Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
This tried and true recipe for homemade Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is just the thing for your next snack attack because it’s utterly delicious! The smoky sweet red pepper and creamy garlicky and lemony hummus tahini are a match made in heaven!
We love our hummus recipes around here at Healthy Seasonal Recipes! As part of our mission to share easy family-friendly meals and recipes to help fuel your busy family we have shared a whole host of hummus recipes over the years! From Roasted Garlic Hummus and Edamame Hummus to our very popular Black Bean Hummus and even figured out how to make cauliflower hummus. Let’s say, we have gotten pretty creative!
Today we’re serving up our favorite kind of hummus to buy at the store. I love Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, and this homemade version is just as delicious and much less expensive! We eat it with everything from pita chips to baby carrots and other raw vegetables and for lunch we add it to Hummus Wraps with Veggies.
Table of contents
Ingredients for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Roasted Red Bell Pepper: For the sweetest smokiest flavor roasting the bell pepper from scratch makes a big difference in the overall flavor. If you are short on time you can also make this recipe with 2 small whole jarred roasted red peppers. Make sure to rinse them well and drain before adding to the food processor.
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas are the base of this Mediterranean dish. Drain and rinse your chickpeas and then add them to the food processor at the appropriate step in the recipe. They’ll be very coarse and somewhat chunky, but don’t fear, just scrape down the sides of the food processor the best you can to create an evenly blended mixture, and then the olive oil will transform the chickpeas into a smoother texture.
- Tahini: Sesame tahini paste is also going to contribute to the smooth creamy texture which if you haven’t had it before it has a similar texture to peanut butter but is made from sesame seeds.
- Garlic: I take advantage of my food processor and skip chopping the garlic by hand. Instead, I set up the food processor with the steel blade attachment, and I turn the motor on. Then I just drop the peeled garlic clove through the spout of the lid right into the processor bowl. The blade will chop it in mid-air! It happens within a few seconds, and the garlic doesn’t get mashed up and bruised. I love this technique and even use it to make the chopped veggies for my Bolognese recipe too!
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: Not only does lemon enhance the flavor of your hummus, but the liquid also helps create a creamy consistency.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Speaking of consistency, the olive oil is what will turn your hummus from a coarse paste to a smooth and rich dip.
- Salt
How To Make Red Pepper Hummus
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
Set the oven rack in the upper third of the oven for broiling. Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Step 2: Roast Red Pepper
Set the bell pepper on the foil-lined baking sheet and set it under the broiler. Broil, turning every 2 to 5 minutes until the skin of the pepper is mostly black, 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove the charred pepper from the oven and transfer the pepper to a bowl. Cover the bowl with foil to let it steam for 5 to 8 minutes.
Under cool running water, peel the blackened skin off the pepper with your fingertips. You can also use a clean dish cloth or paper towel to rub the skin off. Remove the stem and seeds, and then blot the roasted red pepper dry with a paper towel.
Step 3: Process the Ingredients
- Fit the food processor with the steel blade attachment. Turn on the motor and drop your garlic through the feed tube. Allow the garlic to mince and then turn off the motor and remove the lid. Add the pepper, cover, and puree until it’s finely chopped.
- Remove the cover again and add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and salt, and then process, scraping down once or twice, until it becomes a coarse paste
- With the motor running, drizzle in the oil and continue processing until it is smooth. Chill, cover, and keep refrigerated for 5 to 7 days. Garnish if desired before serving.
How To Garnish Red Pepper Hummus
if you’re making this hummus to serve at a party, like for the Superbowl, or to bring to a potluck, it’s fun and pretty to garnish it up! I pile the hummus into a bowl and don’t fuss with it too much or smooth it out. I just use my spatula or a spoon to create a channel for the oil. Then I add on the garnishes.
- 1/2 additional Roasted red pepper, chopped or sliced
- Olive oil
- Sumac is a traditional topping for hummus. It has a sour tangy taste. Find it in large supermarket with Middle Eastern ingredients or order online.
- Smoked paprika or Ground chipotle Chili. I love the way the smoky flavor goes with the smoky pepper. Smoked paprika would also work
- Sesame seeds
- Chopped Parsley
Serving Suggestions For This Red Pepper Hummus Recipe
- Pita Bread, Flatbread or Pita Chips: This almost goes without saying. Classic accompaniments for hummus like pita, chips are great. My kids love pretzels with hummus too!
- Fresh Veggies: Hummus is great for dunking veggies into! My kids love cucumbers, so I usually serve them in addition to carrots and cherry tomatoes (or whatever veggies we have on hand!) Even strips of jicama or kohlrabi would be good!
- Hummus Bowls: Use a nice big serving of hummus (1/4 cup) in a plant-based quinoa bowl with fresh greens, and other Mediterranean-inspired flavors like olives, cucumbers and feta cheese. Add toasted pine nuts on top!
- Mezza Platter: I love making a dinner of it with hummus, warm pita bread, and some sort of grilled meat like grilled lamb steak or lamb kofta (try our turkey kofta if you don’t eat lamb) or with our Greek Chicken. Then add in a simple low calorie cucumber salad or Tomato Salad. I also love a second sauce like Tzatziki to finish it off!
- Add to Wrap or Sandwich: My popular hummus and veggie sandwich recipe on EatingWell would be the perfect way to use this hummus!
How To Store Hummus with Red Pepper
This hummus stays fresh in a pint-sized glass snap-lock container for up to six days in the refrigerator. Just make sure that nobody dips anything other than a clean spoon or spatula into the hummus, and it should stay fresh for 5 to 7 days. Tell the kiddos, no dunking veggies or chips right into the storage container!! Remember, this hummus doesn’t have preservatives in it!
FAQs
Yes, you can freeze hummus. Just thaw it completely and then stir it very well before serving. If your Roasted Red Pepper Hummus wasn’t very smooth to begin with, and the freezing and thawing process makes it at all grainy, you can save it by putting it back into the food processor and adding 1 tablespoon warm water and 1 tablespoon olive oil and processing it again. It should smooth out nicely.
Yes, hummus is a healthy food. It is made from whole foods (chickpeas, lemon, garlic, sesame, and olive oil), it’s naturally healthier for snacks and lunches. It is high in fiber, which is important for digestive health, and healthy fats from sesame (the tahini) and olive oil. Chickpeas, and legumes in general, have what’s known as resistant starches in them, which helps feed the healthy bacteria in your gut too- so they will help make a happy belly!
Yes! You can use 3/4 cup drained jarred roasted peppers or pimentos instead of roasting your own. The freshly roasted pepper will have a smokier taste. We have also found jarred peppers are a little more tart due to the processing, so you may want to add slightly less lemon juice to the hummus.
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
Homemade Roasted Red Pepper Hummus with lemon and tahini is a delicious and healthy snack or appetizer for a party.
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 15–ounce can chickpeas, drained
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Optional Garnishes: 1/2 additional Roasted red pepper, chopped or sliced, olive oil, smoked paprika or chipotle powder, sesame seeds or parsley
Instructions
- Set oven rack in upper third of the oven for broiling. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Set bell pepper on the baking sheet and set under the broiler. Broil, turning every 2 to 5 minutes until the skin of the pepper is mostly black, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer pepper to a bowl and cover with the foil and let steam for 5 to 8 minutes. Under cool running water, peel the blackened skin off the pepper with fingertips. Remove stem and seeds. Blot dry with paper towel.
- Fit food processor with steel blade attachment. Turn on motor and drop garlic through the feed tube. Allow the garlic to mince. Turn off motor and remove lid. Add the pepper, cover and puree until finely chopped. Remove the cover, add chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and salt and process, scraping down once or twice, until it becomes a coarse paste. With motor running, drizzle in oil and continue processing until it is smooth. Chill, cover and keep refrigerated 5 to 7 days. Garnish if desired before serving.
Notes
Keep this hummus refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it. I keep this hummus recipe for 5 to 7 days in a pint sized snap lock container.
If you prefer a creamier hummus, you can add up to 2 more tablespoons olive oil.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Appetizers and Snack
- Method: Broiling and Food Processor
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
More Recipes To Try
- My Tahini Dressing is creamy dreamy, and lemony! Try it on salad greens, buddha bowls, falafel, or just for dunking veggies!
- If you love Tabbouleh, you will love my classic Tabbouleh which is a classic parsley-heavy version.
- If you eat meat, my Grilled Lamb Kofta Kebabs are awesome! And for turkey fans, this Turkey Kofta version is great too.
- For a lighter meal, try this Springtime version of Fattoush Salad. It’s not traditional, but it’s so fresh and lovely.
- For a weeknight meal, these Za’atar Chicken Burgers with Cucumber Mint Tzatziki are a family favorite.
- These Za’atar Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with yogurt tahini sauce always win rave reviews.
- You can’t go wrong with Moroccan Carrots. Or in the wintertime, when you want a kick, my Hot Moroccan Carrots are a fave!!
I love, love making hummus and you motivated me to try your recipe with red peppers. It was SO darn good. I loved the subtle touch of sweetness!
I am happy you tried it Liz!
I have been wanting to make my own hummus. The garlic and lemon in this add the BEST flavor!
That’s great! Thanks for letting me know you tried it!