Elevate Your Hummus: A Delicious Recipe with Soft-Boiled Egg, Pickled Onion, & Sumac Oil
Transform your everyday hummus into a gourmet masterpiece with this incredible recipe! Featuring creamy hummus crowned with a perfectly runny soft-boiled egg, vibrant pickled red onions, fresh parsley, and a drizzle of aromatic sumac oil, this dish is a delicious and incredibly satisfying appetizer or light meal. Prepare to impress your taste buds and your guests with this unique and flavorful twist on a classic.
This recipe is sponsored by Sabra.
The Inspiration Behind This Elevated Hummus
A few months ago, my partner Connor and I had an unforgettable dining experience at Avec, one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Chicago. We were served a hummus appetizer that completely redefined my expectations. It was a revelation – not just for its incredibly silky smooth texture, but for its unexpected and brilliant toppings: vibrant pickled onions, a perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg, fresh flat-leaf parsley, and a smoky chili oil.
The moment we gently cut into the soft-boiled egg, the rich, golden yolk cascaded beautifully into the creamy hummus, creating an irresistible pool that married all the flavors together. Each scoop, paired with warm, oven-baked pita bread, was a harmonious blend of textures and tastes. It was my first time encountering hummus adorned with an egg, especially a soft-boiled one, and I was instantly captivated by how seamlessly the combination worked.
Intrigued, I delved into some culinary research and discovered that, in fact, an egg is a traditional hummus topping in many cultures, adding a wonderful depth and richness. Right then and there, I made a promise to myself: I had to recreate this exceptional dish at home and share its magic with you. And that’s precisely what we’re doing today – bringing a taste of that extraordinary Avec experience right to your kitchen.
Celebrating with Ease: A Time-Friendly Approach
I’m thrilled to have partnered with my friends at Sabra to bring you a more accessible and time-friendly version of this gourmet hummus dish, just in time for National Hummus Day! While I often playfully tease about national food holidays, I must admit, I adore any excuse to celebrate delicious food. Last year, my obsession was the spicy hummus avocado toast (oh, how I loved that kick!). This year, my focus is all about loading up hummus with an abundance of incredible toppings.
The beauty of using high-quality, store-bought hummus, like Sabra’s classic variety, is the incredible convenience it offers. It allows you to pull this entire sophisticated dish together in as little as fifteen minutes of active prep time (excluding the passive pickling time for the onions). Sabra’s Classic Hummus serves as the perfect blank canvas, its smooth and creamy texture providing an ideal base for all the other vibrant flavors in this recipe. Of course, for those who prefer a completely homemade touch, you are always welcome to use your favorite homemade hummus recipe instead.
Hummus itself is a powerhouse of nutrition, made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It’s rich in plant-based protein, dietary fiber, and healthy fats, making it not just a tasty treat but also a nourishing choice. By adding a soft-boiled egg, you boost the protein content even further, creating an appetizer that is both satisfying and incredibly wholesome.
Crafting the Perfect Toppings: Pickled Red Onions & Sumac Oil
The Magic of Pickled Red Onions
While the overall assembly of this dish is quick, the most time-intensive component is undoubtedly the pickled red onion. But trust me, the wait is absolutely worth it! These vibrant, tangy onions add a crucial layer of flavor and a delightful crunch that beautifully contrasts with the creamy hummus and rich egg yolk.
The pickling liquid is incredibly simple, requiring just a few everyday pantry staples: red wine vinegar for its bright acidity, granulated sugar to balance the tartness, kosher salt for seasoning, and a few whole black peppercorns and a dried bay leaf to infuse a subtle aromatic complexity. This liquid is gently simmered on the stove for a brief moment, just long enough for the sugar and salt to dissolve, before being poured over thinly sliced red onions.
For the best results, I strongly recommend preparing the pickled onions several hours in advance, or even better, 1 to 2 days before you plan to serve the hummus. This extended soaking time allows the onions to soften perfectly, absorb all the wonderful tangy-sweet flavors of the pickling liquid, and develop their characteristic bright pink hue. They’ll keep well in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, making them a fantastic prep-ahead component you can use for various dishes, from tacos to salads.
The Zesty Touch: Sumac Oil
Once you’ve artfully arranged the hummus, egg, parsley, and pickled onions, the grand finale is a generous drizzle of sumac oil. This simple yet impactful oil is a blend of high-quality extra virgin olive oil and ground sumac. The fruitier the olive oil, the better, as its nuanced notes will beautifully complement the other ingredients.
Sumac is a fantastic spice that I’m particularly enjoying at the moment (if you recall, it played a starring role in my Mediterranean chicken salad!). It imparts a distinctive tart, lemon-like punch of flavor and a wonderful brightness that truly ties this entire hummus appetizer together. Its deep red color also adds a beautiful visual appeal to the dish. If you find yourself without ground sumac, don’t fret! A excellent substitute is a combination of ground paprika for color and a small amount of freshly grated lemon zest for that essential tangy lift.
Assembling and Serving Your Gourmet Hummus
The assembly is where this dish truly comes to life. Start by spreading your creamy hummus generously into a shallow bowl or plate, creating a slight well in the center to hold the delicious toppings. Next, artfully arrange a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley and a generous spoonful of the tangy pickled red onions. Gently place your perfectly soft-boiled egg (which you’ll cut in half just before serving to unleash that beautiful runny yolk) in the center.
Finally, spoon the vibrant sumac oil over the egg, parsley, and hummus, allowing it to weave its way through all the components. For an extra touch of texture and visual appeal, sprinkle a few toasted sesame seeds over the top, if desired. This dish is designed to be served immediately, allowing you to enjoy the warmth of the hummus (if slightly warmed), the fresh herbs, and the perfectly set egg yolk.
And of course, no hummus dish is complete without its faithful companion: warm or lightly toasted pita bread. Cut the pita into wedges for easy dipping, or even offer fresh vegetable sticks like cucumber and carrots for a lighter, gluten-free option. This elevated hummus is perfect for entertaining, a delightful addition to any mezze platter, or simply a satisfying and flavorful snack or light lunch.
Hummus with Soft Boiled Egg, Pickled Onion, Parsley, and Sumac Oil
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Ingredients
For the Pickled Red Onions:
- 1 small red onion (very thinly sliced)
- 1 garlic clove (lightly smashed)
- ¾ cup (180 mL) red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons (36g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4-5 whole black peppercorns
- 1 dried bay leaf
For Assembly and Sumac Oil:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (high-quality, fruity if possible)
- ½ teaspoon ground sumac
- 1 large egg
- small bunch flat leaf parsley leaves (roughly chopped for garnish)
- prepared pickled red onion (from recipe above)
- 1 (10-ounce) container Sabra Classic Hummus (or your favorite homemade hummus)
- toasted sesame seeds (for garnishing, optional)
- warmed or toasted pita bread (for dipping)
Instructions
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1. Prepare the Pickled Red Onions (Several Hours to 1-2 Days Ahead): Place the very thinly sliced red onions and lightly smashed garlic clove in a tall, heatproof container or jar. In a small saucepan, combine the red wine vinegar, granulated sugar, kosher salt, whole black peppercorns, and dried bay leaf. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 seconds, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Carefully pour the hot pickling liquid over the red onions, ensuring they are fully submerged (you might need to press them down gently with a spoon). Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or for optimal flavor and tenderness, preferably overnight or up to 2 days.
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2. Make the Sumac Oil: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil and ground sumac until well combined. Set this aside to allow the flavors to meld.
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3. Cook the Soft-Boiled Egg: Prepare a small ice bath (a bowl with ice water) and set it aside. Bring a small saucepan of cold water to a low simmer over medium heat (small bubbles should appear at the bottom, but it shouldn’t be a rolling boil). Gently lower the large egg into the simmering water using a slotted spoon. Immediately set a timer for exactly 6 minutes for a perfectly runny yolk. Once the timer goes off, immediately transfer the egg to the prepared ice bath to stop the cooking process. Let it sit until cool enough to handle, then carefully peel the egg. Place it on a paper-towel-lined plate until ready for assembly.
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4. Assemble the Hummus: Spoon and spread the Sabra Classic Hummus (or your homemade hummus) into a shallow serving bowl or plate, creating a slight indentation in the center. Arrange a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley and a generous spoonful of the prepared pickled red onion over the hummus. Just before serving, carefully cut the soft-boiled egg in half and place it on top, allowing the yolk to gently spill onto the hummus. Drizzle the sumac oil generously over the egg, parsley, and hummus. If desired, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for an added crunch and nutty flavor.
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5. Serve: Serve your gourmet hummus immediately with warm or lightly toasted pita bread for dipping, or with fresh vegetable sticks. Enjoy!
Tips for Success:
- For the best flavor and texture, ensure your red onions are sliced as thinly as possible for pickling. A mandoline slicer works wonders here!
- Do not rush the pickling process. Allowing the onions to sit for several hours or overnight truly enhances their flavor and tenderness.
- If you can’t find ground sumac, you can substitute it with a combination of ½ teaspoon ground sweet paprika and ¼ teaspoon of freshly grated lemon zest to mimic the color and tart flavor profile.
- Adjust the soft-boiled egg cooking time by 30 seconds in either direction if you prefer a slightly firmer or runnier yolk.
I am proud to be a member of the Sabra Tastemaker program! This recipe post is sponsored by Sabra. Thank you for supporting brands that allow me to get in the kitchen, be creative, and share my passion for great food!