There’s rarely a time I don’t add garlic to a savory dish, but I’ve found this roasted red pepper hummus tastes better with lemon instead! I use lemon juice and lemon zest to match the brightness of the roasted pepper, and it makes for a delicious hummus without garlic. Pair it with pita chips, veggie sticks, or homemade sesame poppy seed crackers for a delicious and filling snack.
I like to top mine with an extra drizzle of olive oil, roasted pine nuts, and fresh chopped herbs before serving, but this hummus is good enough to eat right out of the bowl with a spoon!
Ingredients for Roasted Pepper Hummus
These ingredients are pretty standard for hummus recipes; all should be available at most grocery stores. I have not tried this recipe without the tahini (the only major allergen in the list). If you’d like, you can customize the recipe with extra spices you think would work nicely, too!
- Bell pepper. I make my own roasted bell pepper, but you can also use about ¾ cup canned, roasted bell pepper if you prefer. If you can’t find a fresh and nice-looking red bell pepper, you could also use an orange or yellow one! (Green bell peppers are usually a little firmer and less sweet.)
- Cooked or canned chickpeas. With a good food processor, you don’t have to worry about peeling off the skins of the chickpeas. I don’t bother, and my hummus turns out pretty smooth. If you’d like to put in the extra effort for super smooth hummus, simply boil the chickpeas for 20 minutes with baking soda until mushy.
- Lemon. Both the juice and the zest are important here—the lemon zest is the secret ingredient for this roasted red pepper hummus! It brightens the dish significantly more than just the lemon juice.
- Olive oil. Just a little bit makes the hummus extra creamy.
- Tahini. Sesame paste adds a distinct flavor and helps improve the texture of this hummus. I like the tahini from Trader Joe’s, though I often blitz it with an immersion blender right after opening for the best texture.
- Salt. A necessary flavor enhancer.
- Paprika. Did you know paprika is just powdered bell pepper? I like to add a bit for color and flavor.
- Cayenne pepper (optional). A few pinches can add subtle heat to the end of each bite.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Making hummus is as easy as throwing ingredients in a food processor bowl and pressing “on!” I have a few tips and tricks to make sure you get the best results written below, or you can also watch me make this bell pepper hummus without garlic on my YouTube channel.
Roasting the Bell Pepper
First, core and de-seed the bell pepper, and remove any membrane along the center. I like to do this with a long paring or utility knife by cutting a ring around the stem. Other people like to chop off the top entirely, but I find that this way allows me to use most of the bell pepper.
Then, slice the bell pepper into eight equal pieces. This helps ensure all the pieces are baked at the same rate (i.e. none burn while others are still mostly raw!).
If you don’t want to use your oven, you can dice the bell pepper and sauté it instead until soft. That will intensify the flavor without heating up your whole kitchen too much!
Once sliced, arrange the red bell pepper onto a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil. Broil on high until the pepper skin has begun to blister and char. This takes about 7 minutes in my countertop oven but may take less time in a full-size oven. Then, set aside and allow to cool somewhat while you prepare the other ingredients.
Preparing the Chickpeas and Lemon
Drain, then rinse the canned chickpeas in a colander. You can save the liquid in the jar of chickpeas—it’s called aquafaba and is often used in vegan meringue! Simply pour it into a jar, seal, and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Zest the lemon, then cut it in half for easy juicing later. Now, all you have left to do is throw everything into the food processor!
Processing the Red Pepper Hummus
Add all the ingredients into the food processor—including your roasted and cooled red bell peppers that may be out of sight on a cooling rack.
Process the mixture for a few minutes, until the mixture is nice and creamy. This only takes 2-3 minutes in my Cuisinart food processor, but it may take longer in others.
If you think the mixture is a little too thick, you can add another splash of olive oil or add a Tablespoon or two of cold water. Sometimes this is necessary if your lemon wasn’t very juicy—don’t worry, it happens to the best of us.
Serving Tips for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Once blended, transfer to a serving dish or bowl and cover, then chill for at least an hour. When ready to serve, drizzle with extra olive oil, top with roasted pine nuts, and sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs (parsley, cilantro, or dill) and a little paprika.
Serve with pita chips or veggie sticks, or a variety of crackers: I love using homemade sesame and poppy seed crackers, everything but the bagel crackers, and whole grain crackers to really round out my options.
This hummus also works well as a side for Mediterranean-themed dinners. I often add a dollop on top of lemon dill orzo and serve it with grilled chicken marinated in spices and Greek yogurt.
FAQs about Roasted Pepper Hummus
Dish Cleanup: A Lil Messy
I rate my recipe cleanups on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 is only a handful of dishes, and 5 is everything including the kitchen sink.
This roasted red pepper hummus recipe has a cleanup rating of a 3. The food processor bowl and colander are a little bulky, which makes the cleanup look worse than it is. Besides those, it’s a few handheld tools, measuring spoons, and a cutting board. I recommend rinsing out the food processor bowl immediately after transferring the hummus to a container; otherwise, it’ll require some scrubbing if it dries fully.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus without Garlic Recipe
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If you make this red pepper hummus and love it, please don’t forget to leave a review to let others know how it turned out.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 15.5 oz (250 g) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans drained
- 1 lemon
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- ¼ cup (65 g) tahini
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
Roasting the Red Bell Pepper*
- Core and seed the bell pepper, then cut lengthwise into eighths. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and arrange the bell pepper slices on the foil with the skin side up.1 medium red bell pepper
- Broil on high for 7-10 minutes, until the pepper skin has blistered and started to char. Remove the pan from the oven, and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Making the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then zest and juice the lemon.15.5 oz can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, 1 lemon
- Add the drained chickpeas and all other ingredients, including the warm roasted bell pepper, to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy, anywhere from 2-5 minutes, depending on your food processor. If too thick, add a splash of olive oil or water and process until combined.1 Tablespoon olive oil, ¼ cup tahini, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon paprika, 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. When ready to serve, top with another drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of paprika, roasted pine nuts, and/or fresh herbs, if desired.
Video
Notes
Recommended Supplies
Nutrition
I’d love to see how your roasted pepper hummus turns out: Take a photo and tag me on Instagram @floralapronblog to share with me, or use the hashtag #floralapronbakes.