Jalapeño peppers take the flavor of this creamy hummus to the next level! The trick: roast the peppers to bring out their flavor while mellowing the heat. One bite of this jalapeño hummus and you won't be able to stop!
My first attempt at cooking with jalapeño peppers, or any form of hot pepper for that matter, ended in disaster. The food turned out delicious. I can't remember what it was, but I'm sure it was delicious. The disaster part pertains to the agony I experienced throughout the rest of the day. My hands, face, eyes and nose all sizzled away. This had nothing to do with me eating the peppers, but just from touching them while cooking.
See, the thing about hot pepper burns is this: they sneak up on you. So by the time you realize you've got a problem, you've already been handling the peppers for a good ten or fifteen minutes, so you know things are only going to get worse.
On that particular occasion I also developed some annoying sneezing and eye burning, which of course drove me to start rubbing my eyes and blowing my nose, only leading to the juices burning my hands to end up in my eyes and nose as well. It was really bad. I remember thinking the meal was fantastic but being absolutely miserable while eating it.
I must have really liked that jalapeño flavor though, because here I am sharing a recipe for jalapeño hummus. I'm more careful now, and this stuff is so delicious that it's definitely worth the risk.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Jalapeño peppers. Use fresh peppers (not jarred).
- Chickpeas. We're using canned chickpeas, because they're super convenient. Prefer to cook yours from scratch? Go for it! You'll need 2 cups of cooked chickpeas.
- Garlic.
- Tahini. Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. You'll find it in most hummus recipes. Look for it in the international aisle of the supermarket.
- Olive oil.
- Lime juice. Lime juice goes really well with jalapeño, but lemon can be subbed if you prefer. Whatever you do, make sure to use freshly squeezed juice!
- Ground cumin.
- Salt.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Even though this hummus is made with jalapeños, the very pepper that caused me so much misery, it's not all that spicy (unless you use super spicy peppers — see my notes below!). Briefly popping the peppers under the broiler mellows them out a bit, so you get a little heat, and tons of flavor.
After broiling, let the peppers cool for a bit, and then remove the skins. They should come off easily.
While the peppers cool, blend up your hummus. This hummus uses lime juice instead of lemon, because it goes so well with the jalapeño flavor.
Add the peppers and blend again. You can keep them chunky or blend until smooth.
Grab some pita bread or chips, and dig in!
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover jalapeño hummus will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days, or in the freezer for about 1 month.
Pro Tips
- Let my experience serve as a cautionary tale: wear gloves when prepping your peppers.
- The heat level of jalapeño peppers can range from super mild, to super spicy, and it can be tough to tell where any given pepper falls on the spectrum. Some say that the age of the pepper is a good indicator, with the peppers growing hotter as they get older. Hotter peppers also tend to have a more intense smell. And if you're up for it, dab the pepper on your tongue and see if it burns.
- For extra heat, blend a raw pepper into your hummus.
- For extra flavor, add a handful of fresh cilantro when you blend the roasted jalapeño peppers into the hummus
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
📖 Recipe
Roasted Jalapeno Hummus
Ingredients
- 4 medium jalapeño peppers
- 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your broiler.
- Put on gloves. Cut the peppers in half, and remove stems and seeds.
- Place the pepper halves on a baking sheet, skin sides up, and place them under the broiler.
- Broil the peppers for 5-10 minutes, watching them closely and checking frequently to avoid burning.
- Remove the baking sheet from under the broiler when skins start to bubble. Set it aside to allow the peppers to cool while you get everything else together.
- Place all other ingredients into a food processor bowl and process until smooth and creamy.
- Remove the skins from the peppers once they are cool enough to handle. This should be pretty easy after roasting.
- Add the jalapeños to the food processor and pulse until peppers are chunky and distributed throughout the hummus.
- Serve with pita bread or tortilla chips.
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My jalapenos always run a little hot which made this hummus plenty spicy, but it was quite tasty. It will be on repeat throughout pepper season.
This was delicious! I didn’t follow your advice and my hand is on fire from the jalapeño! Lesson learned...
Made this for my husband. We both love it!
Yay! Glad you both enjoyed it!
Best hummus I’ve ever had! Don’t skip the cilantro!
Woo hoo! I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks Linda!
Yum! I love spicy hummus, this looks wonderful!
Me too! I've tried a few other variations on the spicy hummus theme - using different peppers and what not, but this one is by far my favorite. Thanks Kelly!