I love hummus, as a dip, sandwich spread, by the spoonful. I had a bunch of leftover pomegranate seeds from Thanksgiving and wanted to put them to use. As I was creating my weekly batch of hummus, I thought adding juice and seeds would be perfect for a festive dip.

I couldn’t be more happy with how this turned out, bright, slightly sweet, yet still savory. Serve with carrots sticks, pita chips, however you usually enjoy your hummus!

Not sure how to open a pomegranate? Check out my step-by-step guide to remove the seeds.

Most people can eat the seeds whole, as they are a great source of fiber. Of course, the juice is a great source of antioxidants.  Recent studies suggest that pomegranate juice may help fight prostate cancer. The juice has also been shown to slow the progression of plaques in mice with atherosclerosis.

Pomegranate Hummus

Ingredients:
1 15 oz. garbanzo beans
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup tahini
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp. pomegranate juice, divided
2 drops Tabasco sauce
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup pomegranate arils

Place chickpeas, garlic cloves, tahini, salt, lemon zest and juice, tabasco sauce, and 1 tbsp. pomegranate juice. Process until the hummus is pureed. Taste. Depending on the salt in the beans, you might need more.

Scoop hummus into a bowl and top with reserved 3 Tbsp. pomegranate juice. Using a knife or chopstick, slowly swirl in the juice. Topped with pomegranate seeds (arils).