I think by now hummus is so mainstream that everyone knows how delicious and healthy it can be. That said, not all hummus is created equal. I have had some unbelievable hummus and I have also had some stuff labeled hummus that should be embarrassed by itself.
For a while I was content to eat the hummus that I would buy at Whole Foods, which is actually quite good. Then one day our friend (and occasional food critic on this blog) was saying how she makes her own hummus all the time because it is so easy and so much better than anything she could buy at the grocery store. She was so right and I so needed to make my own. I went online in search of an authentic hummus recipes and melded a few into one.
I made this roasted red pepper hummus because I had extra peppers in the fridge. I have made this hummus twice now, and it is very tasty. It is definitely not the best hummus I have ever had, but it is pretty damn good. If you don’t like roasted red peppers, just remove them from the recipe and make plain hummus. I will continue to make hummus and tweak recipes until I can rival the hummus of Pita, which is the best hummus I have had in these parts. Those Israeli’s know how to make a mean hummus and lafa bread.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
1 can garbanzo beans
2 whole roasted red peppers
1/4 cup Tahini paste, at room temperature
4 cloves garlic, minced
zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp of juice)
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp canola oil & 2 tbsp water – or more at an equal ratio
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
paprika
Put into the food processor the beans, roasted red peppers, tahini paste, garlic, lemon zest & juice, cumin, salt & pepper. Process for a few minutes until everything is finely chopped.
Now stream in the canola oil and water mixture. You can keep adding more oil and water in an equal ratio until you have a smooth creamy consistency, you want it to be easily spreadable.
Place in a container and pour 1-2 Tbsp olive oil over the hummus. Just enough to make a thin layer over the top, this will help keep the hummus moist. Sprinkle with some paprika and either serve immediately or refrigerate. Be sure to sprinkle with a bit more olive oil and paprika before you serve it.
We eat this with our homemade pita bread, baked pita chips, pretzels, and various vegetables. You could even put this on a sandwich in place of mayo. Isn’t hummus great?! 😀