Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Don’t labor in the kitchen on Labor Day. Make this roasted red bell pepper hummus ahead of time as a snack or appetizer and spend the day enjoying friends and family. Hummus goes together in a matter of minutes with jarred, roasted red bell peppers, garbanzo beans, lemon, olive oil, a little Parmesan (or nutritional yeast for vegans) and spices. Puree in a food processor and until smooth. Serve with whole wheat pita or slices of cool cucumber. Homemade is always better!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

You know the look from your family. A glazed, hungry look creeps into their eyes. It’s up to you to save the day with a healthy snack or appetizer.

It was a hot, sunny Sunday afternoon. We had just arrived home from a rodeo. With a healthy late breakfast filling our stomachs, we passed on the not-so-healthy food options at the event. When we got home, everyone needed a snack and the fridge was pretty bare. It’s times like this your pantry will save you.

What do I mean by a “good pantry”? I mean a pantry that has quality things on the shelf that allow you to create something healthy, quickly, in a pinch. Canned beans (especially garbanzos) and roasted red peppers are on that list.

Homemade Hummus is Easy and Fast

I grabbed cans of garbanzo beans to make my standard hummus recipe and discovered I was out of tahini. What else to do for flavor and creaminess? A jar of roasted red bell peppers was the answer.

Rinse and drain the beans. Drain and chop the peppers. Add everything to a food processor and puree. That’s it! We like to eat it with cucumber slices but it’s great with any raw veggies, brown rice crackers, or whole grain pita wedges. The smoked paprika gives it a nice flavor. If you don’t have smoked paprika, use regular.

Next time you are shopping look for smoked paprika or order it online. It’s an important staple in my spice pantry. I order mine from Chefs Warehouse. It’s  Texas-style with a big, smoky flavor. Try their smoked black pepper too. Savory Spice Shop has the traditional Spanish smoked paprika.

Other Ways to Enjoy This Hummus

• Spread onto a brown rice or whole wheat tortilla, add turkey and greens and make a Mediterranean turkey wrap
• Use for a sandwich on whole grain or gluten-free bread
• Toss with hot pasta noodles
• Packs easily for lunch at school or the office
• Use a dollop to top roast fish or chicken
• Use as a sauce for chicken, fish or vegetarian tacos

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Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Bright orange with a smoky, creamy taste, this roasted red bell pepper hummus goes together in minutes with a food processor. Serve with cool cucumber slices and raw veggies, brown rice crackers or whole wheat pita wedges. It will last 5 days in the refrigerator. For vegans, substitute nutritional yeast for the Parmesan.      

Ingredients

• 2 cans garbanzo beans 15 ounce or 425 grams, rinsed and drained
• 1 jar roasted red peppers 12 ounces or 340 grams, drained and chopped
• 2 lemons juiced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Rinse and drain garbanzo beans. Drain and chop the peppers. Add beans, peppers and all of the rest of the ingredients in a food processor. Puree until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.