Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

A simple yet delicious plant-based hummus made of garbanzo beans and roasted red peppers – great with fresh vegetables, pita chips, toast, crackers, sandwiches, wraps, and more.

When I first started Pebbles and Toast almost a year ago, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it or be successful. To date, I haven’t gained much traction, but I’m learning quite a bit from the process. The one thing I have enjoyed is when a family member or friend asks for a recipe or recommends that I post a particular recipe. For this reason, I’m dedicating this post to my older sister and my daughter.

Several months ago, my sister asked me to post a recipe for hummus. She told me that she had never made it and wasn’t sure how hard or easy it was. With my full-time job and the many projects I am working on, it sort of got lost in the shuffle of things to do and recipes to post. Until now, obviously. And since this is my daughter’s absolute favorite flavor of hummus, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also dedicate this hummus post to my sweet ladybug. So here’s to you my dear sister and sweet daughter!!

I was first introduced to hummus while traveling on a work assignment in the United Arab Emeritus (UAE). I remember being very disappointed to learn that we would be confined to a small secure area near the pier. But to my absolute delight, my co-workers and I were presented with a large buffet-style set-up full of delicacies I had never seen or tasted before. Not only did I not recognize many of the dishes, I had no idea what to do with them.

There was hummus, baba ganoush, pita breads, crackers, olives, dates, nuts, vegetables, marinated vegetable salads, tabouleh, sweet treats like baklava and Turkish delight, and more. Needless to say, it was quite the spread. And I remember watching intently as my peers sampled the foods. And then I caught site of one person who appeared to be a bit more confident – as if they knew exactly what they were eating. I was fascinated as a piece of pita bread was torn off and dipped into the hummus.

At the time, I didn’t know it was hummus, and I thought pita bread was only used for making half-moon sandwiches filled with tuna salad and the like. I remember being skeptical, but once I tried the dip, it was literally love at first bite.

Since then, I have enjoyed many of these delicious middle eastern foods; but hummus is probably the most frequently consumed. It’s just so versatile – as a great dip, spread, and filler. I eat it a lot as a snack with baby carrots, cucumber, zucchini, or celery; but I also like using it as a flavorful spread in sandwiches, in buddha bowls and salads, and in salad dressings. If you haven’t tried this, you’re missing out. It’s a natural thickener and adds such incredible flavor.

And this is precisely why I had to learn how to make it when my job moved my daughter and I to a remote island north of Sardinia, Italy, many years ago – my sweet little girl begged me for her favorite snack – small pita bread and hummus. By then, I found Wegman’s had the best soft pita bread and an incredible selection of hummus. And she was hooked just like me.

So what’s a mom to do? Since I couldn’t find or purchase it anywhere on our little island, I learned how to make both the pita bread and the hummus. This is when I began learning the versatility of a food processor. We also had a lot of fun watching the pita breads poof up like balloons in the oven! Those were the good old days…. I truly miss my daughter’s and my little kitchen adventures. There’s nothing like a five year old in the kitchen….

So, what is hummus? Hummus literally means chickpeas. And just like its literal translation, traditional hummus recipes can be very simple. And as a standard rule of thumb, less is more. For instance, when I look at a list of ingredients, I prefer to see a rather short list – unless it’s comprised of a lot of spices and flavors. In my mind, all of the listed spice ingredients are essentially lumped together as “spices” – one ingredient with loads of flavor. But I digress.

Since hummus means chickpeas, it’s only right that the primary ingredient be chickpeas (at least this time). Though theoretically you can use any kind of pale bean, including navy beans, great northern beans, or cannellini beans.  As a traditionalist posting my first hummus recipe, I prefer using dry chickpeas – also known as garbanzo beans – because they store well, are inexpensive, and do not contain any salt.

But that’s not all. Like most legumes, chickpeas are also extremely nutritious. Just one ounce provides 46 calories, 3 grams of plant protein, and 2 grams of fiber. They also contain quite a bit of folate, iron, phosphorous, manganese, and copper. This makes chickpeas great for maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar, aiding in digestion, and warding off heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. (Healthline)

I like soaking the chickpeas in water overnight to increase their digestibility and improve nutrient absorption. A little baking soda is added to make a super creamy hummus. It helps soften the chickpeas as they absorb water. Then, I cook them in a pressure cooker because it takes a lot less time and they come out perfectly cooked every time.  If you don’t have a pressure cooker, simply rinse, soak, and cook the beans according to the package directions.

In addition to chickpeas, staple ingredients in traditional hummus typically include oil, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Tahini is ground sesame paste and adds a depth and flavor to hummus. In fact, I think the tahini lends plenty of creaminess to the texture and consistency. If you can’t get or don’t like it, you can substitute sunflower butter or cashew butter, though the flavor will be slightly different. You can also roast and grind your own sesame seeds to make tahini.

Depending on how smooth you prefer your hummus depends on whether or not you use a food processor or high-speed blender. If you use a food processor, the hummus may be slightly looser than if you use a high-speed blender. I also prefer not to add any oil. I honestly don’t think hummus needs any oil at all. But because I don’t add oil, I do add two large roasted red bell peppers to my hummus, which equates to about one cup. This adds incredible color, substance, flavor, and depth.

There is such a large variety of hummus available in grocery stores and markets today. And I admittedly enjoy my fair share of hummus on a fairly regular basis. Since it’s relatively simple to make, the variations lie more in how it’s served or what is mixed in. For instance, in this Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, I simply blend in some roasted red peppers and spices that complement the roasted red peppers well.

You can roast your own peppers, though I typically use jarred roasted red peppers. Mostly because I normally have a large jar of them on hand. Roasted bell peppers are delicious in salads, buddha bowls, sushi bowls, dressings like Romesco Sauce, and sandwiches.  If you want to make your own, rinse and halve two red peppers. Then roast the peppers in a preheated oven or on a grill for 10-15 minutes, or until blistered and charred. You can either remove the charred skin or blend it right in.

So now that you have this delicious Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, what are you going to do with it?

As I mentioned, I love using it as a dip for vegetables, pita bread, and crackers. But I also enjoy using it as a spread in sandwiches and wraps. You can add it to a variety of salads and dressings instead of mayonnaise as well. It’s not only much healthier, but it really amps up the flavor. It makes a great spread in my Mediterranean Salad Pizza, too!

You can also garnish the hummus with a variety of toppings, which can add flavor, color, and presentation. I like chopping up roasted red peppers and spooning a little on top. The color is striking. But just as good, or perhaps even better, is serving it with Roasted Harissa Chickpeas. Double the flavor and double the fun!

This Roasted Red Pepper Hummus keeps very well for about a week when stored covered in the refrigerator. So you can definitely make it the day before you want to serve it. It’s normally best when served at room temperature, which makes it fantastic on a crudite platter for parties, holiday meals, or as an appetizer.

I hope you enjoy this Roasted Red Pepper Hummus as much as I do.  

I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Ingredients

• ¾ cup dry garbanzo beans* (1½ cups cooked or 1 can)
• 1 tsp baking soda*
• Water to cover beans (twice)
• 3 Tbsp tahini** 
• 1 lemon, juiced (3-4 Tbsp) 
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
• 1 cup roasted red peppers (2 peppers)***
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• dash of ground cayenne pepper
• salt to taste (optional)
• 1-3 Tbsp Umami Vegetable Broth or water or oil, as needed****
• ¼ cup roasted red pepper, chopped (optional garnish)

Instant Pot Bean Instructions

1. Rinse the dry beans well in water.  
2. Transfer the beans to a bowl and pour in at least four cups of water and 1 tsp baking soda, and soak for 8 hours or overnight.
3. Rinse the soaked beans well.
4. Transfer the soaked beans to the Instant Pot, cover with water, and secure the lid.
5. Set for 9 minutes using the high pressure setting, allowing the pressure to release naturally.
6. Once cool, drain and rinse the chickpeas well.  Remove and discard any loose skins.

Hummus Instructions

1. In a food processor or high-speed blender, blend the tahini, lemon juice, and garlic together until whipped and smooth, about 1 minute.  You may need to scrape the sides. 
2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Add in a little broth, water or oil, as needed, to achieve desired consistency. It should be somewhat thick and mostly smooth.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired.
4. Garnish with chopped roasted red pepper, if desired.
5. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

* I like using garbanzo beans in this hummus, though you can use any kind of pale bean, including navy beans, great northern beans, or cannellini beans.  I use dry beans because they store well, are inexpensive, and do not contain salt.  I like soaking them in water overnight to increase their digestibility and improve nutrient retention.  I also like cooking them in a pressure cooker since they take less time and come out perfectly cooked every time. The baking soda softens the garbanzo beans to make a creamier hummus – I only add baking soda when making hummus.  If you don’t have a pressure cooker, rinse, soak, and cook according to the package directions.

** Tahini is roasted sesame seed paste.  If you don’t like tahini or can’t eat sesame seeds, you can use another neutral seed or nut butter, such as sunflower butter or cashew butter. You can also omit it altogether, though this will affect the flavor and consistency.

*** I typically use jarred roasted red peppers.  If you want to make your own, rinse and halve two red peppers. Roast the peppers in a preheated oven or on a grill for 10-15 minutes, or until blistered and charred.

**** I like using Umami Vegetable Broth.  But you can use water or oil, if you prefer.  This just smooths and thins out the hummus to the desired consistency.