Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

This creamy roasted red pepper hummus is a tasty and easy recipe you can make in a blender or food processor with jarred or home-roasted bell peppers, chickpeas, and a few other simple ingredients.

It’s a twist on classic Hummus, a beloved Middle Eastern spread and dip known worldwide for its creamy, dreamy texture and pleasantly nutty taste.

What is roasted red pepper hummus?

Hummus is a chickpea-based spread and dip from Eastern Mediterranean, Levantine, and Middle Eastern cuisines.

If you like classic Hummus or our lentil hummus, then you’ll love this creamy and velvety roasted red pepper hummus.

Tender chickpeas blend with naturally sweet and smokey roasted red bell pepper, fragrant cumin, nutty tahini (or olive oil), and tangy lemon juice into a creamy, tasty, and versatile dish.

Roasting the peppers intensifies their natural sweetness and adds a bold and smoky taste that reminds us of Mediterranean cuisine, flavors, and aromas.

Think of Spanish Romesco sauce, Syrian Muhammara, or Italian roasted red pepper pasta with red pepper pesto, where roasted peppers are blended with nuts and herbs into a creamy sauce.

While this recipe is delicious with pasta, veggies, crackers, wraps, or a sandwich with roasted eggplant or zucchini, the most authentic and enjoyable way of eating it is as a dip with other small dishes from the same regions.

For example, try warm pita bread or homemade falafel for dipping.

Drizzle with creamy tahini sauce and top it with quick pickled red onions (go for caramelized onions if you are into sweeter flavors).

Pair it with Middle-Eastern spreads or salads. For example, try it next to a creamy eggplant dip, such as baba ganoush or mutabal, or a cool cucumber dip like tzatziki.

Red pepper hummus is a rich and creamy recipe, so you can add some freshness by serving it with a simple Shirazi salad (cucumbers and tomatoes), tabbouleh, or fattoush with pita chips.

Or add a dollop on top of stuffed tomatoes and stuffed bell peppers.

The options are endless, but whatever you do, red pepper hummus will give you a satisfying experience with a fusion of wonderful Mediterranean-inspired flavors.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

You can use canned chickpeas or dried chickpeas that you cook at home.

Canned chickpeas are excellent if you are short on time and want to make a last-minute red pepper hummus.

Dried chickpeas are cheaper, more flavorful, and possibly healthier than canned.

If you use canned chickpeas, drain them and rinse them well. We don’t recommend using aquafaba or the liquid in a can of chickpeas as this can, in some people, cause gassiness.

For dried chickpeas, soak them in plenty of water with a teaspoon of baking soda for 8 to 24 hours.

Then drain and rinse the chickpeas and simmer them in fresh water until tender. You need 3 cups of water for 1 cup of dried chickpeas.

A teaspoon of baking soda is often added to the cooking water to soften the chickpeas. Salt is generally added towards the end.

Soaked dried chickpeas cook in 60 to 90 minutes on the stovetop or in 10 minutes in an instant pot. You can learn more in our How to cook chickpeas guide.

Red Bell Peppers

You can use jarred roasted bell peppers or fresh bell peppers you roast at home.

Jarred bell peppers allow you to make a quick roasted pepper hummus in no time.

But again, home-roasted bell peppers are tastier and healthier as you control the ingredients they are cooked with (better oil, less salt, no preservatives, etc.).

You can roast bell peppers in the oven, gas burner, or air fryer. Here’s our complete guide on how to roast bell peppers.

Tahini

Tahini is an important ingredient in roasted red pepper hummus and a cornerstone in Eastern Mediterranean cuisine.

It adds a rich, complex, nutty flavor and a dense, creamy texture with a velvety mouthfeel.

We recommend using a tahini made with 100% hulled sesame seeds, with a runny consistency and light color.

Why? Because thick and dark tahini made with un-hulled sesame seeds is bitter and will ruin your Hummus.

If you don’t have or can’t find tahini, you can substitute extra virgin olive oil. Consider 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 2 tablespoons of tahini.

Lemon juice

Fresh lemon juice adds a pleasantly tangy flavor that cuts through the creaminess of the chickpeas and tahini.

Garlic

We recommend using fresh garlic.

What’s important to keep in mind is that the garlic flavor gets more intense as the Hummus sits in the fridge.

So, if you plan to make this red pepper hummus and eat it immediately, you can add more garlic.

But if you plan to make this recipe ahead and store it for later, start with less garlic. Ultimately, add more or less garlic based on your preference.

Cumin

Ground cumin adds a warm and earthy flavor with slightly peppery notes.

Salt

We recommend sea salt or kosher salt. Add more or less to taste. If you use canned chickpeas, you might need less salt.

Add some harissa, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to make it spicy.

Garnish

• Fresh flat-leaf parsley: is commonly used for garnishing the Hummus. It adds a fresh, herby flavor that balances out the warmth of the Hummus. Substitute fresh mint or coriander, although not traditional.
• Extra virgin olive oil: add a drizzle on top. Substitute tahini sauce.
• Paprika: a sprinkle on top. Substitute smoked paprika or sumac.
• Whole chickpeas: you can add some whole chickpeas tossed in olive oil in the center of the Hummus.

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Roast the red bell peppers

Skip this if you are using jarred roasted bell peppers.

Preheat the oven to 430°F or 220°C.

Wash, dry, and cut the peppers into chunks and add them to a baking sheet. Remove stems and seeds.

Season with salt and olive oil, and roast for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender and slightly charred.

Transfer the roasted red bell peppers to an airtight container for 15 minutes—a bowl with a plate on top works, too.

Then, remove and discard their peel.

Note: the steam will loosen up the skin of the peppers, making them easier to peel. Also, avoid rinsing the peppers with water, as this will remove most of their smokey flavor.

Blend the ingredients

To a blender or food processor, add the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, salt, lemon juice, cumin, and roasted red bell peppers.

Blend until you reach your desired texture. Add some water if your Hummus is too thick until you reach your desired consistency.

Tip: red bell peppers contain quite a bit of water, so adding more might not be necessary.

Taste and adjust for salt, then serve it on a plate or in a bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of paprika, and some chopped parsley.

Optionally, add chickpeas tossed with olive oil, lemon, and salt in the center.

Roasted red pepper hummus as an appetizer or main dish

Hummus is traditionally served as a dip with warm pita bread as part of an appetizer platter with other small dishes (mezze or meze).

Depending on how many dishes you add, this can quickly become a fun dinner with different spreads, dips, and salads.

We recommend serving roasted red pepper hummus with:

SALADS

• Shirazi salad (cucumber, tomato, mint, lemon juice, etc.)
• Tabouli (bulgur, parsley, tomato, lemon juice, etc.)
• Lentil tabbouleh (lentil, parsley, tomato, lemon juice, etc.)
• Fatteh (lettuce, pita chips, yogurt, chickpeas, etc.)

DIPS & SPREADS

• Classic Hummus (chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic, cumin, etc.)
• Baba ganoush (eggplant, tahini, olive oil, garlic, etc.)
• Mutabal (yogurt, eggplant, tahini, olive oil, garlic, etc.)
• Zaalouk (eggplant, tomato, cumin, etc.)
• Muhammara (roasted peppers, walnuts, tomato, etc.)
• Tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, etc.)

OTHER

• Olives and feta cheese
• Zucchini fritters
• Pickled red onions, cucumber, or beets
• Roasted eggplant
• Roasted zucchini
• Falafel (chickpeas, cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, etc.)

Basics

Quick Pickled Red Onions

Mains

Falafel

Sides

Roasted Eggplant

Starters

Zucchini Fritters

Other ways of serving red pepper Hummus

There are endless ways to serve Hummus as a meal, some traditional, some not. For example:

• Use it as a sauce for pasta.
• Spread it in a sandwich or wrap. You can add avocado, grilled veggies, and more. It’s a tasty and nourishing breakfast or quick lunch.
• Use it as a topping on salad.
• Spread it on bruschetta or crostini.

Roasted red pepper hummus without tahini

You can make a delicious roasted red pepper hummus without tahini by substituting a good quality extra virgin olive oil.

We recommend substituting 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 2 tablespoons of tahini.

The other ingredients stay the same.

Red pepper hummus with roasted garlic

Roasted garlic adds a mellow, sweet, and earthy flavor to Hummus.

To roast the garlic, cut off about 1/3 inch from a whole head of garlic to expose the flesh of the cloves.

Season the cut side with olive oil and salt, then wrap in foil and bake on the same baking tray with the red peppers.

The garlic takes 30 to 40 minutes to soften, about the same time as the red peppers.

Once cooked, let it cool down until you can handle it, then squeeze the tender garlic out of its skin and add the flesh to the blender with the other ingredients.

Spicy red pepper hummus with harissa

Harissa is a beautiful North African paste with a spicy and complex flavor profile. It’s made with hot chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, spices, and roasted red peppers.

It’s delicious in red pepper hummus. Add about a tablespoon or more to taste to make a hummus with a fiery kick.

Make ahead: roasted red pepper hummus is an excellent recipe for meal prep as it keeps well for 4 to 5 days.

The Hummus will dry out and thicken as it sits in the fridge. Revive by stirring it with a squeeze of fresh lemon, a splash of water, or a drizzle of olive oil.

Refrigerator: Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Freezer: Transfer the Hummus to a freezer-friendly container or one-portion freezer bag and freeze for 3 to 6 months.

Thaw & Reheat: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving and revive it with fresh lemon juice, a pinch of salt, a touch of water, and a drizzle of olive oil.

If you love cooking with bell peppers, try these wholesome and easy recipes:

• Roasted bell pepper
• Stuffed bell pepper
• Roasted red pepper pasta
• Red pepper pesto
• Muhammara
• Romesco sauce

Pasta

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Mains

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Sides

Roasted Peppers

Sauces

Red Pepper Pesto

• Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta with Chickpeas)
• Chickpea soup
• Chickpea curry
• Chickpea salad
• Chickpea stew
• Roasted chickpeas

Pasta

Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)

Soups

Chickpea Soup

Mains

Chickpea Curry

Salads

Chickpea Salad

For more condiment ideas, check out our dressing and sauces category page.