This red pepper hummus using canned hummus is super easy and yummy. Char your red bell peppers and blend with hummus. Then add some extra tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to your liking. Enjoy!
Admittedly, this recipe for red pepper hummus using canned hummus is far from the traditional Middle Eastern dip. But I will say that this recipe is slightly closer to the ‘real thing’ compared to the expensive hummus dips found in Western grocery stores.
These pre-made red bell pepper + hummus mixes are often seen among other *exotic* hummus concoctions (e.g. wtf is chocolate hummus?). And to top it off, they are sold at a premium price.
If you’re familiar with hummus on a cultural level, you’ll know that it is a food ‘of the people’. All the bells and whistles that Western food marketing has attached to hummus probably seems silly (trust me, my Lebanese husband rants about this).
Which is why I decided to try and make a more affordable red pepper hummus using canned hummus. I can’t deny that the charred red bell pepper adds a smoky, sweet dimension to this famous chickpea dip.
Is such a recipe blasphemous? Yes (lol).
But is it delicious? YES.
When I first made this recipe my husband had … questions … (lol). But he ended up eating ALL the red pepper hummus I made when writing this post. HAH!
What is Red Pepper Hummus?
Red pepper hummus is a typical hummus recipe (pureed chickpeas, tahini (aka sesame butter), lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt) that has been mixed with cooked red bell peppers.
But this recipe adds an extra dimension: the peppers are first placed near a flame or high heat (e.g. broiler) long enough to char the peel and soften the flesh.
After removing most of the charred peel, it is then blended with the hummus. This results in a smoky, sweet flavor to this savory dip.
Ok, now what is Canned Hummus?
If you haven’t heard of canned hummus, let me tell you: IT EXISTS.
Now whether it exists in your local grocery store is another question.
I live in a small city in Southern Ontario, Canada, and the local budget-friendly grocery stores carry canned hummus in their Middle Eastern/Mediterranean sections. The cans of hummus that I have seen are typically made and imported directly from Lebanon. They are also a fraction of the price of the *fancy* hummus containers made in Canada.
These cans sometimes need you to adjust some of the ingredients to your liking. I do mention more about canned hummus in my Bell Peppers with Za’atar Spiced Hummus recipe. (And yes, in my household, we eat lots of bell peppers and hummus lol).
What ingredients are in this recipe?
Needed Ingredients:
- 1 can of hummus (400g or 14 oz)
- 1 medium red bell pepper
Optional ingredients, used to adjust taste & texture to your liking:
- Tahini
- Salt
- Garlic (powder, paste, or fresh)
- Lemon juice
- Chickpeas
How to make Red Pepper Hummus using Canned Hummus?
- Prepare your kitchen tools: Cover a broiler safe cooking sheet with aluminum foil. Keep your oven mitts handy. Prepare a cutting board with a sharp knife. Last but not least, you’ll need a food processor or high-speed blender.
- Prep the red bell pepper: Using a knife, carefully carve through the pepper’s flesh around the stem. Pull it out and dispose. Slice the pepper in half lengthwise. Remove all the seeds and dispose. Then flatten the pepper halves as much as possible by making ‘relief cuts’ to areas where the flesh is bulged. You want to make sure the pepper is as flat as possible so it can char/cook evenly.
- Place prepped peppers on the aluminum-lined cooking sheet, peel facing up.
- Place the cooking sheet under the broiler. Turn on the broiler to low and start a timer for 5 minutes. Allow the peppers to char and cook, checking every now and then on progress. When the timer is up, inspect the peppers. Aim for an even char on all the pepper slices and softened flesh. Use a fork to poke through. If it is still hard and not charred enough, put it back in for another 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove cooked peppers from the broiler. Place it away from the stove to cool down. Cover with more aluminum foil or with another container. The build up of moisture & heat will allow the peel to come off easier later. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Peel the skin off the peppers. It won’t completely peel off, and that is okay! It will add more flavor and texture to the hummus. Discard the peels.
- Place cooked & peeled pepper slices into a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse chop it until it is in small pieces. No need to liquify – just chopped enough so it is easier on your appliance to blend with the hummus.
- Add the canned hummus to the blender. Spoon it all in. And then blend it all together. Watch as the hummus transforms into a beautiful red tone.
- Taste and adjust to your liking. First, notice how the hummus has transformed. Is it sweeter now? Smokier? You may also notice that the consistency is more watery. I don’t mind this but if you do, add some chickpeas to thicken the dip. Start with small increments. Adjust the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to your taste.
- Place in a small bowl and serve immediately. Or place in an air-tight container, refrigerate, and consume within 3-4 days. Enjoy!
