French Onion Hummus

square crop of dipping a pita chip into hummus.

5 from 1 vote

This French Onion Hummus combines creamy homemade hummus with deeply caramelized onions and shallots for a savory dip inspired by classic French onion dip. Chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and a touch of brown sugar create a smooth, creamy base, while caramelized onions add rich flavor. Serve this easy caramelized onion hummus with pita chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables for an appetizer, snack, or party dip.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American, French, Middle-Eastern

Keyword caramelized onion hummus, french onion, French onion dip, French onion hummus, hummus

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 102kcal

Author Debi

Ingredients

For the Caramelized Onions

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 small onions thinly sliced about 4 ½ cups
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 shallots finely diced
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

For the Hummus

14 ounces can of chickpeas drained, reserving the liquid
¼ cup reserved chickpea liquid (aquafaba), plus more as needed
2 tablespoon tahini
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar

For Garnish

Caramelized onions and shallots
Extra-virgin olive oil
Crushed red pepper flakes
Fresh or dried thyme leaves

Instructions

Caramelize the onions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the sliced onions and kosher salt. Stir to coat.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 small onions thinly sliced, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are deeply golden brown and caramelized, about 20–40 minutes, depending on the heat in your pan. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent the onions from burning.
When the onions have browned beautifully, Add the diced shallots and cook for 2–3 minutes.
2 shallots
Add ¼ cup of the vegetable broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat with the remaining broth, adding ¼ cup at a time and allowing the onions to absorb most of the liquid before adding more. Remove from the heat and let the caramelized onions cool.
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

Make the hummus

Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid from the can.
14 ounces can of chickpeas
Add the chickpeas, ¼ cup reserved chickpea liquid, tahini, and garlic to a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
¼ cup reserved chickpea liquid, 2 tablespoon tahini, 1 small garlic clove
Add about ¾ of the cooled caramelized onions, reserving the rest for garnish. Add the olive oil, salt, black pepper, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Process until smooth and well combined.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
If the hummus is too thick, add additional reserved chickpea liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Top with the reserved caramelized onions and shallots. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes and fresh or dried thyme.
Caramelized onions and shallots, Extra-virgin olive oil, Crushed red pepper flakes, Fresh or dried thyme leaves

Notes

Serve at room temperature or chilled with pita chips, crackers, tortilla chips, toasted bread, or fresh vegetables.

Serving size of hummus is typically 2 tablespoons, though many people realistically eat about 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) in a single snack. In the nutrition calculations, I have used the 1/4 cup size.

Cooking Tip: Don't rush the caramelization process. The onions should become soft, deeply golden brown, and sweet before you move on to the next step. Slow caramelization creates the best flavor.

Reserve the chickpea liquid (aquafaba) to thin the hummus. Add aquafaba 1 tablespoon at a time if the hummus is too thick.

You can make the hummus up to 2 days ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator. The flavors may become even more pronounced as it rests. Add the caramelized onion and other garnishes just before serving.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving. If it thickens in the refrigerator, stir in a small amount of water or reserved aquafaba to restore the creamy consistency.

For the best flavor and texture, let the hummus sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before serving.

Nutrition