• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Three Little Chickpeas

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Us
  • Resources
  • Vegan Oil-Free Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Oil-Free Recipes
  • Resources
  • About Me
  • Contact Us
  • Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Oil-Free Recipes
    • Resources
    • About Me
    • Contact Us
  • Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Snacks and dips

    Smoked Paprika Hummus with Roasted Red Peppers

    Published: Apr 18, 2023 . Modified: Mar 7, 2025 by Allie

    This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This smoky paprika hummus is easy to make and packed with flavor using roasted red peppers and smoked paprika.   

    Paprika hummus spread out on a plate with diced roasted red peppers and cilantro on top.

    The roasted red peppers give the hummus a slightly sweet flavor and smokiness from the char they develop while roasting.  Smoked paprika adds a deeper smoky flavor and we throw in a bit of cayenne pepper for a little kick.

    If you need a classic homemade hummus recipe, try hummus without oil or a garlic-free hummus version.  For more chickpea-based dips try buffalo chickpea dip or vegan curry chickpea salad.

    Ingredients for hummus in bowls.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredient notes
    • Tips
    • How to get a smoother hummus
    • How to make paprika hummus
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storage
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Ingredient notes

    The oil-free hummus recipe uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients and measurements.

    Garlic cloves - Fresh garlic adds the best flavor, but it can be a bit harsh.  If you’d like to mellow the flavor, slice or dice the garlic and let it sit in the lemon juice for about 15 minutes.  Then add the lemon juice and garlic to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients. If you prefer more garlic, add more.

    Chickpeas - I use canned, but 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas will work if you’d like to start with the dried variety.  If you are using canned chickpeas, the drained chickpea liquid (aquafaba) can be used to make granola without oil.

    Roasted red peppers - For convenience, use jarred sliced roasted red peppers or homemade roasted red peppers. If you roast them yourself, you'll need about 2 medium-sized peppers. For another recipe with roasted red peppers, try creamy roasted red pepper salad dressing.

    Fresh lemon juice - Adds a nice bright flavor to complement the tahini.

    Tahini - This is a creamy paste made from sesame seeds that has a slightly nutty and bitter taste.  Use a good quality pourable tahini in this recipe.  Stir it before measuring, sometimes there will be oil separation and the contents at the bottom of the container will be drier than the rest. 

    The tahini can always be reduced to 2 tablespoons if you need a lighter version of the oil-free hummus.  For more tahini-based recipes try lemon tahini pasta, creamy soba tahini noodles, smoky tahini dressing, or lemon herb tahini sauce. 

    Salt - Enhances the flavor of the paprika hummus, but add it to taste.

    Ground cumin - This goes well with smoked paprika, but it can be left out.

    Smoked paprika - Adds more smoky flavor to the paprika hummus.  Don't substitute for regular paprika or you'll miss out on the added smoky flavor.

    Ground cayenne pepper - Add just a pinch for a little bit of heat, add more to make it spicier.  

    Tips

    • The recipe is very adaptable.  Prefer more lemon, add more.  Don’t like cumin, skip it.  
    • Add ground cayenne pepper to taste, it can also just be left out.
    • Add salt to taste, the amount needed will depend on how salty the chickpeas are and your own personal preferences.
    • If you prefer a thinner hummus, add ice-cold water a tablespoon at a time while the blender or food processor is running.
    • My homemade roasted red bell peppers weren’t as acidic as jarred ones, so I added 5 tablespoons of lemon juice if I roasted the peppers myself.
    • Personal preference, but I prefer the hummus once it has been chilled and the flavors meld together.  The smokiness from the paprika does mellow, you can always add more.

    How to get a smoother hummus

    If you prefer a smoother consistency here are some tips.  

    • If cooking dry chickpeas from scratch, cook them for a little longer than you normally would with a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.  This makes the chickpeas softer.
    • You can even boil a drained can of chickpeas if you don’t want to cook them from scratch.  Add the drained chickpeas to a pot, cover them with 1-2 inches of water, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, and boil for about 15 minutes.  This softens canned chickpeas so they create a smoother consistency.  
    • Remove the skins of cooked chickpeas before pureeing, pinch each bean and the skin should slide off.  Repeat with the rest of the beans, and discard the skins. 
    • Another tip is to use a high-speed blender if yours is more powerful than your food processor.  You’ll most likely have to stop frequently to push down the hummus, but it creates a smoother consistency.  This is by far my preferred method to get creamy hummus, it cuts out a lot of time and extra dishes.

    How to make paprika hummus

    Start the creamy smoked paprika hummus by adding a peeled clove of garlic to a high-speed blender or a food processor and blitz until it’s chopped finely. 

    Garlic clove chopped in a blender.

    Then add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, roasted red peppers, lemon juice, tahini, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper to the blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.  Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.

    Ingredients for paprika hummus in a blender.

    If you prefer a thinner hummus, while the blender or food processor is running add a tablespoon of ice-cold water at a time to thin it out. Taste and season if needed, more salt, smoked paprika, cumin, or lemon juice.

    Blended paprika hummus in a blender.

    I think the hummus tastes best once chilled, but it does thicken up and the smokiness will mellow out.  After it’s chilled you can always add more smoked paprika.

    Serving suggestions

    There are all sorts of ways to serve this smoky paprika hummus recipe, but here are a few suggestions for this versatile dip.

    • For optional garnishes add fresh herbs, try chopped parsley or cilantro.  Leftover diced red peppers or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper.
    • Serve it with fresh veggies, like carrots, cucumber slices, or sliced bell peppers.
    • Try it with toasted pita bread or crackers.
    • Spread it on your favorite toasted bread with toppings for vegan toast.
    • Thin it out with water or lemon juice and use it as a salad dressing.
    • Add it to a bowl with couscous, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, falafel (or chickpeas), and greens for a Mediterranean-inspired bowl.  Add a little balsamic vinegar if you need a little more dressing for the bowl.
    • Use the roasted red pepper hummus with paprika on a hummus cucumber sandwich or use it to make a veggie wrap.
    • Similar to using it as a salad dressing, thin it out with water or lemon juice and use it as a pasta sauce.

    Storage

    Store leftover paprika hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.  Or freeze for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before consuming.

    Paprika hummus spread out on a plate with diced roasted red peppers and cilantro on top.

    Related recipes

    For more homemade dips for snack ideas try vegan guacamole or vegan pico de Gallo.

    • Oil-free hummus on a plate with chickpeas.
      Homemade Oil-Free Hummus Recipe
    • Hummus without garlic in a bowl with parsley and spices on top.
      Creamy Hummus without Garlic (with 14 flavor options)
    • Buffalo chickpea dip in glass dish with chopped parsley.
      Buffalo Chickpea Dip (Vegan)
    • Vegan curry chickpea salad in a bowl with diced red bell peppers and chopped cilantro.
      Vegan Curry Chickpea Salad

    I hope you enjoyed the recipe for easy hummus with paprika!  If you like it, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.

    Print

    Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Paprika hummus spread out on a plate with diced roasted red peppers and cilantro on top.

    Smoked Paprika Hummus with Roasted Red Peppers


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 2 reviews

    • Author: Allie
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 2 cups 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Paprika hummus is smoky, sweet, and creamy.  It’s easy to make and packed with flavor using roasted red peppers and smoked paprika.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas)
    • 1 cup sliced jarred roasted red pepper or homemade roasted red peppers
    • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • ¼ cup tahini
    • 1  ⅛ teaspoons smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½-¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
    • Pinch of ground cayenne pepper (optional)
    • ¼ cup of ice cold water, if needed

    Instructions

    1. Add a peeled clove of garlic to a food processor and blitz until it’s chopped finely. 
    2. Then add the chickpeas, roasted red peppers, lemon juice, tahini, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper to the food processor and blend until smooth.  Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.
    3. If you prefer a thinner hummus, while the food processor is running add a tablespoon of ice cold water at a time to thin out.
    4. Taste and season if needed, add more salt, smoked paprika, cumin, or lemon juice.
    5. I think the hummus tastes best once chilled, but it does thicken up and the smokiness will mellow out.  After it’s chilled you can always add more smoked paprika.

    Notes

    My homemade roasted red bell peppers weren’t as acidic as jarred ones, so I add 5 tablespoons of lemon juice if I roasted the peppers myself.

    1 cup of roasted red peppers is roughly 2 medium-sized peppers.

    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Category: dips
    • Method: blender
    • Cuisine: mediterranean inspired

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @threelittlechickpeasblog on Instagram and hashtag it #threelittlechickpeasblog

    More Vegan Snack Recipes

    • Avocado tomato on toast on a cutting board.
      Tomato Avocado Toast
    • Strawberry toast with cream cheese and lemon zest.
      Strawberry Toast
    • Cucumber apple smoothie in a glass with a cucumber, apple, and a kiwi in the background.
      Apple Cucumber Smoothie
    • Cherry mango smoothie in a glass with a straw.
      Cherry Mango Smoothie

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Mona

      January 25, 2024 at 4:23 pm

      Absolutely delicious!😋

      Reply
      • Allie

        January 25, 2024 at 6:53 pm

        I'm glad you liked it!

        Reply
    2. Sara

      May 05, 2023 at 1:41 pm

      The hummus was easy to make and we loved the addition of smoked paprika!

      Reply
      • Allie

        May 05, 2023 at 1:49 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for leaving a comment.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    picture of Allie

    Hi, I'm Allie! I love cooking and I want to share my simple plant-based meals with you. Eating this way doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Just simply delicious!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Overnight oats with flaxseed in a jar with raisins.
      Basic Overnight Oats with Flaxseed
    • Oat milk hot chocolate with coconut whip in a white mug.
      Hot Chocolate with Oat Milk
    • Buffalo chickpea dip in glass dish with chopped parsley.
      Buffalo Chickpea Dip (Vegan)
    • Flax seed pudding with banana and strawberries in a jar with diced strawberries on top.
      Easy Flaxseed Pudding

    Recent

    • A bowl with stewed tomato chickpeas, couscous, and diced cucumbers.
      Spiced Chickpea Couscous Bowl
    • Balsamic pickled onions in a glass jar.
      Balsamic Pickled Onions
    • Orzo vegetable soup in a white bowl with chopped parsley and a spoon.
      Vegetable Orzo Soup
    • Vegan baked pumpkin oatmeal in a white baking dish with chopped walnuts on top.
      Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal (Dairy-Free and Oil-Free)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Resources
    • About Me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2024 Three Little Chickpeas

    Copyright © 2025 Three Little Chickpeas on the Foodie Pro Theme

    Paprika hummus on a plate with diced roasted red peppers and cilantro on top.