Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Probably the most common and recognizable hummus, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus packs a punch of deep smoky flavour with a burst of lemon freshness and the warmth of fresh garlic!  A great flavour to start with if the world of homemade hummus is new to you!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is probably my second favourite hummus flavour I’ve tried so far.  I think my absolute favourite is my Caramelized Onion Hummus recipe.  That was is delicious as a spread too, not just a dip.

But, if I’m looking for hummus that has more of a dip consistency, then I always turn to Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.  In my opinion, this particular hummus pairs extremely well with celery.  I love to use the rounded side of a celery stick to scoop up Roasted Red Pepper Hummus; they just work so well together.

When I was first introduced to hummus a few year ago, if memory serves me correctly, I think it was the roasted red pepper flavour that opened up a whole new world of dip alternatives for me.  I had never tried hummus in my life!  I’m sure glad that it was this one when I finally took the plunge!

HUMMUS IS THE PERFECT SUMMER DIP

We love to have hummus on hand at all times, but in the summer months, it’s an absolute must!  One of our favourite things to do is to prepare a large platter of finger foods and sit on our balcony.  This is particularly more enjoyable when the temperatures outside are climbing too high for comfort, but you feel guilty sitting inside an not enjoying the short Canadian summer.

When you live in an apartment in a large city like Toronto, and if you’re lucky enough to have a balcony with your unit, then your balcony quickly becomes your personal oasis during the summer months.  And, we take full advantage of ours!

Every Saturday and Sunday morning, without fail – if the weather permits – breakfast is on the balcony.  On the weekends, we love to make pancakes or bake fresh scones.  My favourite is a scone with homemade jam and a very hot coffee.  Oh, and before I quit smoking, I would use the balcony even more!

MAKE A MEAL OF IT!

Weekend lunches and dinners are usually eaten on the balcony as well, if we are dining at home.  And, this where hummus comes in to play.  We will often be out and about on Saturdays; we love to go to the farmers’ market.  And, when we come home, we’ll have a late lunch consisting of crudité, crostini, crackers, and lots and lots of hummus!  And without fail, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is always present!

In most cases, to be perfectly honest, I’ll just pick up a jar of roasted red peppers from the grocery store.  But, when red bell peppers are on sale or in season, I’ll pick up a bunch of them and make my own roasted red peppers.  This way, you can control the salt and the amount of char.  The more char the better, in terms of roasted red peppers.  You can find my recipe for roasted red peppers right here!

HOMEMADE IS BETTER!

A coworker of mine told me that once I tried homemade hummus, it would be difficult to go back to the store-bought kind because of the difference in taste.   She stressed that the homemade version was so much better.  She was right!

My first time making hummus was an afternoon event.  I had the apartment to myself (John.e had been invited out to coffee with an old classmate) and I decided a blog post was in order.

In the week leading up to trying to make hummus, I did a lot of recipe research, reading comments and criticisms on blogs and recipe posts.  I didn’t want to put in the effort and not totally love the results.  I wanted to learn as much as possible beforehand from bloggers and recipe writers who have tried their hand at hummussing.  Yes, I just switched hummus from a noun to a verb!

At the end of the day, I was extremely proud of the results.  Needless to say, unless I’m in a real pinch in the future, I won’t be purchasing store-bought hummus again anytime soon.  I also learned from my research, that properly stored in air-tight containers, homemade hummus will last in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.  Another excuse to indulge in my secret love affair with mason jars!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Canned Chickpeas – Use one can of chickpeas that you have drained and rinsed well under cold running water.
• Roasted Red Peppers – The type that you can buy in a jar, packed in water, is what you will need for this recipe. If you have fresh bell peppers at home, you can make your own roasted red peppers in your oven. Here’s my recipe on how to do just that!
• Oil – Use a light olive oil, one that you would use on a salad, for example.
• Lemon Juice – Do not be tempted to use the stuff from a bottle. It has a metallic taste to it. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best results.
• Tahini – This can be found in jars in most grocery stores. It is basically pureed sesame seeds.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is best!
• Salt
• Cumin – I’m not a big lover of cumin at all, but I can’t prepare this hummus without it, because it adds just the right amount of je ne sais quoi!

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS

Once you have prepared and measured out the ingredients, the rest of this recipe is a breeze! Get out your food processor and add all of the ingredients into it. Puree the ingredients until they are well blended and very smooth. It helps to scape down the bowl of the food processor to ensure everything is evenly blended.

At this point, depending on how you like your hummus, you can add additional olive oil to thin out the hummus. Sometimes, I find the hummus can be too thick or clumpy. This can be due to brand of chickpeas. Just add a teaspoon or two of oil and puree it again.

CAN’T FIND TAHINI – MAKE YOUR OWN!

Tahini is a paste-like concoction made with sesame seeds, salt, and oil. It literally takes minutes to make and comes together quite easily with the help of a food processor. You don’t have to do this, but if you want to get the most flavour, toast the sesame seeds first. When toasted, allow them to fully cool and then dump them into your food processor. You will need one cup of sesame seeds.

Blend on high speed for at least two minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and puree again for another minute. The sesame seeds will still be coarse at this point, but adding oil will help to break them down and make them smooth. Add three tablespoons of light oil, such as vegetable oil or a light olive oil, to the food processor. Puree for another three minutes. The tahini should be smooth and pourable, but still have at thick consistency.

If not, scrape down the bowl and add one more tablespoon of oil. Puree again for another minute. Finally, taste the tahini and season with salt. Add the salt to the food processor and pulse to just mix through. Store the tahini in a clean mason jar for up to one month in your fridge.

HOW TO TOAST SESAME SEEDS

To be perfectly honest, this applies to all nuts or seeds, not just sesame seeds. If you are not familiar with toasted sesame seeds, then please try it just once. You will probably never revert to using untoasted sesame seeds in your cooking or baking again!

I have tried using non-stick frying pans for toasting, but nothing works as well as a stainless steel pan. You could use a cast iron pan, but since they get very hot and retain heat so well, it’s easier to burn the seeds. See the frying pan in this picture? That’s the exact one that I use all the time. I’m not suggesting you run out and buy this same cookware set, but I wanted you to see the pan – remember, do not use non-stick if possible. You’ll get better results will plain stainless steel.

So, unlike most cooking where you’re required to preheat first, you don’t want to apply that same rule to toasting seeds. Add the seeds to a cold pan. Place the pan on the burner and turn the heat on – no higher than medium and probably even less if using a gas burner.

Keep the seeds moving about. I use a rubber spatula. Once you start to smell that warm and toasty aromatic smell, pay close attention. The seeds will take on a slightly golden colour. Don’t let them get too dark. Once you’re satisfied, immediately remove them from the hot pan and transfer them to a dinner plate where they can be spread out to cool.

STORING HUMMUS

You can help hummus stay fresh longer by storing it in your refrigerator. Once you take out what you need, get it back into the fridge rather than allowing it to sit at room temperature. Hummus should be stored in a tightly closed container to keep out moisture and other contaminants. For a long-term option, hummus freezes really well and defrosts overnight in the refrigerator. So, if you make too much or even make a double batch, you have the option to freeze some of it.

The shelf life of hummus depends on a variety of factors, and in the case of homemade hummus, the main factor will be the freshness of the ingredients used. For example, if the garlic wasn’t fresh to begin with, it will continue to age and bread down in the hummus, therefore, eventually ruining the batch.

Although not a perfect test, your nose is usually the most reliable instrument! Hummus that has turned bad will have a sour smell, whereas fresh hummus doesn’t have much aroma unless garlic has been added. If it smells sour, it will taste sour. Some hummus manufacturers will use preservatives that keep their product fresh for a longer period to time, but when preparing homemade hummus, no preservatives are added. You probably have nothing to worry about – it’s so good, you’ll eat it all up in no time anyway!

That’s about it, Dear Reader.  If you’re so inclined, I encourage you to check out my other roasted red pepper recipes.  I assure you, there’s quite a few of them on my blog!  Enjoy!!