Adding a little red bell pepper and smoked paprika to your traditional hummus is a delicious twist. It’s slightly sweet with a hint of smoke and only the mildest sense of simmering heat. The smokiness comes from both the smoked paprika and the freshly roasted red bell pepper. Roasting the bell only takes ten minutes under a broiler, with a nifty kitchen trick after to make peeling the pepper super simple. Serve the red pepper hummus with pita or vegetable crudités as a healthy dipper. Or, one of our favorites, try it as a spread for veggie sandwiches.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Creamy chickpeas and tahini with sweet roasted red pepper, a little smoke and a bright squeeze of lemon. |
| Primary heat source | Smoked paprika, plus black pepper. The bell pepper itself has no heat at all. |
| Heat level | Barely there. Sweet smoked paprika adds warmth, not burn, and hot smoked paprika adds just a little more. |
| Texture | Smooth and creamy, with a soft orange-pink color from the roasted pepper. |
| Best uses | A dip for pita and vegetables, or a spread for sandwiches and wraps. |
| Customization ideas | Hot smoked paprika or a pinch of cayenne for heat, jarred roasted peppers for speed, or extra lemon for brightness. |
| Before you start | About 25 minutes, with ten of those under the broiler. You’ll need a food processor. |
Flavor notes
Bell peppers rate zero on the Scoville scale, so the pepper here is all about sweetness and color. And roasting it until the skin blackens adds a little smoke of its own, which the smoked paprika then builds on in the finished hummus.
Smoked paprika is made from peppers that are smoked before they’re ground, and it comes in sweet, bittersweet and hot versions. The sweet kind keeps this hummus mild. If you’d like a little warmth, look for hot smoked paprika, sometimes labeled picante.
The peeling trick is simple. Seal the hot, blackened pepper halves in a zip-top bag, or in a bowl covered with a plate, and leave them for ten minutes, and the skins will slip right off when you pull them, with a few black bits left behind that just add to the smoky flavor.
Stir the tahini well before you measure it, since the oil tends to separate and rise to the top of the jar. Then drizzle the olive oil in slowly while the processor runs, and the hummus will come out smoother and creamier.
If it’s thicker than you like, add a tablespoon or two of cold water at the end and blend again. Then taste before you add more salt, since some canned chickpeas are salted already and you may not need much more than the first half teaspoon.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these change the heat, or save you a little time.
- Want some heat? Use hot smoked paprika, add a pinch of cayenne, or blend in half a seeded jalapeño with the chickpeas.
- Short on time? Use a jarred roasted red pepper. Pat it dry first, so the extra liquid doesn’t thin out the hummus.
- Want it smokier? Char the pepper over a gas flame instead of under the broiler, turning it until it’s black all over.
- Want it silkier? Pinch the skins off the chickpeas before blending. It takes a while, but the hummus comes out noticeably smoother.
- Want more garlic flavor? Roast a few extra cloves alongside the pepper and blend them in for a sweeter, mellower garlic taste.
Serving ideas
Use it anywhere you’d use regular hummus, plus a few places where the color really shows.
- With pita and vegetables. Warm pita wedges, cucumber, carrots and snap peas make an easy spread.
- On sandwiches. Spread thick on a veggie sandwich or wrap in place of mayo.
- In grain bowls. A big spoonful on a bowl of quinoa or farro with roasted vegetables.
- On a mezze platter. Next to plain hummus, olives, feta and a spicier dip like muhammara.
Storage notes
Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge and use it within three to four days. A thin layer of olive oil on top helps keep the surface from drying out.
You can freeze it for a few months, though it may turn a little grainy once it’s thawed. Stir in a splash of olive oil or lemon juice to bring it back.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Muhammara Dip: A red bell pepper and walnut spread, and the spicier cousin of hummus.
- Fiery Habanero Hummus: For when you want your hummus to bring real heat. This one is very hot.
- Ajvar Sauce: A sweet, tangy, smoky Serbian roasted pepper relish that works as a dip or a topper.
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Red Pepper Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas 15 oz, drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for presentation
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Roast the bell pepper
- Turn on the oven broiler and line a baking pan with aluminum foil.
- Halve the bell pepper lengthwise, then remove the seeds and membrane.
- Place the pepper halves (skin side up) on the baking pan, then flatten them by pressing down on the halves.
- Broil the peppers for approximately 10 minutes, or until the pepper is blackened.
- Remove the pepper from the heat. Immediately place the halves in a zip-top bag and seal it, or put them in a bowl and cover it with a plate.
- Allow the pepper to rest for 10 minutes, then remove the halves and easily peel off the pepper’s skin.
- Coarsely chop the pepper.
Make the red pepper hummus
- Place all the ingredients, except the oil, into a food processor. Pulse blend until smooth.
- Slowly pour in the oil while pulse blending. Continue to pulse blend until the oil is fully combined into the hummus.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the hummus to a bowl, then sprinkle it with a pinch of smoked paprika.
