Treat yourself to this Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish ... this easy recipe is a delicious twist on classic hummus! Serve it as a tasty party appetizer or enjoy it as a healthy snack!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I wasn't really sure what to expect when we moved to Dallas. I'd never really been to Texas before, much less Dallas.
Of course, one of the best things about moving is getting to explore a new city. With everything to see and discover, it's almost like being on vacation at first! And being the foodie that I am, my favorite part has been scoping out the local restaurant scene.
On one of our first nights, we stopped by a local bar and had the most amazing hummus featuring unique southwestern flavors ... I couldn't wait to get home to recreate my own version of that delicious dip!
This Southwest Hummus is my version of that dip, and I'm pretty sure you're going to love it just as much as I do! It's smokey, spicy, and totally irresistible.
The star of the this recipe is the topping, an easy to make Corn Relish. This tasty relish adds so much flavor to the finished recipe, plus it makes the finished hummus look colorful and pretty.
Ready to try this recipe for yourself? You'll find all the details below!
Ingredients
This recipe is loaded with delicious southwestern flavors, but it uses basic, easy to find ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
- Chickpeas - Canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) form the base of this spicy dip. You can also cook the beans from scratch, if you prefer.
- Tahini - This sesame seed paste is what give hummus its authentic flavor, so don't skip it. Look for it on your grocery store in the international aisle or near the nut butters. If your grocery store doesn't carry tahini, check your local Middle Eastern / Mediterranean market or buy it online ... Joyva and 365 are two of my favorite brands that are relatively easy to find. Tahini has a tendency to separate, so make sure to stir it really well before using.
- Garlic - You'll want to use fresh garlic for this recipe, nothing powdered or from a jar.
- Cumin + Smoked Paprika - This hummus is seasoned with a wonderful combo of warm cumin and smoked paprika.
- Green Chiles - These delicious chiles give this hummus is wonderful southwest flavor! I recommend using Hatch chiles, either spicy or mild depending on your preference.
- Lime Juice - Fresh lime juice is essential for brightening up the flavors of this dip.
- Salt - I recommend using Kosher salt for the best flavor.
Smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices, and it's super versatile. You can find it in my Smokey Black Bean Edamame Burgers, 15 Bean Soup, Lemon Garlic Edamame Dip, and Romesco Sauce, too.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, and gluten free ... which means everyone at your table can enjoy it!
You'll Also Need
To prepare this dip, you'll need a skillet to cook the veggies, and a food processor or a high power blender, such as a Vitamix to prepare the dip. And a good spatula is super helpful ... this silicone spatula is my fave!
How to Make Southwest Hummus
This recipe has a few steps, but it's simple to prepare! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview:
- Cook veggies for relish. You'll start by charring a cob of corn in a skillet and quickly sautéing half a red pepper over medium-high heat.
- Mix relish. Then, you'll combine these veggies with canned green chilies and fresh lime juice.
- Mince garlic in your food processor.
- Add remaining hummus ingredients to garlic. Next, add the chickpeas, tahini, spices, and chiles to garlic, then blend everything together until smooth. Blending for about two to three minutes will make it extra creamy.
- Serve hummus topped with corn relish. Season the hummus to taste with salt, then top it with the corn relish.
And that's all there is to it ... your amazing, spicy Southwestern Hummus is ready to eat!
Tip: this recipe makes about twice as much relish as you'll need to top the hummus. If you're serving this hummus at a party, simply double the quantities for the hummus, and you'll have enough corn relish to top it all. Or you can serve the extra corn relish (try mixing in some black beans) as a separate dip (it would be great with tortillas chips) or use it to top tacos and other Mexican dishes.
Variations
Here are some easy ideas to customize this recipe to your exact tastes:
- Love spicy food? Add a whole 4-oz. can of hot green chilies (I used Hatch Green Chilies ... yum!) to both the relish and the hummus. You could also spike this Southwestern Hummus with your favorite hot sauce or add extra cayenne.
- Can't take the heat? Use mild chilies, which pack more flavor than heat, or skip the chilies altogether. This recipe will still be super tasty because the other ingredients are so flavorful.
- Don't confine yourself eating it as a dip! Hummus makes a great addition to sandwiches and wraps, even pizza.
Whether you serve it spicy or mild, this Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish is sure to be a hit!
Serving Suggestions
Pair this scrumptious hummus with fresh veggies for dipping, pita bread, or something crunchy, like tortilla chips or my favorite homemade pita chips.
This spicy dip would also be delicious in other recipes, like this Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl or this Roasted Veggie Bowl.
Storage
Store leftover Corn Hummus in an airtight container in your refrigerator. The dip will stay fresh for three to four days. You can even freeze hummus, although the topping may not freeze quite as well as the dip itself.
Related Recipes
Looking for other spicy hummus recipes? Then, you'll want to try my Black Bean Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, and Spicy Chipotle Hummus next!
Still can't get enough hummus? Make sure to try these other flavors, too!
- How to Make Hummus (the BEST, most authentic recipe + tons of tips)
- Layered Greek Hummus Dip
- Easy Olive Hummus
- Sun Dried Tomato Hummus
- Roasted Garlic Hummus
- Hummus Pizza
Craving more southwest flavors? Check out my Southwest Pasta Salad and Southwest Black Bean Burgers, too!
Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish
Ingredients
For Relish:
- 1 cob corn, husked
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing corn
- ½ medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, divided
- 1 lime, cut into quarters
- kosher salt
- pepper
For Hummus:
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- cayenne, to taste
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped cilantro
Equipment
Instructions
Prepare relish:
- Heat a medium pan over medium-high heat.
- Lightly brush corn with olive oil; add to pan and cook, turning frequently, until blackened in spots.
- Remove corn from pan and set aside. Wipe out pan, add 1 teaspoon olive oil, then return heat.
- Add bell pepper to pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until slightly softened and blackened on some edges. Transfer pepper to a small bowl.
- When corn is cool enough to handle, stand on end and use a sharp knife to remove kernels from cob.
- Add corn to pepper, along with ½ the can of green chiles and juice from 1 of the lime wedges (reserve remaining chiles and lime for hummus). Stir together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Prepare hummus:
- Add garlic to bowl of a food processor and process until minced.
- Scrape down bowl, then add chickpeas, tahini, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt, plus juice from the remaining 3 lime wedges and the remaining canned chiles.
- Process mixture until smooth, scraping down bowl once or twice.
- Taste and add cayenne to taste, if desired. Add cilantro and pulse in until only small bits remain.
- Serve hummus topped with half of the corn relish (reserve the rest for another use), plus veggies and pita bread or chips for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This looks so good! I know I could eat the entire bowl with no problem.