These 5-Ingredient Bowls Turn a Thing of Hummus into Dinner

Welcome to Snapshot Cooking, the home of Kitchn’s easiest recipes. These mini recipes are so simple you can practically cook from the before-and-after snapshot itself.

A tub of hummus is most definitely the cure for mid-afternoon hunger pangs — but it doesn’t have to stop there. The creamy chickpea dip is also one of the fastest ways to get dinner on the table. Spread a few generous spoonfuls in the bottom of individual bowls and you’ve got a protein-packed bed for just about any toppings. The following ideas call for just five ingredients, hummus included, and result in wholesome, main dish-worthy bowls that require barely any effort.

• The 5 ingredients: Each recipe calls for five ingredients, including hummus. We assume you have olive oil, salt, and pepper, so those aren’t included in our ingredient count.
• The hummus: We like Cedar’s Organic and Whole Foods brands, but feel free to use your own personal favorite (and have fun with different flavors, too!) You can also use this easy recipe to make your own.
• The serving size: Each recipe makes one meal-sized portion, but can easily be multiplied.

Spread 1/2 cup hummus in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with 1/2 cup cubed roasted eggplant, 1/2 cup chickpeas, a halved 6-minute soft-boiled egg, and 1/4 cup store-bought tabbouleh salad.

Get the recipe: Mediterranean Hummus Bowl

Spread 1/2 cup hummus in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with 3 thin slices cold smoked salmon, 1 sliced Persian cucumber, and 3 thinly sliced radishes. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.

Spread 1/2 cup hummus in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with 1/2 cup cooked and browned ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning (replace with black beans for a meatless version), 1/2 cup cooked or raw corn kernels, 1/4 cup store-bought pico de gallo, and a handful of shredded lettuce.

Blanch 1 ounce trimmed green beans. Spread 1/2 cup hummus in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with the green beans, 1/2 can drained tuna, 1 small chopped tomato, and a handful of pitted, halved Kalamata olives.

Spread 1/2 cup hummus in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with a handful of sliced shawarma-seasoned chicken, 1 sliced Persian cucumber, and 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.