Terra cotta-colored bowl with swirls of hummus with parsley, pistachio and pomegranate seed garnish with chips on the side.
Photography, Art Design & Food Styling: Anthony Contrino

A while back I was hired by the American Pistachio Growers Association to serve a couple of pistachio-forward recipes at a wellness event.  The non-profit trace association represents over 800 members whose purpose is to increase the global awareness of American-grown pistachios.  When I opened the bag of pistachios they sent, I was blown away by their color, beauty and crispy deliciousness – I couldn’t wait to cook with them!

This Pistachio Hummus is one of two recipes that I created, and it’s one I come back to every now and then.  It’s a great make-ahead recipe and is perfect for when entertaining or just as an everyday snack.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients
 

  • ¾ cup pistachios, divided
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon tahini
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Kosher salt
  • Pomegranate arils, for serving, optional
  • Pita chips, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Scatter the pistachios evenly onto a sheet pan and bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, for 5-7 minutes.
  • Place ½ cup of the hot pistachios and the oil into a mini food processor and process, scraping down the bottom and sides, as needed, to form a paste.
  • Add the chickpeas, tahini, parsley, lemon juice and ½ cup of cold water and process until smooth, adding up to an additional ½ cup of water, to achieve desired consistency.
  • Season with salt, to taste.
  • Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and use a spoon to create wells.
  • Drizzle extra virgin olive oil into the wells.
  • Rough chop the remaining pistachios and sprinkle over the hummus along with the pomegranate arils; serve with crudité or pita chips.
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Author: Anthony Michael Contrino