I decided to make homemade roasted red pepper hummus to see how it would compare to the inexpensive varieties at the grocery store. The result was pleasantly surprising — homemade hummus is richer and more vibrant in flavor. I served it at a small gathering, and my guests immediately noticed the difference. My partner was especially taken aback when I told him I roasted the red peppers and made the hummus from canned chickpeas — he couldn’t stop praising it. Making hummus from scratch is straightforward, and you don’t need a food processor to get excellent results; a standard blender works fine if you blend in batches.
A quick note on cost: store-bought hummus is economical, so making it at home can be slightly more expensive per batch. Still, the flavor and freshness make it worthwhile for entertaining or when you want a tastier snack. In my case I didn’t need to add extra liquid when blending; the hummus reached a creamy texture without thinning.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 Large red bell peppers
- 2 Cans chickpeas
- ⅓ cup Tahini
- 2–3 tablespoons Reserved liquid from the chickpeas (aquafaba)
- 3 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons Salt
- 2 cloves Garlic
Instructions
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Roast the peppers: hold each whole pepper over a gas burner and rotate every couple of minutes until the skin is evenly charred. Let them cool briefly, then slice open, remove seeds and membranes, and peel off the charred skin with a knife. If you don’t have a gas stove, roast the halved peppers on a baking sheet in a 500°F (260°C) oven until the skins are blistered and blackened, then cool and peel.
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Blend the hummus: working in batches is helpful if you’re using a blender. Start by adding half the chickpeas, half the roasted red pepper, the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved chickpea liquid. Blend on medium until smooth, then add the remaining chickpeas and roasted pepper and blend again until creamy. If the texture is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of chickpea liquid as needed. Avoid overloading the blender so it can process evenly.
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Chill and serve: transfer the hummus to a bowl, chill for a short while if you like, then drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika or chopped parsley. Serve with pita, vegetables, or crackers.