Paprika Hummus (Without Garlic)

A smoked paprika hummus without garlic that has a delicious earthy warmth. The roasted red peppers give this easy hummus a sweetness but the earthy smoked paprika gives it a lovely warm depth and I can't get enough of it.

Jump to:

• What is hummus?
• Why this is the best hummus without garlic
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions and variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• FAQ
• Other recipes to try
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

What is hummus?

Hummus (sometimes spelled houmous or hoummos) is a smooth dip made from chickpeas that originated in ancient Egypt, hence why chickpeas are also known as Egyptian peas! Hummus is traditionally made with cooked chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil.

Why this is the best hummus without garlic

The smoked paprika and roasted bell peppers in this garlic-free hummus make it so smoky and delicious, more than compensating for the lack of garlic. I make this hummus garlic free as it can be an overpowering flavor, and I wanted the smoked paprika to sing. Slather it onto pita bread, crusty baguette, or crudites. Spread this paprika hummus in a sandwich. Dollop it onto a salad. Its possibilities are endless and it's just. so. simple.

Easy homemade hummus is so simple to make, I wonder why anyone ever buys it. With a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and a few basic pantry items, you can make your own basic hummus recipe, and create your own flavors.

Ingredients

1. Chickpeas/garbanzo beans: I use canned chickpeas for hummus, and usually reserve the water as well as it can help thin down the consistency if needed.
2. Red bell peppers: Red bell peppers are the sweetest bell pepper variety, and have a gorgeous vibrant color. We char them to get a delicious smokiness.
3. Tahini: Tahini is a smooth paste made from sesame seeds
4. Fresh lemon juice: Lemon juice gives a fresh zing to recipes and vital acidity.
5. Extra virgin olive oil: A small amount of oil helps to emulsify the ingredients and achieve a beautifully creamy taste. You can add more for a silky smooth hummus texture if you don't like a chunkier consistency as I do.
6. Smoked paprika: Paprika comes in two types, hot and smoked. Use smoked paprika in this garlic-free hummus.
7. Parsley: Parsley is a fresh-tasting herb that complements so many other ingredients, it is a real all-rounder and adds delicious flavor.
8. Salt and pepper: A twist of salt and some freshly ground black pepper are the finishing touches in this garlic-free hummus recipe.

See the recipe card for all the quantities and step-by-step instructions.

Does hummus need garlic?

In my opinion, if you make homemade hummus with other flavors to compensate then no. I use roasted red pepper and paprika in this recipe which give it a delicious strong taste and as a result, I do not feel it needs garlic. Garlic is a delicious flavor, and it is traditionally used in hummus but the best thing about cooking and making fresh homemade food is that you can experiment and play with what you like.

How to cook dried chickpeas for hummus?

I soak dried chickpeas for 12 hours before cooking them, so normally I'll place dried chickpeas in a large bowl or saucepan, cover with 4 times their volume of water and leave overnight. Then, drain the chickpeas and boil them in salted water for around 90 minutes until tender.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius / 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You want the skins to char slightly to give even more of a smoky flavor to this hummus so use a hotter oven than usual for roasting.
2. Prepare the bell peppers by slicing them into large chunks and removing the seeds, then place them on a lined baking tray and drizzle liberally with oil.
3. Roast your bell peppers in the oven for 30 minutes or until the skins look silky and lightly charred on the edges. Give the tray a shake halfway through roasting.
4. Drain the chickpeas, reserving the water.
5. Blend the ingredients. Place the chickpeas, tahini, peppers, lemon juice, olive oil, and paprika into a food processor and blend until smooth. If the hummus needs to be thinned out slightly, use a splash of the reserved chickpea water. Season to taste with salt and pepper
6. Serve the hummus without garlic with a drizzle of olive oil and chopped parsley.

Top tip: I often serve hummus as an appetizer! I make canapes for parties by spreading a small amount of hummus onto a crostini and sometimes topping it with a piece of goat cheese too.

I also always recommend growing your own herbs. It makes cooking so much easier to just be able to grab a handful of whatever you need and fresh is always best!

Substitutions and variations

Here are a few ways you can change up this paprika hummus recipe to suit you.

1. Beans - instead of using chickpeas you could try this with other types of beans, or even cooked lentils.
2. Spicy - use hot paprika instead of smoked paprika, or both! You could also add some ground cumin to add some extra earthy warmth.
3. Deluxe - Sprinkle some goat cheese over the top.

Looking for other easy dip recipes? This beetroot hummus is another easy hummus without garlic and this broad bean dip is great too.

Equipment

You will need a decent blender or food processor to make this no-garlic hummus nice and smooth, and an oven tray or cookie sheet to roast your bell peppers.

Storage

Store any leftover garlic-free hummus in the fridge in an airtight container and consume within 3-4 days.

You can also freeze hummus without garlic easily, simply move it into an airtight container and freeze it. It might need a bit of a stir once defrosted, or you can put it back in the food processor.

FAQ

Other recipes to try

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