5 tspfine salt
• 0.25 tspfreshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsppine nuts
• 1 tbspbutter or olive oil(for toasting pine nuts)
• 2 tbspfresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tspsumac(for finishing)
• 4warm pita breads(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast pine nuts

   Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast, stirring constantly, until golden — 2 minutes. Remove immediately and reserve. Do not leave unattended.

2. 2

   Cook onions

   Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook 10–12 minutes until soft, translucent, and lightly golden.

3. 3

   Add garlic and spices

   Add garlic, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, and paprika. Stir 1 minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   Brown the meat

   Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground meat, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well-browned and any liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper.

   Let the meat sit undisturbed for a minute before breaking it up — browning rather than steaming gives better flavor.

5. 5

   Warm the hummus

   Spread hummus in four shallow bowls, making a well in the center. If the hummus is cold, microwave each bowl for 40 seconds or warm in a pan with a splash of water.

6. 6

   Top and garnish

   Spoon hot meat mixture directly into the well and over the hummus. The heat from the meat warms the hummus further. Scatter toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley. Dust with sumac.

7. 7

   Serve immediately

   Bring to the table with warm pita, pickled cucumber, and raw onion slices. Eat by tearing pita and scooping through both the meat and the hummus underneath.

Variations

• •

  Hummus with lamb: ground lamb provides a richer, more gamey flavor that many prefer.

• •

  Add a fried egg on top of the meat for a Tel Aviv street-food version.

• •

  Vegetarian version: substitute the meat with sautéed mushrooms and lentils in the same spice blend.

Storage

The meat topping keeps refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat in a skillet and top freshly warmed hummus just before serving. Do not store assembled hummus with meat — it becomes unappetizing.

Frequently Asked Questions