Mediterranean Inspiration – Greek Hummus Pizza

Hummus became a standard food in our fridge more than 10 years ago. I enjoy it with my weekday salads and as a dip for fresh veggies. But it’s been around the world for a whole lot longer than that. A staple in Mediterranean countries, the earliest mention of hummus is in a 13th century Egyptian cookbook. Cooked, mashed chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are the main ingredient in hummus. They are a member of the pulse family, which includes lentils, beans, and peas, making hummus a healthy and tasty alternative to other dips and spreads with a variety of uses.

Last weekend, we took our hummus consumption to a new level and used it in place of the more typical tomato sauce on our Friday Night pizza. We mixed the hummus with some dried oregano and red pepper flakes, then topped our pizza with feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and Greek olives. We did not miss the tomato sauce or mozzarella cheese on the pizza at all and loved this Greek inspired Friday Night tradition!

Greek Hummus Pizza

Greek Hummus Pizza (adapted from tasteofhome.com)  Total Time Required: 35 minutes,  Prep Time: 15 minutes, Bake Time: 12 minutes, Makes: 8 slices

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound pizza dough
  • 3/4 cup hummus
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • 1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 490°F. Place a pizza stone in the oven while it is heating up. (If not using a pizza stone, preheat the oven to 450ºF and spread the dough in a pizza pan then assemble the pizza as directed below.)

In a small bowl, mix together the hummus, oregano, and pepper flakes.

Combine the hummus with the oregano and red pepper flakes.

Roll the pizza dough out into a 14-inch circle. Transfer the rolled-out dough to a cornmeal covered pizza peel. Spread the hummus mixture over the dough.

Spread the hummus over the rolled out dough.

Sprinkle the cheese, tomatoes, and olives over the hummus.

Top the pizza with the feta cheese, tomatoes, and olives.

Bake the pizza for 12 minutes, until the crust starts to brown, and the cheese is bubbly. Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

It’s hard to let it cool when we just want to dig right in!

Slice and serve.

Incredibly delicious!

Hummus gives pizza a Mediterranean twist!  ~Linda

Greek Hummus Pizza (adapted from tasteofhome.com)  Total Time Required: 35 minutes,  Prep Time: 15 minutes, Bake Time: 12 minutes, Makes: 8 slices

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound pizza dough
  • 3/4 cup hummus
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • 1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 490°F. Place a pizza stone in the oven while it is heating up. (If not using a pizza stone, preheat the oven to 450ºF and spread the dough in a pizza pan then assemble the pizza as directed below.)

In a small bowl, mix together the hummus, oregano, and pepper flakes. Roll the pizza dough out into a 14-inch circle. Transfer the rolled-out dough to a cornmeal covered pizza peel. Spread the hummus mixture over the crust. Sprinkle the cheese, tomatoes, and olives over the hummus.

Bake the pizza for 12 minutes, until the crust starts to brown, and the cheese is bubbly. Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve.