Spiced Beef Hummus Bowls

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Gluten-free/Nut-free

Skill Level: Beginner

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 30-40 minutes

Cook Time: About 30 minutes

Equipment Needed:

• Cutting board 

• Chef's knife 

• Food processor

• Medium saucepan

• 12-inch skillet

The Recipe:

Ingredients:

For the hummus:

• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans chickpeas

• 1/2 cup chickpea liquid, reserved from one of the cans of chickpeas

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt, to taste
  

For the spiced beef:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 pound ground beef

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the bowls:

• 1 cup quinoa

• 1 1/2 cups cucumber, sliced and then quarter the slices

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 10 tomatoes)

• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

• 1-2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Crumbled feta cheese

• Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced or halved

Procedure:

1. Cook the quinoa: Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear, agitating with your hand several times (this should take about 1 minute). Add rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and allow to cook for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Fluff the cooked quinoa a bit with a fork to help the grains separate, and then allow it to cool uncovered for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a container to refrigerate until you are ready to make your bowls.

2. Make the hummus: Drain one of the cans of chickpeas over a bowl or liquid measuring cup, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. Drain the other can and rinse all of the chickpeas well, then add them to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the tahini, lemon juice, reserved 1/2 cup chickpea liquid, cumin, and 2 cloves minced garlic to the food processor as well. Process until the ingredients are broken down and starting to smooth out, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. With the food processor running, add 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil to the food chute. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add a hefty pinch of Kosher salt. Process again, taste, and adjust seasoning and olive oil as desired. Set completed hummus aside (or refrigerate if you are not making your bowls today) until you are ready assemble your bowls.

3. Cook the spiced beef: Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened (4-5 minutes). Add the beef, minced garlic, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, a hefty pinch of Kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon or spatula into small crumbles, until the meat is fully browned (8-10 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat (or refrigerate if you are not making your bowls today) and set aside until you are ready to assemble your bowls.

4. Make the cucumber and tomato salad: Combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, parsley,1 tablespoon olive oil, red wine vinegar, a hefty pinch of Kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Set aside (or refrigerate if you are not making your bowls today) until you are ready to assemble your bowls.

5. Assemble the bowls: Finally! I like to put all the toppings out like a buffet and let everyone customize their own bowls. I would estimate my personal bowl to use the following measurements: 1/4-1/2 cup hummus, 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, 1/4 cup warm spiced beef, 1/4 cup cucumber and tomato salad, 1-2 tablespoons kalamata olives, 1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese, and an extra drizzle of olive oil. Store your leftover hummus for 4-5 days in the fridge, your leftover spiced beef for 2-3 days, and your leftover cucumber and tomato salad for 1-2 days for best quality.

To Serve: These are great on their own, but if you're looking for a little extra I think they would be great with a warm piece of pita bread on the side to help you scrape up the extra hummus you might have at the end of your bowl. Once I have my bowl assembled, I mix everything around so I can try to get a little bit of everything in each bite (or at least a little bit of most things).

Adjusting for your diet: I love bowls because they're so easily customizable for your diet! Make this one vegan by leaving out the spiced beef or using plant-based meat, and by using a dairy-free feta cheese, or by omitting the cheese all together.

Tips:

• When you look at this recipe, it feels like there is a LOT to put together-and there kind of is, but the great thing is you can make the quinoa and the hummus the day before with virtually no loss of quality. You could make the spiced beef and cucumber and tomato salad a day in advance as well (I'd recommend reheating the beef just a bit, since I think it tastes best warm in these bowls), but I do think these toppings taste best just after they've been prepared.

• When cooking quinoa, feel free to substitute chicken or vegetable broth for the water.

• A different grain such as white or brown rice, farro, or barley could easily be substituted for the quinoa. Use what you've got!

• You could experiment with this very basic hummus recipe by adding additional ingredients such as roasted red peppers or chopped jalapeno for an additional spicy kick.

• Not enough time to make hummus? No problem! Store-bought hummus could easily be used in these bowls.

• I prefer my quinoa to be cold when I eat it in this type of recipe, but if you don't have time to make your quinoa in advance, I think it would be okay if it was a little warm or room temperature as well.

• A fun fact about cooked quinoa and hummus is that they can both be frozen! If you find yourself with uneven leftovers (or just want to double your batches to begin with), put your leftover quinoa and/or hummus into separate resealable plastic bags, pat into as flat of a layer as possible and remove as much air as possible, then seal and freeze (about 4 months max. for hummus and around 6-8 months for the cooked quinoa). This could also make the next time you serve up these bowls a breeze!

• My children are not huge fans of spicy foods (yet), so I brown a little extra beef for them and just season it with salt and pepper to use in place of the spiced beef since it does bring a little heat.

• I always buy feta cheese by the block and pull off crumbles myself with a fork; I think it tastes a little fresher this way versus buying it pre-crumbled.

• Whenever possible I buy tomatoes on the vine; I think they taste more flavorful than their counterparts.

The Story:

I love bowl dinners! Really any meal where I can make a bunch of optional add-ins/toppings and everyone can do their own thing. This works especially well when you are dining with folks with diverse taste buds. I was inspired by an Instagram post I ran across; in it the chef made a big hummus plate and then topped it with a spiced beef mixture similar to this one, among other things.

These Spiced Beef Hummus Bowls are simply divine. The quinoa and hummus provide heartiness and texture, you get great acidity from the cucumber and tomato salad, a bit of brininess from the olives, lovely saltiness from the feta, and a beautiful, flavorful touch of heat from the beef. The flavor profile definitely leans Mediterranean, but I think the spiced beef is a fun surprise element.

Happy tasting!