This Chickpea Dip is made flavorful with toasted cumin and pomegranate seeds. It’s a delicious dip that’s easy to make and pretty to display at parties!

chickpea dip topped with pom seeds and veggies on side

This appetizer dip is like a glamorous hummus! The pomegranate seeds used as garnish on top make this dip sparkle and stand-out. And they’re an amazing added sweet crunch too.

ingredients displayed for making chickpea dip

🛒 Ingredients Needed:

  • cumin seeds
  • garlic
  • sea salt
  • lemon
  • canned chickpeas
  • fruity extra virgin olive oil
  • water
  • pom seeds
  • desired dippers
three photos showing how to make chickpea dip

✏️ How to make Chickpea Dip with Toasted Cumin and Pomegranate:

*The complete, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post.

  1. In a small, dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds, shaking the pan often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Pour onto a plate to cool.
  2. In a mortar, combine garlic and a pinch of salt and crush to a paste with a pestle. Add the toasted cumin seeds and grind them together with the garlic.
  3. Grate enough zest from 1 lemon to measure ½ teaspoon and then halve and juice both lemons.
  4. In a food processor or blender, combine the chickpeas, garlic-cumin mixture, lemon zest, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup water. Process the mixture until very creamy, adding more water if needed to achieve the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice..
  5. Scrape the dip onto a large plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds. 
chickpea dip with pom seeds

➡️ Tips and Substitutions:

  • If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you’ll need to grind the toasted seeds in a spice grinder. If you don’t have either, improvise by using ground cumin and mix well in a small bowl with garlic and salt. (You’ll be losing out on the “toasted” flavor of the cumin since you won’t be toasting the cumin seeds in a skillet.)
  • The more water you add in, the creamier this dip will become. Add a little at a time until you reach a nice dipping consistency.
  • You can substitute chopped dried cranberries for the pom seeds, if you’d like.
spoonful of chickpea dip over bowl with pom seeds on top

✔️ What to serve with Chickpea Dip:

  • carrot sticks, celery and cucumber slices
  • crackers
  • toasted baguette slices
chickpea dip in a bowl topped with pom seeds

❤️ What I Love About This Recipe:

  1. It’s a gorgeous dip to display at a holiday party!
  2. The flavor of this dip is super unique. It reminds me of my roasted butternut squash hummus with toasted pepitas.
  3. Leftovers of this chickpea dip are good spread on a sandwich as a condiment.
chickpea dip surrounded by crackers
chickpea dip topped with pom seeds and veggies on side
5 from 1 vote

Chickpea Dip with Toasted Cumin and Pomegranate

This recipe is easy to make, festive-looking and it was devoured quickly by guests at my husband's big birthday bash.
Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 27 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 medium garlic cloves
  • sea salt
  • 2 medium lemons
  • Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • ¼ cup fruity extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds
  • pita chips or baguette slices, for serving

Instructions 

  • In a small, dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds, shaking the pan often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Pour onto a plate to cool.
  • In a mortar, combine garlic and a pinch of salt and crush to a paste with a pestle. Add the toasted cumin seeds and grind them together with the garlic.
  • Grate enough zest from 1 lemon to measure ½ teaspoon and then halve and juice both lemons.
  • In a food processor or blender, combine the chickpeas, garlic-cumin mixture, lemon zest, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup water. Process the mixture until very creamy, adding more water if needed to achieve the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice..
  • Scrape the dip onto a large plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds. Serve with pita chips or baguette slices

Notes

  • If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you’ll need to grind the toasted seeds in a spice grinder. If you don’t have either, improvise by using ground cumin and mix well in a small bowl with garlic and salt. (You’ll be losing out on the “toasted” flavor of the cumin.)

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 219kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 124mg, Potassium: 350mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 30IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Chickpea Dip on a platter
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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