If you’ve read any of my posts, you probably know how much I love food. But my aspirational fitness goals make me question every food choice I make. Hence I am constantly looking for dishes that are tasty but not too indulgent. And this easy roasted red pepper hummus is exactly that! It’s super easy to make and packed with a ton of wholesome nutrients.
Having been in the middle east for so long, hummus became a staple munching option for every dinner or gathering. For the longest, I used to order it from restaurants and supermarkets. But one day, while talking to a couple of Lebanese friends at work, I realised how easy it’s to make it at home. This got me curious and my research for a good hummus recipe began. Having tried various hummus flavours, I can say that this one is my favourite.
What does red pepper hummus taste like?
This roasted red pepper hummus has a creamy and fluffy texture and is packed with natural flavours. I like to roast 1 small onion along with the red peppers to give it the caramelly sweetness. I haven’t seen this in any other recipe online. It was an experiment on my part, which I can say turned out very well! Try it once and you will know what I am talking about.
How to get the creamy and fluffy hummus texture?
For the creamy texture, make the hummus while the chickpeas are still slightly warm (not hot!). This ensures that everything blends well together. A lot of recipes will tell you to remove the skin of the chickpeas to get a smooth texture. I find that very tedious and time-consuming.
To get the fluffy texture like the hummus you eat at your favourite Arabic restaurant try adding ice cubes!
Okay, let me explain. To get the semi-solid consistency of the hummus, you will need to add water while blending all the ingredients together. Here, add 3-4 ice cubes along with the water. This is the magic ingredient that will make the hummus fluffy.
Can you make hummus without Tahini?
Sure, you can make hummus without Tahini, but adding it gives it the authentic flavour. Tahini is a paste made up of roasted sesame seeds. It can be made at home or bought at any grocery store. You can leave it out of the recipe if you don’t have access to it. I have read at a few places that adding roasted sesame seeds can be a good substitute if you don’t have Tahini. Haven’t tried this myself so can’t guarantee the results.
Is hummus good for weight loss?
Hummus is very healthy owing to the ingredients it’s made up of.
Chickpeas are a powerhouse. They are packed with proteins and fibre. This makes you feel fuller for longer, keeping your appetite in check. Something you definitely want while trying to lose weight. They’re also rich in several vitamins and minerals like Folate, Iron, Manganese and Copper.
In addition to the amazing flavour that red bell pepper gives, it’s also rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Carotenoids, making it a great antioxidant.
The Extra Virgin Olive Oil, although calorie-heavy, is packed with a ton of healthy fats.
Packed with all this goodness, the hummus is a great food option when you are trying to lose weight. It’s also high in plant protein, complimenting your workout nutritional needs.
But, what do you eat red pepper hummus with?
Hummus is traditionally eaten with warm pita bread. But I prefer to avoid the bread and have it as a light snack with cucumber and carrot sticks. Hummus can also be had alongside a salad or as a dip for Falafels, chips etc.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe
Equipment
- Blender / Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 1 cup / 180g Chickpeas
- 1 Medium sized Red bell pepper
- 1 Medium-sized Onion
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil extra virgin
- 3 tbsp Tahini
- 1.5 tbsp Cumin powder
- 0.5/1 tsp Red chili powder
- 0.5 tsp Pink salt
- salt to taste
Instructions
Roasting the red bell pepper and onions:
- De-seed the bell peppers and cut it into 4 – 6 large pieces.
- Cut the onion into 4 pieces. Place all of these on a baking tray and roast for 25-30 mins.
- The skin of the pepper needs to be charred. Let it cool and then remove the skin of the pepper.
Boiling the chickpeas:
- Pressure cook the chickpeas with about 3.5 cups of water and some salt.
- This would require 4 whistles and about 10 mins of simmering on low heat.
- Let the pressure release naturally by cooling for 20 mins and then open the cooker.
- If you want to avoid this step, you can also use 1 can of chickpeas instead.
- Add the slightly warm chickpeas with all the other ingredients – roasted onion and red pepper, garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin powder, chili powder, pink salt and salt in the blender. Blend for 30 secs.
- Add 3 – 4 ice cubes and continue blending to form a smooth paste.
- Add water to adjust the consistency as required.
- (Optional) You can serve it with extra olive oil on the top. I generally avoid this as I try to cut out extra calories wherever possible.
