Copycat Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I was first introduced to hummus...... well, actually I can't remember the first time I was introduced to hummus except that it was sometime in my early twenties and the first time I tried it... I fell in love! Hummus to me is an amazing snack because not only does it taste delicious.... a hint of nuttiness complimented by the Middle-Eastern flavors of Cumin all wrapped up in beautiful creaminess, but it is extremely nutritious!

Photo by Greeting Tree Farm

According to www.livestrong.com Hummus is high in fiber, healthy oils, vitamins, and minerals. The yummy snack is also chock-full of good carbs (Yeah for us women!). Another aspect I love about this snack is it is surprisingly versatile. I've used it in place of mayo on my sandwiches and veggie wraps as well as my salad dressing. And of coarse it's a great dipping compliment to veggies, crackers, chips, and anything else you can find in the pantry! 

In this post I am sharing my favorite recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. I like this much better than plain hummus because the red peppers give the hummus a hint of extra flavor that is very delectable plus it enhances the color making it much more appealing to the eye. Now that we're all hungry, lets dig right in! 

 Photo by Greeting Tree Farm

I was SHOCKED by how easy this is to make at home. Not only is it cheaper to make yourself, but the flavor will throw your taste buds for a loop and the only reason I can say that is when I make this for my family it is usually gone in a few days and my two-year-old devours it! 

One piece of advice I can give before making this is don't skimp on the ingredients, especially the garbanzo beans. I bought the cheapest can of garbanzo beans once to make this and it definitely effected the flavor so if anything, I recommend going Organic on the beans. 

Original Source of recipe may be found here. Definitely check out their website... it's a great source of information!

WATCH TUTORIAL BY CLICKING VIDEO BELOW! 

ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS: 

2 whole red bell peppers

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas/ garbanzo beans (they are the same thing) 

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup tahini 

1 small garlic clove, minced (too much overpowers the other flavors and be sure it is fresh!)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (might need to add more to create consistency you like) 

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt to taste 

DIRECTIONS: 

Move oven rack to highest level as close to the broiler as possible. Turn broiler on. 

De-core and wash peppers then cut into large flat pieces . Arrange peppers on baking sheet, skin side up. Broil 5 to 10 minutes until peppers are charred. 

Photo by Greeting Tree Farm

Add peppers to a bowl and cover bowl. Allow peppers to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Gently peel away the charred pepper skins and discard. Reserve 1 to 2 pieces to use as a garnish when serving. Roughly chop up the rest. (If I'm making this for my family, I do not set aside the peppers for garnish, instead I add them all to the food processor later.  

In a food processor, combine tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides down and process another 30 seconds.... this last 30 seconds is really important because it creates  the creaminess.

Add olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and process for 30 seconds and again, scrape sides down and process another 30 seconds. 

Open, drain, and rinse chick peas. Add half the chick peas to the food processor and process 1 minute. Scrape sides down, add last half of chick peas, and blend 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. 

Add the roasted red peppers to the processor and blend 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. 

Taste and add salt as needed. 

Transfer to storage container or serving dish. Garnish with red peppers we set aside in the beginning. Store in refrigerator. 

IF YOU TRY THIS AT HOME LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS HOW IT TURNED OUT!