Easy, creamy hummus flavored with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes for a spicy kick!

Have you ever played that desert island game?! Not that I would be interested in limiting my ability to experiment with a million miscellaneous ingredients, but, if I had to choose a food to take with me to this theoretical captivity, hummus would definitely make the cut! (Joke’s on Tom Hanks…he got stuck with a volleyball!) I have so many ideas for hummus, but I’m trying to pace myself or my blog will be entirely overrun, and I’ll be known solely by the moniker: crazy hummus lady. Oh well, I guess there are worse things. You may be wondering how many hummus varieties there could possibly be, but all you have to do is go to any grocery store and look in their hummus section. Roasted red pepper, olive tapenade, sriracha, garlic, pine nut…there’s one for every type of person out there, unless of course, you don’t like hummus, but does a person like that even exist???
Today’s recipe is Easy Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus. Adding sun-dried tomatoes to a recipe is kind of cheating because there’s so much flavor wrapped up in one ingredient. If you want a shortcut for making a quick dish tasty, though, they are certainly a great option! They’re also the perfect addition to hummus because they’re packed in oil, so you can add them in place of plain olive oil.
Hummus is legitimately one of the easiest recipes you can make. Toss a few ingredients into a blender, and call it a day! I think possibly the only reason there’s some concept of it being difficult is the addition of tahini. But, gone are the days when this was a specialty item sold only at health markets; this sesame seed butter is sold in most regular grocery stores. Do yourself a favor and pick up a jar; it’s so worth it to be able to whip up hummus whenever you please! And if you’re anything like me, “you’ll please” quite a lot;)
INGREDIENT NOTES: For this recipe, make sure to rinse the chickpeas thoroughly and to pick off any loose skins, as that will help make the hummus creamy. If you’re eating your hummus right away, another hack is to blend in a couple ice cubes; I was a little skeptical when a friend told me about this trick as I made hummus all the time and had never heard of such a thing. But, it totally works! It’s best, though, when eating the hummus within a day.
I love using Goya brand chickpeas as they are bigger and softer than any other variety I’ve found. Fresh herbs add to the flavor of this hummus for sure, but if they’re not in season, or you can’t easily access them, store-bought or dried will work. I used Trader Joe’s oil-packed sun dried tomatoes; any brand should be totally fine, as long as they are in oil. Lemon pepper is not a must; I think it adds a nice lemon flavoring, as there’s no lemon in the hummus, but plain black pepper definitely works, too!
Hummus is ready within minutes, so you’ll have a tasty, protein packed snack before "the hangries" strike! I also like it on top of grain bowls with roasted vegetables and a fried egg or edamame; I dip sweet potato chips or carrots into it; and if I’m being totally honest, I eat it plain by the spoonful! It would also be perfect with pita chips or spread on a sandwich. However you choose to regularly eat hummus, homemade hummus is an even more nutritious, even more delicious, easy and hearty option for all your hummus needs!
EASY SUN-DRIED TOMATO HUMMUS (V, GF, DF, SD)
Yield: about 2 cups
What You'll Need:
1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
6 generous tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, in oil
1 heaping tablespoon tahini
2 large cloves garlic, chopped in half
2 tablespoons basil puree*
scant 1 tablespoon roughly chopped, fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon lemon pepper (ensure brand is gluten free, if needed)
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, to taste(I used about a ½ teaspoon, but adjust to your own preference)
½ teaspoon salt (sun dried tomatoes are quite savory, so taste before adding extra salt, or omit if sensitive to sodium, especially if using chickpeas that have added salt)
How To Make it
1. Remove as many chickpea skins as you’re able to, and then add chickpeas to a large, high speed blender or food processor with sun dried tomatoes and tahini. Puree for a minute, and then scrape down the sides.
2. Add in remaining ingredients, and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Eat immediately, or chill prior to eating. Store the hummus in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, if it lasts that long! If it thickens too much to your liking from refrigeration, add extra oil, aquafaba(chickpea brine), or water to thin out the texture.
*You can buy basil puree or make it with fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of oil, which freezes well in ice cube trays; you could try subbing pesto, but make sure it’s a plain variety, or you may need to cut back on garlic and seasonings; I’ve also used about a ⅓ cup roughly chopped, fresh basil leaves.
Want more delicious recipes to enjoy? Be sure to join my mailing list for updates, and exclusive cooking offers. Enjoy,
Abby
Comments