Layers of creamy hummus, an herbed feta and almond salad, perfectly spiced caramelized onions, all the juicy ground turkey, and warm pita: these Spiced Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Plates are truly packed with all of my favorite things.
Jump to Recipe
I’m a big pita pocket girl — that’s for sure. In fact, I’ve said in the past that a classic chicken gyro may be at the top of my ultimate favorite foods lists. That being said, I’ve recently been having some trouble digesting gluten (ugh), so have been steering away from sandwiches for the time being (If anyone knows of a good gf pita brand, pls lmk). Even with this aversion, however, I’m still craving all of the good flavors of a good pita sandwich. To me, that means overly spiced protein, a plethora of veggies, some feta in there one way or another, and a whole lotta hummus or baba ganoush. Hence, I decided to whip up these Spiced Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Plates — aka the deconstructed sandwich of your dreams. And, let me tell you, this may be your new favorite way to eat all those Middle Eastern flavors!
The breakdown…
These Spiced Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Plates have a few components, yet they come together so fast. To start things off, I like to get the feta salad portion of the dish all squared away. Kind of like a salad, kind of like a marinated cheese topping — this blend of crunchy lettuce, fresh mint AND parsley, so much creamy feta, and crunchy nuts is seriously a bite out of heaven. Feta is the star of this topping situation, so I like to make sure I’m using a good brine-packed variety of feta. By sitting in all those salty juices, the feta takes on a whole new creamy texture that is absolutely delicious when mixed up in the salad. The pre-crumbled stuff just can’t compare. Still, with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, and (tons of) oregano whipped up into a marinade, the cheese and herbs will take on so much flavor regardless of the feta you use. I mean, whether or not you keep making these Spiced Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Plates, I promise you will be making this salad nonstop!!
Next up, you want to get your spices all ready to go. As I always do when making a spice-heavy recipe, I like to throw together a big ole spice blend at the forefront of preparing the dish, making it super easy to throw into different components of the recipe. For this Spiced Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Plates, I go with a blend of cumin, paprika, dried oregano, dried dill, salt, and pepper. My guess is that you probably already have these spices on hand, or at least you should. You could even mix in some sumac, za’atar, or dried parsley, though. Most Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean spices would be delicious.
those spices…
With that spice blend all ready to go, the next step is to start cooking up — well — everything you’re going to throw those spices on! I’m talking about thick cut caramelized onions and juicy ground turkey. The thick onions are truly immaculate here — especially when you coat them in half of those spices. I’m a sucker for a good caramelized onion to begin with, so any recipe that calls for this much of them is a winner to me. Given that the onions are a thicker cut here, however, you have to cook them separately from your turkey. This way, you can get a super golden finish on those thick onions while not sacrificing juicy turkey — nobody wants dried out ground meat. Nobody.
Speaking of which, let’s talk about that turkey. Ground turkey is one of my favorite lean proteins to use. A little more flavorful than chicken, yet not quite as fatty as beef or pork: there’s really no down side to this one. Still, if you want to branch out your meat horizons, feel free. Beef or lamb would both be traditional Middle Eastern choices that would be delicious. Either way, by adding in all those spices and just a bit of broth, you get the most saucy juicy meat of all time. I mean, it’s just amazing on top of hummus!!
how to serve them up…
The last step of these Spiced Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Plates is to plate everything up! I like to start with a big ole dollop of hummus on my plate. Perfect pita is my favorite, if you can find it, but go with what you love! Pro tip? Google if you have a local Greek specialty store near you. They always have the very best spreads and dips to choose from (baba ganoush is another favorite that would be delicious here!). On top of your layer of hummus, go in with so much of that juicy meat and those onions. The warm flavors of the spices over the hummus is truly such a magical bite — especially if you dig in with a warm piece of pita or homemade naan. Oh, and don’t forget a bit of that fresh feta salad on there! The herbs, crunch, and saltiness really pulls everything together. Overall, these plates really can’t be beat. They’re the best!
I hope you love these Spiced Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Plates as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:))
Spiced Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Plates
Course: Main CourseCuisine: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Greek, American, FusionDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes15
minutes35
minutesLayers of creamy hummus, an herbed feta and almond salad, perfectly spiced caramelized onions, all the juicy ground turkey, and warm pita: these Spiced Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Plates are truly packed with all of my favorite things.
Ingredients
- feta salad:
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp white wine vinegar (or an additional 3 tbsp red wine vinegar)
2 tsp dried oregano
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce (or thinly sliced romaine)
¼ cup fresh mint, torn or roughly chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, torn or roughly chopped
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
⅓ cup shaved almonds, toasted (or walnuts, pistachios, or pine nuts)
- spice blend:
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried dill weed
Salt and pepper, to taste
- plates:
2 + 1 tbsp olive oil
2 large sweet onions, sliced into thick wedges
1 lb ground turkey
¼ cup broth (or water)
1 lemon, juiced
1-2 cups hummus, store bought or homemade
Warm pita bread or naan, to serve
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss all of the feta salad ingredients until combined. Allow the flavors to marinate while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the spices.
- In a large skillet, heat the 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss in the onion wedges. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, or until caramelized and golden. Mix in HALF of the spices. Cook for an additional minute, then finish with the juice of one lemon.
- Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, toss in the ground turkey. Cook (breaking up with a spoon as you go) for 4-5 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Mix in the remaining half of the spices and the broth. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the broth has cooked into the meat.
- Assemble your plates with a bed of hummus. Layer on some of the spiced turkey, caramelized onions, and feta salad. Serve with warm pita or naan. Enjoy!