How to Make Hummus with Ground Beef (Hummus bi Lahmeh)

Hummus bi lahmeh is plain hummus bi tahini with a hot topping of minced meat, pine nuts and spices spooned over just before it reaches the table. You will find it on the mezze spread of almost every Lebanese restaurant, next to the plain hummus, and at home it is a quick way to turn a bowl of dip into lunch with bread, pickles and a salad.

The secret is in two places. The hummus needs enough tahini and a splash of ice water to turn pale and fluffy, and the meat needs to be cooked hot and fast so it browns in its own fat instead of steaming. When the warm, spiced juices run into the cool hummus, that is the moment.

Ingredients

For the hummus

• 1 can (400 to 425 g / 15 oz) chickpeas, or 250 g (1½ cups) home-cooked chickpeas
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda (for canned chickpeas)
• 60 ml (¼ cup) tahini, well stirred
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1 small garlic clove
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

For the meat topping

• 1 tablespoon ghee or extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (30 g) pine nuts
• 225 g (½ lb) ground beef or lamb, not too lean
• 1 teaspoon Lebanese seven spices (baharat)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

To serve

• Extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of sumac or paprika, and chopped parsley
• Warm Lebanese pita bread

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas, put them in a small pan with fresh water to cover and the baking soda, and simmer for 10 minutes. The skins will loosen and float. (Home-cooked chickpeas can skip this; just warm them.)
2. Drain the chickpeas into a bowl of cold water and rub them between your hands. Skim off the skins that float up. You do not need every single one, but the more you remove, the smoother the hummus.
3. Put the warm chickpeas in a food processor and blend for about 1 minute into a thick, crumbly paste. Scrape down the sides.
4. Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Blend for 2 minutes, then, with the motor running, add the ice water one tablespoon at a time until the hummus turns pale, light and very smooth, about 3 minutes in total.
5. Taste and adjust with more lemon or salt. Spoon it onto a shallow plate and use the back of the spoon to make a wide well in the middle, with a raised rim around the edge.
6. For the topping, heat the ghee or oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until evenly golden. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
7. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add the ground meat, spread it out and leave it for 2 minutes to brown, then break it up with a wooden spoon. Add the seven spices, salt and pepper and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, until browned with no pink left and the juices have mostly evaporated.
8. Spoon the hot meat and its juices into the well of the hummus, scatter over the pine nuts and parsley, drizzle with olive oil and add a pinch of sumac. Serve straight away with warm bread.

Tips for the best hummus with ground beef

• Blend the chickpeas while warm. Warm chickpeas break down more smoothly than cold ones.
• Ice water, not tap water, gives the lightest texture.
• Do not use extra-lean meat; a little fat carries the spices and keeps the topping juicy.
• Pine nuts burn fast. Stay at the pan and take them off the heat the moment they are golden.

Variations

• Hummus with awarma: in villages, the meat is replaced with awarma, lamb preserved in its own fat, warmed and spooned over the hummus.
• Lamb and onion: sauté half a finely chopped onion before adding the meat for a sweeter topping.
• Shawarma style: top with thin strips of spiced chicken or beef instead of minced meat.

How to serve and store

Serve it as part of a mezze with fattoush, pickled turnips and fresh mint, or as a simple lunch with bread. Plain hummus keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days with a thin layer of olive oil on top. Store the meat separately and reheat it in a pan until sizzling before spooning it over cold hummus.

Good tahini makes all the difference here. Look for Lebanese sesame paste from Al Kanater or Cortas, and finish the plate with a peppery Lebanese olive oil such as Zeit Boulos.

Frequently Asked Questions