Grilled Zucchini Parmesan Zummus

 

Can you guess what Zummus is? I bet you can, food lovers. C'mon, set your minds to it...think of two delicious foods and then put them together. That's right: Zucchini + Hummus = Zummus. 

My buddy Ann—from the fabulous blog Sumptuous Spoonfuls—made a batch of zummus, loved it, and challenged others to make our own versions. She wants to make "zummus" happen. And it's so good and so simple, I bet we can make it the new foodie craze!

I make my Grilled Zucchini throughout the summer—it's simple, tasty, and easy on the wallet. I cook huge platters of it all the time. So, I decided to incorporate some of the leftover grilled zucchini (sans goat cheese and balsamic drizzle) into my zummus. The caramelization you get on the zucchini lends a wonderful smoky, sweet flavor to this dip. If you don't have any grilled zucchini handy, you can certainly substitute some broiled or roasted zucchini for the same effect.

As you've probably noticed, I often make foods with Italian ingredients and flavors. For this zummus, I opted to include Parmesan cheese, in lieu of the traditional tahini used in hummus; the Parmesan adds its own nutty flavor and it pairs wonderfully with the grilled zucchini.

 

 
Ingredients
makes about 2 cups

• 1 cup grilled, roasted, or broiled zucchini slices
• 1 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
• 2 garlic cloves
• juice of one large lemon
• about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt, to taste 
• pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

Place the zucchini, chickpeas, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Process until the mixture forms a thick paste. Then, continue to process while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until you get the texture you want. It should be very smooth and creamy. Season with additional salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat.

Serve in a bowl and top with additional shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve with raw veggies for a high-protein, grain-free snack!

For more zummus recipes, check out Sumptuous Spoonfuls' Zucchini Lima Bean Zummus and Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen's Cilantro Zummus!