Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe

Hey everyone! If you're looking for a delicious and healthy snack, look no further than this homemade roasted red pepper hummus recipe. It's perfect for satisfying your cravings, and it's effortless to make.

Plus, it's loaded with antioxidants and other nutrients that are good for you. So why don't you try a different version from you the classic hummus? I'm sure you'll love it!

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Hummus is one of the most widely known Mediterranean recipes in the world. No wonder why? It meets a series of checkpoints we all love.

• It is a creamy, tasty, and irresistible snack
• Easily adjustable
• Healthy and protein-packed
• Easy to make, little hands in time
• Cheap
• Works either as an appetizer, snack, or as a protein addition to make a salad a complete meal
• The whole family loves it
• You can always make a no-cooking option

This roasted red pepper hummus recipe is inspired by our original hummus recipe on this site, which has also inspired other recipes, such as our roasted pumpkin hummus and beet white bean hummus. If you love hummus as much as we do, make sure you check our hummus recipes, as well as our crispy falafel and Tabbouleh salad great recipe, for a fantastic Middle Eastern platter.

Making your own hummus is not only easy, but its great flavor outperforms store-bought without a doubt. The best hummus is definitely homemade!

Ingredients

You need just a few ingredients to pull this creamy, tasty, and absolutely delicious recipe together.

• Garbanzo beans (cooked chickpeas)
• Roasted bell peppers (or jarred peppers)
• Roasted garlic
• Tahini
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Ground cumin
• Paprika

Salt to taste.

See quantities and full instructions in the recipe card.

Instructions for red pepper hummus

Step 1. Optionally roast the red peppers and garlic in the oven (see instructions below); otherwise, use jarred sweet roasted red peppers.

Step 2. To a food processor, add roasted peppers, extra virgin olive oil, cooked chickpeas, garlic (one if using raw garlic, two if using roasted garlic), tahini, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cumin, and salt.

Step 3. Adjust seasoning. You can add some of the starchy liquid from the canned chickpeas or water from boiling dried chickpeas- in small amounts until you reach the desired consistency. You might have to scrape down the sides of the food processor.

Step 4. Serve in a small bowl and garnish with more extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, and, chopped parsley. You can also add some toasted pine nuts, and sesame seeds and serve with toasted pita bread or pita chips.

Seasoning tips

Acidity. Add half of the lemon juice first, and then continue as you taste. Some lemons are more acid and sweet than others, so I always like to taste acidity. You can always add but not subtract, don't ruin your hummus!

Creaminess. If you want to make the roasted red pepper hummus more creamy, you can add some liquids to the recipe. Starting with some chickpeas' liquid (aqua fava) first, you can then use olive oil or use more tahini (carefully, as good quality tahini has a strong flavor).

Flavor. Roasted garlic is always better to control garlic's intense flavor. But you need two times more to achieve the same garlicky effect as raw garlic. Roasted garlic's flavor is more delicate.

If you are using raw garlic, take off the garlic's inner green germ, responsible for the most intense flavor. It also makes it easier to digest.

Spices. I provide you with the minimum quantities to achieve the best hummus flavor, but you are free to add more cumin and paprika. Watch out! Cumin is super strong. Go easy and taste.

Feel free to add more salt. Sometimes you just need an extra pinch to rise up all the flavors!

Garnishing tips

Make pockets in your hummus with the back of a spoon, and then drizzle some olive oil. This will add more depth to the hummus looks!

Spices

Add some on top like paprika, red pepper flakes, or ground black pepper.

Seeds

Use pine nuts or black and white sesame seeds.

Solids

If you roasted your garlic, you could add one or two on top as well! I also like to leave some cooked chickpeas and place them on top.

You can use some sliced raw or roasted red peppers.

Herbs

Add some chopped parsley or coriander leaves.

You don't need to use all these garnishing options; they are just suggestions to make your serving bowl look pretty, but you are OK with two or three garnish elements on top of roasted red pepper hummus.

Making the roasted peppers

Pre-heat the oven at 370 ºF (187 ºC).

Brush the red bell peppers with extra virgin olive oil, and place them in the oven using a lightly oiled oven-safe pan or cast-iron skillet. Turn the red peppers halfway until they are cooked- and the skin is blackened.  It should take around 30 minutes.

Remove the red peppers' skin. Place the roasted peppers in a container with a lid or a plastic bag, so the steam helps the skin separate from the peppers' flesh. Once it has cooled down, remove the skins and the seeds.

Tip: if you are roasting your peppers, place some garlic cloves or a garlic head in the same pan to get the roasted garlic you need for the recipe.

Note that removing the skins is optional, as they will be blended in the food processor anyway. You are good only removing the seeds unless you have problems digesting roasted bell peppers' skin.

You can save a slice or two of the roasted red pepper to place on top for garnishing. In this case, roast three peppers instead of two.

Option: jarred roasted red peppers

You can use jarred red peppers to save some time. Look for good quality fire-roasted sweet peppers.

Tip: if you are using jarred red peppers that are not smoked or fire-roasted, you can add 1-3 drops of liquid smoke to add the extra smokiness we are looking for.

No-cooking option

Attention, home cooks! For a no-cooking and fast roasted red pepper hummus, use smoked jarred red peppers, canned chickpeas, and one raw garlic clove instead of two roasted garlic cloves. Voila!

How to serve

We like serving our homemade hummus in a serving bowl with warm pita bread, pita chips, and fresh vegetables like raw red peppers, celery, cherry tomatoes, and carrot sticks.

If you are going for bread, you can either use an easy bread loaf or go with the more traditional Arab bread. this is how we do it: choose thin whole wheat pita bread, cut it into triangles with a pizza wheel, and drizzle some good extra virgin olive oil and dried oregano on top.

Then we toast it for 3-5 minutes on medium-high heat on either an electric oven or stovetop oven and serve warm.

Always serve your red pepper hummus with some bread and fresher vegetable options.

Hummus makes fantastic sandwich spreads, just as you would use a chickpea-based vegan "tuna" salad sandwich.

Storing

How long does red pepper hummus last?

Freshly made red pepper hummus last two days in the fridge closed in an airtight container.

In my experience, hummus tends to become acid on the third day, developing an unpleasant smell and flavor.

Can you freeze red pepper hummus?

Yes, you can, but I don't recommend it. This is the case for all kinds of hummus. You can freeze them in a freezer-safe container, but the texture when you thaw them won't be the same.

It will be as yummy as delicious freshly made hummus or even fridge-kept hummus for two days.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use fresh or jarred roasted red peppers?

Fresh roasted red peppers have a more smoky flavor, though jars are equally effective in saving time. It comes down to the jars' quality; look for BPA-free organic options.

Can I use dried chickpeas?

Yes, you can. Most of the time, I use whole grain chickpeas for our hummus; as we strive to use as many whole foods as possible and avoid canned foods.

If you are using dried chickpeas, plan for additional 30 minutes. Always save some of the starchy liquid since it works well for adjusting your hummus texture.

Tip: add one teaspoon of baking soda to the boiling water so the chickpeas soften quicker and become creamier. You can also use an instant pot or pressure cooker, to accelerate the boiling process.

What spices to put on top of hummus?

I like to sprinkle some smoked paprika on top of the roasted red pepper hummus to add some color. Freshly ground black pepper adds interesting depth and contrast.

White and black sesame seeds are also a great way to garnish your hummus.

What can I do with an abundance of red peppers?

Additionally to this delicious roasted red pepper hummus, I recommend you try out another wonderful Persian dip recipe called Muhammara, which main ingredients are red bell peppers and walnuts.

We also love making stuffed peppers; not only are they delicious, but they are great for meal prepping.

A simple recipe made with lots of red peppers is the famous and traditional Catalonian dish, Escalivada. It makes a healthy and excellent side dish to pair with any Mediterranean dish.

Can you eat roasted red pepper skin?

Yes, you can, but some people find it hard to digest. It is not my case. I usually remove the skins for aesthetic or texture purposes, but if you don't have any known red peppers sensitivity, I would first give them a try and see how it goes.

In the end, they will be all blent in the food processor.

What can you use instead of tahini in hummus?

If you can't get or don't like tahini, you can use cashew butter, almond butter, and even peanut butter in that suggestion order.

Is roasted red pepper hummus gluten-free?

Yes, it is gluten-free, as this red pepper hummus recipe doesn't use any ingredients containing gluten. If you consume store-bought hummus, make sure you check all the ingredients on the label to ensure it is gluten-free.

Is bell pepper and hummus good for you?

Hummus is made with garbanzo beans which constitutes one of the best plant-based protein sources.

The other prominent ingredients in this roasted red pepper hummus are lemon juice, roasted red pepper, and tahini.

Let's analyze them

Chickpeas

The chickpeas used in hummus recipes are usually simply boiled or canned chickpeas. If you are going for canned, I recommend choosing organic BPA-free chickpeas.

Red peppers

Peppers are rich in many antioxidants and vitamins, especially vitamin C and various carotenoids; a reason why they pack several health benefits, such as the reduced risk of several chronic diseases, and they also aid good eye health.

Lemon

Lemon juice is an excellent source of vitamin C and soluble fiber. In weight loss and reduce the risk of heart disease, kidney stones, digestive issues, and cancer.

Tahini

An ingredient to watch out for is the tahini, one of the essential ingredients. Luckily this roasted red pepper hummus recipe used a tiny amount of tahini, so the intake per serving is minimal.

More hummus recipes

Classic hummus plus options two options with white beans and avocado.

Roasted pumpkin hummus

More snack recipes

If you are not satisfied with hummus, there are many other delicious flavors that are worth enjoying! Check out my list of healthy snack suggestions.

Roasted red peppers Muhammara Dip (roasted walnuts, no-tahini)

Eggplant babaganoush

Traditional Mexican guamacole

Crispy kale snack

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

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Food safety

We sometimes take for granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

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