Beer-Rye Crackers and Pickled Red Onion Hummus Plate

Homemade beer-rye crackers are super simple to make, with just four ingredients. They have an earthy-sweet flavor that goes great with pickled vegetables, like the red onions I enjoy on my favorite hummus.

I created this recipe for Sabra. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen. 

I’m the kind of person who’s ready for dinner at 5 on the dot. It doesn’t matter what time I eat lunch or if I have an afternoon snack – when 5 o’clock rolls around, my stomach starts growling. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really mesh with real life, especially since a lot of nights I don’t even leave work until closer to 6. By the time I get home, I’m full-on hangry.

In the past, I’d use my ravenous hunger as an excuse to have dinner delivered – I’d literally be too hungry to cook – but this year we’ve been trying to cook at home more. I’ve found that having a hearty, easy-to-grab snack as soon as I get home has made a world of difference.

I try to plan something with an exciting flavor profile but that’s super simple to make, like these beer-rye crackers with pickled red onion hummus. That way, we can eat and relax for a few minutes while I get my head on straight and decompress from my day. It’s a nice break in the middle of our otherwise hectic evenings. By the time our “unofficial meal” is over, I’m ready to cook dinner at a more leisurely pace. I’ve actually started to enjoy cooking on weeknights more, since I’m not doing it under so much pressure.

Our snack usually consists of a crispy component and some sort of a thick dip. Jicama sticks with guacamole, tortilla chips with fresh salsa, and pita or crackers with hummus are a few of my favorites.

One of the things I love about Sabra hummus is that there are a ton of different flavors available, so I never get bored. But it’s also really fun to use classic hummus as a blank slate for your own toppings!

This combo of pickled red onions (I always have them in my fridge – see my recipe here), corn, thinly shaved fennel, dill, and lemon oil was inspired by the  one I created on my trip to the Sabra headquarters last summer, and it’s still one of my favorites. It’s delicious with pita chips, but it’s even better with homemade beer-rye crackers! The earthy crackers have a slight sweetness to them from the beer, and they pair really well with the acidic onions and crisp fennel. Plus, they’re super simple to make and keep well in an airtight container or zip-top bag, so you can make a big batch that will last all week long.

Having a hearty snack later in the afternoon is such a simple idea, but it’s amazing what a difference it’s made for me. I definitely recommend giving it a try if you don’t already.

Beer-Rye Crackers

Yield: 16

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serve these crackers with Sabra classic hummus topped with pickled red onions, shaved fennel, roast corn, fresh dill, and a drizzle of lemon oil.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup hoppy beer, preferably ale
• 1 3/4 cups dark rye flour
• 1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until all of the flour is incorporated and a thick, tacky dough forms.
3. Divide the dough into 16 small balls, about the size of a large marble. Flatten each ball between your palms, then press into a thin round disk about 1/8-inch thick. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets. Prick the discs all over with the tines of a fork.
4. Bake 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove form the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
5. Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag.