Of all the ways to enjoy hummus, this Wild Garlic Hummus with Sticky Harissa Beef is one of my favourites. It’s creamy, garlicky, and topped with a richly spiced beef mince that turns sticky as it cooks. The wild garlic adds a fresh, mild twist to the classic hummus, while the quick-pickled onions bring just the right amount of tang. This dish is a great example of how a few simple ingredients can come together to create something flavour-packed and hearty, perfect for an impressive lunch or dinner that requires minimal effort.
Table of Contents
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Good Tahini = Good (Wild Garlic) Hummus
- Crafting the Perfect Wild Garlic Hummus Texture
- Sticky Harissa Beef: A Bold Topping for Wild Garlic Hummus
- Quick-Pickled Onions: Tangy and Refreshing
- Wild Garlic Hummus with Sticky Harissa Beef: A Complete, Flavour-Packed Dish
- Final Thoughts
- More Dips For You To Try!
Ingredient Breakdown
- Wild garlic: Milder than its bulb counterpart, wild garlic offers a fresh, garlicky flavour without the raw bite. A seasonal ingredient, it’s best enjoyed in spring when it’s fresh and fragrant.
- Chickpeas: High-quality chickpeas form the base of this hummus. The better the chickpeas, the smoother the hummus.
- Tahini: Rich and nutty, this sesame paste adds creaminess and depth. Opt for smooth, Middle-Eastern brands for the best results (more on this later).
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Adds richness to the hummus and helps to bind the ingredients together.
- Ice-cold water: Essential for achieving a smooth and fluffy hummus. The ice-cold water helps emulsify the tahini, lightening the texture.
- Lemon juice: Adds acidity and brightness, balancing the richness of the tahini and chickpeas.
- Beef mince (or vegan mince): Provides the meaty topping, crisped and coated in a sticky, spicy harissa glaze.
- Harissa paste: A North African chilli paste that’s both spicy and smoky, adding heat and depth to the dish.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds sweetness and acidity to the beef, balancing out the heat from the harissa.
- Brown sugar: Enhances the glaze, helping the beef mince to caramelise and turn sticky.
- Red onion: Used in both the pickled onions and the beef for layers of sweetness and sharpness.
- Sumac: Adds a citrusy, tart flavour to the quick-pickled onions, cutting through the richness of the hummus and beef.
- Natural yoghurt: A cooling element that offsets the spiciness of the harissa beef.
- Pomegranate seeds: Their burst of sweetness and tang provides a fresh contrast to the rich flavours.
- Flatbreads: Warm and soft, they’re perfect for scooping up the hummus and beef.
Wild Garlic: Nature’s Subtle Allium
Wild garlic is of course the star of the show in this recipe, bringing a subtle but distinct flavour to the hummus. If you’re unfamiliar with it, imagine the flavour of regular garlic but milder and more herbaceous. It’s seasonal, often growing in woodlands during spring, and can be foraged if you’re lucky enough to live near the countryside. In this hummus recipe, wild garlic replaces the usual clove of raw garlic, creating a hummus that’s garlicky without being overpowering.
When using wild garlic, always ensure you wash it thoroughly. It’s best used fresh, but it can also be blanched and frozen if you want to enjoy it beyond its short season.
Good Tahini = Good (Wild Garlic) Hummus
A key component of any good hummus, tahini is often where home cooks go wrong. Poor-quality tahini can ruin an otherwise perfect dish, turning it gritty, bitter, and heavy. If you’ve ever struggled with achieving that smooth, velvety hummus at home, your tahini might be to blame.
Good-quality tahini should be smooth and pourable. It should have a balanced, nutty flavour without the overwhelming bitterness that some supermarket brands tend to carry. Middle-Eastern brands like Baracke, Al Nakhil, Al Taj, or Belazu are great options if you’re looking for authentic, quality tahini.
If you can’t find these brands, don’t worry. When selecting a tahini, always check the consistency. Give the jar a good stir — if it’s too thick or clumpy, it won’t blend well in your hummus.
Crafting the Perfect Wild Garlic Hummus Texture
The trick to a smooth, creamy wild garlic hummus lies in two things: cold water and patience. After adding the wild garlic, chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice to the food processor, you’ll need to blitz it for longer than you think. As it whirls around, slowly drizzle in the ice-cold water. The cold temperature helps emulsify the tahini, giving your hummus that light, airy texture you find in restaurants. Don’t rush this step. It’s worth the extra couple of minutes for that perfectly smooth result.
Sticky Harissa Beef: A Bold Topping for Wild Garlic Hummus
The sticky harissa beef is where things get exciting. You start by browning off the mince, allowing it to crisp up before adding a punchy mix of harissa paste, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar. The harissa brings heat, the balsamic adds sweetness, and the brown sugar helps the glaze caramelise and turn sticky.
You’ll want to keep a close eye on the pan at this point. Once the harissa and balsamic hit the hot mince, things happen quickly. Stir constantly to ensure everything is evenly coated, and cook just long enough for the mixture to reduce into a sticky glaze. Overcooking could result in the sugar burning, so keep it short and sharp.
Quick-Pickled Onions: Tangy and Refreshing
These quick-pickled onions add brightness and acidity to this wild garlic hummus bowl. By scrunching the onions with lemon juice, sumac, and salt, you soften their raw sharpness, turning them into a tangy topping that cuts through the richness of the hummus and beef.
The sumac adds a layer of complexity, with its tart, lemony notes enhancing the lemon juice. If you don’t have sumac on hand, a dash of red wine vinegar or a sprinkle of za’atar would also work well. These pickled onions are a fantastic addition, offering a fresh crunch that balances out the overall dish.
Wild Garlic Hummus with Sticky Harissa Beef: A Complete, Flavour-Packed Dish
With the wild garlic hummus acting as a creamy base, the sticky harissa beef adding bold flavours, and the pickled onions providing brightness, this dish is a complete flavour experience. Each element plays a role in balancing the others, creating a bowl that’s rich, spicy, tangy, and fresh all at once. The cool drizzle of yoghurt and the sweetness from the pomegranate seeds finish it off, adding both texture and contrast to the dish.
To serve, I love offering warm flatbreads on the side. They’re perfect for scooping up generous servings of hummus and beef. You could also switch things up with toasted pitta or even some crunchy tortilla chips for a different texture.
Final Thoughts
This Wild Garlic Hummus with Sticky Harissa Beef is a testament to the versatility of hummus. It can be a simple dip or the foundation for a hearty meal like this. The combination of wild garlic, high-quality tahini, and that sticky harissa glaze creates a dish that feels indulgent but balanced. It’s perfect for sharing, whether as a starter, a main, or as part of a larger spread.
The best part? You can adapt it to suit your tastes or what’s in season. Don’t have wild garlic? Regular garlic works too. Prefer lamb over beef? Swap it in. The base remains the same, but the toppings are endlessly customisable, making this a go-to recipe for any occasion.
More Dips For You To Try!
If you love this Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush, why not try one of my other delicious dip recipes? I’m sure you’ll love them!
- Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush: When it comes to dips, baba ganoush is one of my favourites, and this roasted garlic version is next level! It’s rich, smoky, and wonderfully creamy.
- Sweet Potato Hummus: A creamy blend of roasted sweet potatoes and traditional hummus for a sweet and savoury twist.
- Guacamole: Who doesn’t love guacamole?! Serve with tortilla chips for a perfect snack or starter, dollop it on tacos and burritos, or get creative and use it as a sandwich spread – the possibilities are endless!
- Caramelised Onion Hummus: Smooth hummus infused with the rich sweetness of caramelised onions, perfect for dipping or spreading.
- Roasted Tomato and Mushroom Loaded Hummus: Homemade classic hummus, topped with juicy roasted tomatoes and mushrooms seasoned with raw el hanout.
Sticky Harissa Beef and Wild Garlic Hummus
I love a good hummus bowl! This one’s been zhuzhed up with seasonal wild garlic and topped with crispy fried mince, tossed in a delicious, sticky harissa glaze. For anyone unfamiliar with wild garlic, think of it as garlic’s mellow cousin – it’s garlicky in flavour without the harsh, punchy sting of raw garlic itself.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the quick-pickled onions:
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ lemon, juice
- 1 tsp sumac
For the hummus:
- 75g wild garlic, or more to taste, washed and patted dry
- 1 x 400g tin high-quality chickpeas, drained
- 2 heaped tbsp good-quality tahini (see Notes)
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp ice-cold water
- ½ lemon, juice only, or more to taste
For the sticky harissa beef:
- extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 250g beef mince or vegan mince
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp harissa paste
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 heaped tsp brown sugar
Toppings:
- small handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
- handful pomegranate seeds
- Warm flatbreads, to serve
Instructions
- Place the onion, lemon juice and sumac in a small bowl and season with a good pinch of salt. Scrunch everything together for about a minute then set aside to macerate.
- Roughly chop the wild garlic. Add it to a food processor, along with the chickpeas, tahini, extra-virgin olive oil, water and lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper and blitz until a smooth-ish, bright green hummus form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Heat a splash of extra-virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan set over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, around 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the beef mince (or vegan mince alternative). Cook until beginning to brown and crisp, around 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook, stirring almost constantly for 1 minute. Add the harissa paste, balsamic and sugar and cook for a further minute, or until sticky and nicely-glazed.
- To serve, spread the hummus onto a large plate and top with the sticky harissa mince. Top with the quick-pickled onions, some fresh parsley, a drizzle of yoghurt and a handful of pomegranate seeds and serve with warm flatbreads.
Notes
Not all tahini is created equal. Poor-quality tahini is thick, clumpy, gritty, and bitter. Good-quality tahini is smooth, pourable and balanced, not bitter. Where possible, I recommend avoiding supermarket own-brand tahini and opting for Middle-Eastern versions instead. Some of my favourite tahini brands are Baracke, Al Nakhil, Al Taj and Belazu.
