This roasted red pepper hummus recipe is easy to make and way better than store-bought options. Prepared with just a few simple ingredients, it’s thick, smooth and packed with flavor.
Enjoy this dip any way you’d use regular hummus. It’s vegan and free from most major allergens which makes it great for families or serving to large groups!
Skill: Easy | Time: 15 min | Servings: 8
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Ingredients and Substitutions for Roasted Pepper Hummus
This recipe uses a few simple ingredients to create amazing, crowd-pleasing hummus. They include:
- Chickpeas: The base of any good hummus recipe is chickpeas! For convenience, I use a can of chickpeas, but any type of canned white bean can work. If using a food processor or lower powdered blender, I recommend using white beans as they blend more easily compared to chickpeas.
- Roasted red peppers: As the main flavor in this hummus recipe, you’ll need some roasted red peppers. I use a store-bought option that comes in a glass jar but use any type of roasted red pepper you like.
- Garlic: I love garlic and use 2 large cloves for this recipe. Keep in mind the garlic stays raw and therefore has a pungent, sharp flavor. If you aren’t a fan of raw garlic, use a single clove, roasted garlic or substitute for 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. 2 cloves create a very strong garlic flavor in red pepper hummus; anymore and you’d make a garlic hummus instead!
- Olive oil: To create a rich, creamy hummus, you’ll need some olive oil. Fat helps create a smooth, thick dip with the perfect “mouth feel” that you’d get from store-bought hummus options. Technically, any type of oil can work for this recipe, so use what you like - but avoid strongly flavored oils.
- Tahini: This classic ingredient adds a nutty, rich flavor to hummus. Tahini can taste slightly bitter on its own, but that isn’t noticeable when mixed with other flavors. Use a different nut or seed butter if you don’t like tahini (the hummus flavor will change).
- Lemon juice: For a bright, fresh hummus flavor, fresh lemon juice is the perfect choice.
- Salt: Enhance all the other flavors by adding salt to your taste.
- Smoked paprika: I love the combination of roasted red pepper and smoked paprika. This adds a great depth of flavor and extra red color to the dip. Any type of paprika could work if you don’t like smoky flavors.
- Ground cumin seed: For even more smoky flavor, which I love, ground cumin seed is a nice addition to this hummus recipe.
- Water: Depending on your blender or food processor, you may need extra liquid to get the hummus mixing well. With my Vitamix, I needed 2 tablespoons of water. Other liquids can work as well, such as extra lemon juice or the canning liquid from the red peppers.
How to Make This Recipe: Instructions and Tips
This is an incredibly easy recipe to make using a food processor or high-powered blender.
Step 1: Blend Ingredients
Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas (or cook some) then add to your blender or food processor. Then add roasted red peppers, garlic, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice and spices.
If using a food processor, mince your garlic beforehand. This helps prevent any large, unblended pieces of garlic in the final hummus.
Blend on high speed until the hummus is creamy with no visible flecks or chunks in it. This can take a few minutes.
If using a blender, use the tamper to help blend. If using a food processor, stop and scrape down the edges as you go.
It’s very likely that you’ll need extra liquid to blend this smooth - I needed 2 tablespoons in a Vitamix blender. You can use water, lemon juice, olive oil or the liquid from the jar of roasted red peppers if extra liquid is needed.
Step 2: Garnish and Serve
Once the hummus is smooth and creamy, it’s ready to serve. However, it’s best if refrigerated for an hour or 2.
It’s also tasty to garnish the hummus. You can top it with:
- Smoked paprika (sprinkled)
- Parsley or cilantro (chopped)
- Roasted red peppers (chopped)
- Olive oil (extra drizzle)
How to Serve Roasted Red Hummus: Create a Balanced Meal
I consider a balanced meal one that contains a good source of plant-based protein, carbohydrates, fats and lots of vegetables or fruits.
This recipe packs in plant-based protein with fiber and healthy carbohydrates from the chickpeas. There’s also plenty of satiating, healthy fats in the olive oil and tahini!
The only missing component is some vegetables which is why I love serving this as a veggie dip.
I also love creating a lunch platter with fresh vegetables, some pickled vegetables, crackers or pita bread, hummus and smoked tofu. This is a tasty meal that’s fun to eat!
Hummus is also great as a creamy spread on sandwiches, wraps or burgers. It can be a super flavorful alternative to mayonnaise.
Try Some Hummus Variations
There are endless ways to make tasty hummus at home. Leaving out the roasted red peppers, smoked paprika and cumin creates a classic hummus which you can flavor however you like!
You can also get creative with the type of beans you use too. While hummus is made with chickpeas, there are plenty of other tasty bean dips you can try.
White beans are a great choice as the tend to blend more easily compared to chickpeas and are a good alternative if you don’t have a high-speed blender.
There’s also room to play with what nut/seed butter you use. Tahini is classic but other nut and seed butters can create a tasty and unique hummus. Sunflower seed butter, almond butter or peanut butter are other options.
Some other fun hummus flavors to try are:
- Roasted garlic
- Pumpkin (add pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice)
- Beetroot
- Spinach artichoke
- Avocado lime (with cilantro!)
- Black bean hummus or dip
- Olive
- Sundried tomato and basil
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate leftover hummus in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Always serve hummus chilled and keep it cold if packing for work or school.
Hummus does not freeze well and will lose its creamy consistency if frozen for any length of time.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you make it, please rate and comment below so others benefit from your experience.
More Deliciously Vegan Snack Recipes
Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Equipment
- Blender (or food processor)
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas (19 oz/ 540 mL can drained and rinsed, 360 g)
- 2 whole roasted red peppers (125 g) *
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil (60 L/ 52 g)
- ¼ cup tahini (60 mL/ 68 g)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (30 mL)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika **
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin seed
Instructions
Step 1: Blend Ingredients
- Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas (or cook some). Add to a blender or food processor.2 cups chickpeas
- Add all other ingredients to your blender or food processor. It may help to crush or mince the garlic before adding it.2 whole roasted red peppers, 1-2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon ground cumin seed
- Blend on high speed until smooth. You may need to add extra liquid to get it blending – add 1 tablespoon at a time until the hummus is smooth.
- If blending, use the tamper. If using a food processor, scrape the edges down as you go to ensure everything is well mixed together.
Step 2: Garnish and Serve
- Garnish with extra chopped roasted red peppers, extra paprika and/or parsley or cilantro.
- Serve cold with crackers, pita bread, pita chips, veggies or whatever you like.
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