Hummus isn’t the side dip here, but rather the main dish, punched up to a verdant hue from the addition of fresh spinach and herbs. The green hummus is then topped with warmed, crisped dolmades that are quickly sizzled in olive oil along with olives and some more chickpeas. Add some feta, maybe some yogurt, and this dish just might leave you wondering, “Am I a chef at a Greek taverna?” Some practical notes: Because of its mild flavor, spinach is best in this hummus, as opposed to an assertively bitter, peppery green like arugula. Make sure to be very thorough when patting the dolmades dry before sizzling; it encourages them to crisp up and helps reduce oil splatter. —Christian Reynoso
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What you’ll need
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Food Processor
$70 At Amazon
Silicone Spatula
$13 At Amazon
Can Opener
$17 $14 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$15 At Amazon
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Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Process 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped, ½ cup tahini, ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice, and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a food processor, scraping down sides as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add 4 cups baby or mature spinach leaves (about 5 oz.) and 1 cup (packed) tender dill sprigs, mint leaves, and/or basil leaves. Process, scraping down sides as needed, until green and smooth, about 1 minute.
Step 2
Set aside 1 cup chickpeas from two 15.5-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed. Add remaining chickpeas to food processor along with 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Process until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Taste hummus and add more lemon juice and season with more salt if needed.
Step 3
Pat dry 12–15 store-bought dolmades very thoroughly with a towel (rolling them on the towel works well), then pat dry 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano or other green olives. Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add dolmades (the oil will splatter if dolmades are not dried thoroughly) and cook, undisturbed, until crisp underneath, 1–2 minutes. Turn over and cook until other sides are crisp, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Step 4
Add olives and reserved 1 cup chickpeas to same pan; season with salt. Cook, still over medium-high, tossing occasionally, until chickpeas are partially crisped and browned and olives are browned a little in spots, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 5
Smear green hummus in a wide shallow bowl or on a large plate, then top with dolmades, chickpeas, and olives. Top or drizzle with crumbled feta or plain whole-milk yogurt and scatter more herbs over. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with warm pita bread, flatbread, grilled bread, or pita chips if desired.
