I love hummus. Do you love hummus?
I love that it’s an easy snack. I love that it can be a complete meal. I love that you can open a container and be ready for a party. I especially love that it’s not just great with celery and broccoli and chips – it’s super tasty spread on flatbread or with eggs or folded into grain salads.
My only problem with hummus is that I tend to get in ruts with the flavors. I keep buying or making the same ones, over and over, instead of adding new spices each time. So this is my new goal – to make all kinds of hummus, whatever I can think of, so I don’t get bored. Because life without hummus is just sad.
Starting with this one.
The first time I had chimichurri was on one of our Honduras trips. I had NO idea what it was. We went to dinner at a place called El Gordo’s (seriously), which basically serves all meat, plus some chimichurri and tortillas. Not a bad meal after you’ve been working outside all day. Especially when you cover your entire plate with the oil-and-herb sauce they brought out in little bowls, one at each person’s seat.
I still haven’t been able to make a chimichurri at home that tastes like theirs, but I’ve come pretty close. The great thing about chimichurri is that every recipe you look up is just a little different – which means you don’t actually need to follow a recipe!
The biggest thing is that you need to have fresh herbs (usually always parsley), garlic, and a lot of olive oil. The rest is kind of up to you!
Love cilantro? Toss in a handful. Want scallions or oregano instead? Add them both! Like it spicy? Throw in a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne.
The one requirement for chimichurri is that it should not be the same texture as pesto. You know how pesto is typically pretty thick? You want the opposite for a chimichurri.
It needs to be easily pourable, spoonable, drizzle-able onto meat and potatoes and grains or whatever you want it on.
Or….if you don’t want to worry about the texture of the sauce and you just want the flavor in a dip for your chips and veggies, toss everything into some hummus!
Not all hummus needs to be roasted garlic flavored – grab some herbs and let’s make a snack!
When you get tired of the same old, same old with your hummus, it's time to try something new. The smooth white beans add a bit of sweetness to the hummus, and the mix of herbs you normally find in bright chimichurri bring this dip to a whole new level.