This paleo and vegan roasted red pepper zucchini hummus is nut free and grain free, and it’s a delicious low-carb alternative to the chickpea version!
When I used to be a hummus lover (and boy, did I eat a TON of it), I used to always get the roasted red pepper flavor because it was so delicious. These days, I don’t eat much grains anymore, except for white rice occasionally, but I do get a hankering for a good hummus dip to go with my veggies and crackers now and then.
Recently, I’ve been seeing zucchini being used in such creative ways, like getting blended into smoothies and sauces to create a creamy texture. So I thought, why not try to make a hummus with it?
I was so surprised to find out how well this recipe turned out, especially after sweating out the zucchini to remove the moisture. I just love the versatility of this vegetable and I’m so happy I found a way to enjoy hummus without grains or nuts (which many paleo hummus is made of).
I’ve been eating this with almost everything (it was ESPECIALLY amazing on some grilled pork chops) and I just can’t get enough!
If you don’t love roasted red peppers, you can just do without it for a regular hummus or customize it any way you want! I’m planning to make an olive version next.
The video I posted above shows that I used 2 red bell peppers, but I’m adjusting the recipe to use one so you can taste the hummus part more than the bell peppers. I ended up doubling the other ingredients to blend again to even out the flavors, so excuse the minor detail error.
If you are avoiding grains and/or nuts, or if you are just looking for a great low carb dip recipe, try out this Roasted Red Pepper Zucchini Hummus and you’ll want to slather it on ALL the things!
Roasted Red Pepper Zucchini Hummus (Paleo, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of peeled and cubed zucchini about 1 large zucchini
- 1 red bell pepper halved, seeded, and cored
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Optional: Fresh herbs, paprika, and/or olive oil for garnish
Instructions
- Use 1/2 tsp of sea salt to salt the zucchini and toss. Let sit for 20 minutes in a colander, then pat dry with a paper towel.
- Heat the oven to broil.
- Place the bell pepper on a baking sheet with the skin side up. Broil them for 5-10 minutes until the skin is black and charred.
- Place the bell pepper in a bowl, and cover with a plate so it can steam for 5 minutes. Uncover, peel the skin, then cut into chunks.
- In a food processor, combine lemon juice and tahini and blend until creamy.
- Add zucchini, olive oil, garlic, and 1/2 tsp of sea salt. Blend.
- Finally, add the roasted red peppers and blend until creamy. Add more salt if needed.
- Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the hummus can thicken.
- Garnish with herbs, paprika or more olive oil, and serve cold.
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How exactly do you sweat the zucchini and for how long?
It’s the first step in the instructions. Salting the zucchini and letting it sit for 20 minutes makes it release moisture since zucchinis have a high water content.
You can substitute with any other nut butter!