Roasted Red Pepper and Pine Nut Hummus
Roasted Red Pepper and Pine Nut Hummus
Try this delicious, healthy recipe to dip your veggies or chips! Roasted red pepper hummus topped with pine nuts has the best flavor and is super easy to prepare too!
Roasted Red Pepper and Pine Nut Hummus
Yield: 2 cups of Hummus
Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper (or 1 small jar roasted red peppers, drained)
1 15-ounce chick peas/garbanzo beans, drained
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh or bottled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, rough chopped
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup pine nuts, divided
Topping:
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Dash cumin
Dash cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pine nuts
Sprig of fresh parsley, if desired
Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, bell pepper strips
Equipment needed:
Cutting board
Chef knife
Measuring spoons
Liquid measuring cup
Tongs
Gallon-sized plastic baggie
Food processor
Serving bowl (2 cup volume)
My family really enjoys hummus to dipping veggies for snack and party time. The first time I had red pepper hummus my son prepared it at my house. I didn’t have the recipe, so decided to start experimenting. My husband enjoys store bought hummus, especially the pine nut variety, but I find it expensive and full of preservatives… another reason to create my own. If you own a food processor this is the easiest way to create a healthy snack for you and your family. A bowl of hummus in my refrigerator doesn’t last long… Grab your processor and lets’ make hummus!
Roasting the red pepper is such a fun process and super easy! The pepper needs to be roasted at least 20 – 30 minutes ahead of blending the hummus, so plan accordingly. I have used jarred roasted red peppers in a pinch, but fresh is better. To roast the pepper, use the gas burner on your stove top. Place a washed pepper over a medium flame. Yes… you can place it right on top of the flame! (If you don’t have a gas stove, you can use a grill or the broiler in your oven too.) Rotate the pepper as it cooks, being sure to roast all sides until they are crispy and black, as shown above. Immediately place the hot, blackened pepper into a plastic baggie and seal. This will allow the blacken skins of the pepper to loosen be peeled away easily later. Allow pepper to set for about 20 – 30 minutes in the bag.
Final preparation for the roasted pepper involves peeling and chopping the pepper. Begin by removing the pepper from the plastic and carefully peeling away the blackened skin. After initial peeling, run the pepper under cool water to loosen remaining char. Pat dry with a paper towel, cut in half and remove seeds. Slice peppers into strips and chop into chunks. Set aside.
Now for the easiest prep ever! While the pepper is resting, chop the garlic, juice the lemon and gather the remaining ingredients. If my lemon doesn’t provide 1/4 cup of juice, I add bottled to top it off. Using all bottled juice is fine too! Place the chick peas and all remaining ingredients into the food processor, except pine nuts. Pulse on high until hummus is smooth. Add 1/3 cup of the pine nuts to the processor and continue pulsing. If still chunky… add water, olive oil, or lemon juice, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing between each addition. Season with additional salt/ cayenne pepper to taste, if needed.
After hummus is blended, place in a decorative bowl for serving. Final garnishing is a must! Hummus is fairly bland in color, so garnishing adds meal appeal. Sprinkle remaining pine nuts... or more if you like, and spices on top. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve with assorted cut up veggies… Enjoy!!