Dinner Party Appetizer: Hummus Made With Roasted Jalapeños & Cilantro

This is one of my favorite new recipes because it's so versatile. I use it as a spread on sandwiches, as a snack with crunchy veggies, or as an extra on salads. You can also pair this dip with The Beet's homemade tortilla chips for a crunchy, healthier indulgence.

I was inspired by chiles toreados, or blistered jalapenos, which I love to use in dishes. Then I thought to myself, how can I make hummus a little more fun? So I added the chiles toreados to the food processor along with cilantro and lime juice for some brightness and it all came together. Save leftovers in the fridge for a few days and enjoy this dip all spring and summer long.

Roasted Jalapeno-Cilantro Hummus

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 17 oz Chickpeas
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ⅔ cup Lemon Juice
• 1 ¼ cup Lime Juice
• ½ cup Tahini
• 3 Tbsp Roasted Garlic
• 3 Tbsp Water
• 1/8 tsp Ground Cumin
• ¼ tsp Ground Coriander
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Tbsp EVOO
• 1 cup (tightly packed) Cilantro
• 2 each (medium size) Jalapeno

Instructions

For the Slow Roasted Garlic

1. Heat oven to 275 degrees
2. Take a head of garlic and separate it into cloves but leave the skin on. Discard any remaining skins that shed. Place the cloves on a baking sheet.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown and fragrant. Be careful not to burn.
4. Peel cloves and set aside.

For the Charred Jalapeno

1. Preheat the oven to broil. Cut the jalapenos in half and remove seeds and stems. Place pepper skins-side up on a small baking sheet.
2. Char the jalapeno for about 5-10 minutes until the skin wrinkles and begins to char. Remove from the oven and cool in a closed container to make peeling easier.
3. Remove peppers from the container and peel the skins.

For the Hummus

1. Drain chickpeas and place in a medium saucepan with baking soda. Cover the chickpeas by a couple of inches with filtered water and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
2. Continue boiling, reducing heat if necessary to prevent overflow for about 20 minutes or until soft and their skins are falling off. In a fine-mesh strainer, drain the chickpeas and run cool water over them, and set them aside.
3. Place chickpeas in a blender or food processor with olive oil, cilantro, salt, coriander, cumin, lime juice, lemon juice, roasted jalapenos, tahini, and roasted garlic cloves.
4. Blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
5. Spread the hummus on seasonal veggies, our fennel crackers, or our oat bread! Hummus will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for one week, though fresh is always best!

Nutritionals 

Calories 468 | Total Fat 20.6g | Saturated 2.9g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 540mg | Total Carbohydrate 56g | Dietary Fiber 16.2g | Total Sugars 9.6g | Protein 19.5g | Calcium 181mg | Iron 7mg | Potassium 858mg |