Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish

Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish … a delicious twist on classic hummus that makes a tasty party appetizer or healthy snack!

This post contains affiliate links for products I used in this recipe.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t really sure what to expect when we moved to Dallas.

I’d never been to Texas before, much less Dallas, and we only knew a few people who lived here. I knew it wasn’t going to be anything like NYC, but that was about it.

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!

We are settling in slowly but surely, and being the foodie that I am, my favorite part has been scoping out the local restaurant scene.

On one of our first nights in Dallas, we ate at a local sports bar. I’m not a huge sports fan, but I do love food, and their hummus was amazing!

It was smokey and spicy, and I knew I had to recreate it at home.

This Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish is my version of that dish, and I know you are going to love it, too!

I absolutely adore hummus. It’s healthy and full of flavor, can easily be customized, and it’s super easy to make at home. Check out my post How to Make Hummus for everything you ever wanted to know about this delish dip, plus more recipe ideas!

How to Make Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish

This first step to this Southwest Hummus recipe is making the homemade Spicy Corn Relish. It adds so much flavor to the hummus, plus it makes the finished dip look colorful and pretty, so don’t skip it.

To make this easy corn relish recipe, you’ll simply char a cob of corn and quickly saute half a red pepper, then combine these veggies with canned green chilies and fresh lime juice. It’s simple and delicious!

Tip: this recipe makes about twice as much Spicy Corn Relish as you’ll need to top the hummus. If you’re serving this Southwestern 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!

To make this Southwest Hummus recipe, you’ll combine chickpeas with garlic, tahini, green chilies, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, and smoked paprika.

Have you ever used tahini before? Tahini is a sesame seed paste, and it’s what makes hummus taste like hummus. I love it’s unique, nutty flavor. You can find it in many grocery stores (shop your local Middle Eastern market if you have one) or on Amazon if you can’t find it locally.

Another key ingredient in this Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish is one of my all-time favorite spices, smoked paprika. It adds a delicious smokey flavor that makes this hummus hard to resist. Smoked paprika is a super versatile spice. I also used it in my Smokey Black Bean Edamame Burgers and my Lemon Garlic Edamame Dip.

Simply blend all the Southwestern Hummus ingredients together in a food processor (I love my mini Cuisinart Food Processor), then top it with the Spicy Corn Relish. So easy and tasty!

Serve this Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish with a mix of fresh veggies and pita bread or chips for a yummy party appetizer or healthy snack.

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Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

This Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish is the perfect party appetizer!

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 120 kcal

Ingredients

For Spicy Corn Relish:

• 1 corn cob, husked
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing corn
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 (4-oz.) can green chilies, divided
• 1 lime, cut into quarters
• salt and pepper

For Southwest Hummus:

• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 (15.5-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• cayenne, to taste
• 1 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro

For Serving:

• veggies
• pita bread or pita chips

Instructions

Prepare corn relish:

1. Heat a medium pan over medium-high heat.

2. Lightly brush corn with olive oil; add to pan and cook, turning frequently, until blackened in spots.

3. Remove corn from pan and set aside.
4. Wipe out pan, add 1 tsp. olive oil, and return to medium-high heat.
5. Add bell pepper to pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until slightly softened and blackened on some edges.
6. Transfer pepper to a small bowl.
7. When corn is cool enough to handle, stand on end and use a sharp knife to remove kernels from cob.
   
8. Add corn to pepper, along with 1/2 the can of green chilies and juice from 1 of the lime wedges (reserve remaining chilies and lime for hummus).
9. Stir corn relish together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
   

Prepare hummus:

1. Add garlic to bowl of a food processor and process until minced.

2. Scrape down bowl, then add chickpeas, tahini, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt, plus juice from the remaining 3 lime wedges and the remaining canned chilies.

3. Process mixture until about 3/4 smooth, scraping down bowl once or twice.
4. Taste and add cayenne to taste, if desired, plus cilantro.
5. Process until completely smooth.
6. 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

This recipe only used about half of the corn relish. There are a million ways to use the leftovers. Try eating it with tortilla chips for an easy snack, use it to top a backed potato, or sprinkle it over your tacos.

This Southwest Hummus recipe with Spicy Corn Relish is easy to customize to taste.

• 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 Southwestern Hummus recipe will still be super tasty because the other ingredients are so flavorful.
• Don’t confine yourself to a dip! It’s a great sandwich spread or use it to make a Southwest Hummus wrap. Yum!

Whether you serve it spicy or mild, this Southwest Hummus with Spicy Corn Relish is sure to be a hit!

Looking for more Hummus recipes? Then, you’ll love these:

• How to Make Hummus (the BEST, most authentic recipe + tons of tips)
• Layered Greek Hummus Dip
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Easy Olive Hummus
• Hummus Sandwich with Pesto and Veggies

What is your favorite hummus flavor?

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