By Victoria Heerschap
Smooth and creamy, tangy and savory, hummus is a Mediterranean delight! Since the primary ingredient is chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), hummus is a protein-packed anywhere snack that can give you a pick-me-up on a long afternoon.
There are two sides when it comes to hummus; there are those who love it made with tahini, and those who would much rather do without it. What is tahini? Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, and it lends a wonderful depth of flavor to the hummus. While it can be difficult to find in some markets, you can always get some at specialty markets, like Trader Joe’s, or you can order some online. I personally prefer the extra kick tahini lends to hummus, so this recipe incorporates it. If you dislike the flavor profile of the tahini, you can simply omit it and compensate by adding more olive oil until you achieve the desired texture.
Enjoy dipping pita chips, crackers, carrot or celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, or whatever else you can think of!
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe
Ingredients:
1 – 15 oz. can chickpeas
1/3 cup tahini
5 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil (plus 2 tbsp. for serving)
3/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers – chopped
2 cloves garlic – minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cumin
3 – 5 tbsp. water
Directions:
Place the tahini and the lemon juice together in the bowl of a food processor. Process, stopping to scrape the sides halfway through, until the tahini has fluffed up and turned a lighter color, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Add the garlic, salt, and cumin and process for 20 seconds, while streaming in the olive oil through the top. Add the chickpeas in two batches, scraping the sides between additions, processing for about 1 minute per batch. Add the chopped roasted red peppers, reserving 1 tbsp. for garnish, and process for 1 – 2 minutes more, until they are incorporated. Adjust the consistency of your hummus by slowly adding water through the top of the food processor as it blends, until it has reached optimal creaminess.
You may choose to peel the chickpeas for a slightly creamier result, but it is not necessary.