Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (2024)

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Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (1)

Last Updated on November 5, 2021 by Anne-Marie

Serve this spicy hummus recipe as a dip at your next party. This vegan hummus recipe can be made in 20 minutes or less.

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (2)

Why this recipe works

Got leftover cranberry sauce? Then make up some Spicy Cranberry Hummus.

It can be put together in 20 minutes or less from Thanksgiving leftovers and requires no cooking.

Serve this festive spicy hummus dip at your next holiday party.

The color is so pretty and it looks amazing on your holiday table with sliced peppers in various colors.

Best of all, this vegan hummus recipe is gluten free and dairy free, making it the perfect appetizer for just about all your guests.

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (3)

All the ways you can use spicy hummus

I love that this is a vegan hummus that even non-vegans will enjoy. (Most hummus recipes are vegan, after all.)

It’s also a versatile recipe. You can serve this as a vegan hummus dip.

Or you can use it as a sandwich spread on bread, pitas or a wrap.

Some people like to stir hummus into rice or a vegetable stir fry.

You could thin this easy vegan hummus with vinegar or lemon juice and use it as a vegan salad dressing.

(Looking for more vegan salad dressings? Try my 4 Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes.)

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (4)

Tips for making vegan hummus

Making spicy cranberry hummus is quick and easy.

Tools: You’ll need a high speed blender or food processor to make the hummus recipe easily and quickly.

Here’s Amazon’s recommendation for the best high speed blenders.

I’m a Blendtec blender gal, especially when my kids broke the jar, Blendtec replaced it no questions asked.

Draining the chickpeas: Save the drained water from the chickpeas! Known as aquafaba, it can be used as a substitute for eggs or egg whites in many vegan recipes.

The stuff is pretty amazing! Here are 20 things you can do with aquafaba.

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (5)

Leftovers: This cranberry hummus recipe is designed to use leftovers from the Thanksgiving meal prep like shallots and parsley.

It also uses cranberry sauce from your Thanksgiving meal. If you don’t have any, cook up a new batch or buy more from the store.

(Try my Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce recipe to make this a sugar free hummus recipe.)

Tahini: While I love the taste of tahini, you can make the hummus without it if you don’t want to buy a jar just for this easy vegan hummus recipe.

Now that we found out my daughter’s allergic to sesame seeds (crazy, right?), I leave it out when I make hummus.

I miss the tahini – it does add something special – but it’s better than her having an allergic reaction requiring s dose of Benadryl and possibly an epi-pen.

Chipotle peppers: You can find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the Hispanic/Latino section of your grocery store.

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (6)

How spicy? I’m not into super hot things, but my kids love this homemade spicy hummus because it’s fairly hot.

You can make this more or less spicy depending on how many chipotle peppers you use.

Lowering the fat: To make this a low fat hummus, eliminate the tahini and use less olive oil. If you feel the hummus is dry, add more lemon juice or some water.

Olive oil: Can you make this an oil free hummus? Sure! Add water, a little vegetable broth, or some of the saved aquafaba instead of the olive oil.

There is sesame oil in the tahini and usually some type of oil in the adobo sauce.

So you may want to eliminate the tahini and rinse the adobo sauce off the chipotle peppers to go completely oil free.

Lemon juice: You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice. You could also use lime juice if you wish.

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (7)

Holiday entertaining with cranberry hummus

To make this a completely gluten free appetizer, all you need to do is serve this easy hummus recipe with gluten free crackers.

If you have vegan guests, you’ll need to it with sliced peppers, carrots, and vegan crackers.

Luckily, there are all kinds of terrific gluten free crackers on the market that you can easily find at the grocery store.

I love Good Thins crackers, several varieties which are certified gluten free and vegan. (Just check the box.)

I also like Late July Snacks Chia and Quinoa Tortilla Chips, which are also certified GF and vegan. If you haven’t checked out this brand of chips, please do!

Not only are they tasty, but they’re sturdy enough to stand up to thick dips without breaking.

If you’re tempted to having a selection of regular, non-vegan and GF crackers, please don’t. This way you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination from guests sticking gluten containing or non-vegan crackers into the dip.

Check out the Best Gluten Free Thanksgiving Desserts Recipes and the Best Keto Thanksgiving Recipes for more delicious recipes for your holiday table.

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (8)

More hummus recipes

Looking for more vegan hummus recipes? Try these:

Avocado Hummus

Easy Edamame Hummus

Yield: 8 SERVINGS

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (9)

Serve this spicy hummus recipe as a dip at your next party. This vegan hummus recipe can be made in 20 minutes or less.

Prep Time15 minutes

Total Time15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup cranberry sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1/2 large shallot, minced
  • 1 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 large bell peppers, cut into strips for serving

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients except bell pepper strips, into a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
  2. Spoon hummus into a bowl and serve with bell pepper strips.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1/4 cup

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 168Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 298mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 4gSugar: 14gProtein: 5g

Nutritional information is automatically calculated per the ingredients list. Serving size may not be accurate. Please double-check with your preferred nutritional app for the most accurate information.

Originally published on November 3, 2015. Updated with new photos and information.

Spicy Cranberry Hummus Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why doesn't my homemade hummus taste good? ›

If your hummus is the right consistency or thickness but it tastes dry and pasty, it might be lacking a bit of oil. This recipe relies on the tahini to give it creaminess as I don't find olive oil makes enough of a difference to warrant the extra calories.

Does homemade hummus taste better than store-bought? ›

By using freshly cooked chickpeas, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and top-notch tahini, you're guaranteed a hummus that bursts with flavor. On the other hand, store-bought hummus, while convenient, often lacks the same level of freshness.

What can I add to hummus to make it taste better? ›

Ground cumin and salt: Both improve the flavor of our hummus, and the cumin adds a little extra richness and spice. In our video, I sprinkle Za'atar seasoning on top for serving, which I love!

Why is homemade hummus not creamy? ›

You might need more tahini, garlic, lemon and/or salt and very likely more chickpea water. Add a bit of each as you need, the recipe explains. "Blitz the hummus until very smooth, a few minutes at least. Don't worry about the hummus being too loose; it will thicken as it sits."

What do most people get wrong about making hummus? ›

5 Mistakes To Avoid When Making Hummus
  • Using canned chickpeas instead of dried. ...
  • Not using baking soda when cooking the beans. ...
  • Pureeing the chickpeas when they are cold. ...
  • Using less than stellar tahini. ...
  • Tossing in too much garlic.
May 1, 2019

How to fix bland homemade hummus? ›

Sometimes just an extra pinch of salt can transform a bland hummus into a terrific hummus where all the flavors come together perfectly.

What can I use instead of tahini in hummus? ›

Peanut Butter – We use peanut butter instead of tahini because it has a similar texture and nuttiness to it. Feel free to swap it out for almond butter, but note that you may need to add more liquid if it is on the denser side. Smooth peanut butter would be preferred, but chunky also works great!

Why do you put baking soda in hummus? ›

Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are always superior to garlic powder, and it's especially true in homemade hummus! Baking soda: Adding baking soda to the chickpeas helps make the legume easier to digest, softer, and makes them easy to peel. Don't skip this ingredient!

How do you fix bad taste in hummus? ›

If your store-bought hummus isn't as creamy as you'd like it, or it's a little bland and could use some added flavor, a spoonful or two of greek yogurt or tahini will do the trick!

What's the trick to creamy homemade hummus? ›

Tip for extra CREAMY hummus

Add enough liquid! Compared to other hummus recipes, I use little tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice and olive oil. I want the hummus to taste like chickpeas and not like sesame or slightly bitter due to adding too much olive oil or lemon juice. Ergo, I add enough water.

Why does hummus need tahini? ›

Does hummus need tahini? You bet! In fact, tahini is one of hummus' main ingredients, along with chickpeas and olive oil. That's why our favorite dip can be so rich and delicious—in hummus, tahini adds smoothness to the texture, as well as a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.

Why put ice cubes in hummus? ›

Ice cubes are full of tiny air bubbles that will infuse into your hummus as you blend all of the ingredients together. Similar to beating egg whites or churning ice cream, the blender breaks down the ice, effectively whipping the air bubbles throughout the hummus for the ultimate light and fluffy consistency.

How does hummus taste when it goes bad? ›

You will definitely notice that the hummus is spoiled when you see mold growing on it. The less obvious may be that the hummus offers an unpleasant, off-odor and sour smell. This hummus may also taste sour if you decide to try it. Our recommendation is: when in doubt, always throw the food out.

Can you over mix hummus? ›

Tip: you can't overmix hummus, so be patient and stand there, thinking about things. It's called mindfulness, and I'm pretty sure that only applies to hummus. Then we like to serve it with za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend that usually has dried thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds.

How do you keep homemade hummus from going bad? ›

“You can add lemon juice to reduce the pH and add preservatives, but these usually only extend the shelf life for a couple of weeks in chilled storage. As an alternative, you can pasteurize the hummus and this can extend the shelf life to up to 6 weeks in chilled storage.

Why is my hummus fermented? ›

The effervescent/fermented flavor you taste may be due to how long the restaurant soaked the chickpeas for. There are different schools of thought on what makes the most nutritious hummus: using chickpeas that have been soaked 1-2 days before they sprout or 2+ days, which means that they would have sprouted by then.

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