Black Bean Hummus Bowls

Black Bean Hummus Bowls start with a thick layer of homemade spicy hummus made with black beans and roasted red peppers, and topped off with a pile of fresh veggies and tortilla chips. They’re dairy-free and gluten-free, and make a great addition to your meal prep routine.

*This post was originally published in June 2018. It has been updated with new photos and text, including helpful tips for readers. The recipe remains the same. (An original photo is included at the end of this post).

Hummus is a staple in our house. I make a batch almost every Sunday so we have it on hand all week for healthy snacks and lunches. We love it with veggie sticks, pretzels and seeded crackers, but it also makes a delicious spread on sandwiches, wraps and burgers!

And, of course, we love it in these loaded veggie hummus bowls with air fryer tortilla chips or pita chips!

Why you’ll love these black bean hummus bowls

• Easy to assemble: Once the hummus is made, these bowls come together quickly. (And the hummus is pretty simple to make too!)

• Meal prep friendly: The hummus lasts for 4-5 days, so you can make it ahead and just assemble your bowls when ready to eat. They also last fully assembled in the refrigerator for a few days.

• Customizable: You can pair the hummus with whatever toppings you like and make these bowls your own. I’ve included plenty of topping suggestions below.

What is black bean hummus?

Black bean hummus has all the common ingredients of traditional hummus, including tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. It’s just made with canned black beans instead of canned chickpeas. I also included some roasted red pepper in this recipe for some added taste and texture.

What you’ll need for the black bean hummus recipe

• No salt added black beans
• Red pepper for roasting (or a jar of roasted red peppers, drained)
• Tahini
• Lemon juice
• Garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and black pepper

How to make black bean hummus with roasted red peppers

• Step 1: While you can use a jar of roasted red peppers, I like to roast my own. To do this, just cut a large red pepper into slices and toss with some oil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

• Step 2: Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until they start to char and blister a bit. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

• Step 3: In a food processor bowl, add the red peppers, black beans, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, oil and seasonings, and process on high until creamy. You will need to stop a few times to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Ways to top homemade hummus bowls

For these particular bowls, I added some reserved black beans, canned corn, olives, red onion, tomato, cucumber and a few tortilla chips. I usually add spinach or arugula, and more veggies than pictured here, but I wanted the photo to show the hummus. Feel free to pile on the veggie toppings!

Some other delicious toppings you can try include avocado, green peppers, green onions, zucchini, carrots, micro greens, nuts, seeds, quinoa or lentils. Essentially, whatever you would add to a salad or grain-bowl, you can add to these hummus bowls.

I also like to drizzle a little oil on top just before serving, along with another squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. But that’s totally optional.

Frequently asked questions

• Are hummus bowls healthy? These black bean hummus bowls contain plenty of plant based protein and fibre, and are loaded with fresh veggies. For me, that makes a healthy meal. They’re high in calories, however, so just keep that in mind and enjoy them in moderation.

• How can you meal prep these bowls for lunch? Divide the hummus into four glass containers with lids. Prepare your desired toppings and place them on top of the hummus (except the tortilla chips). Cover and store in the refrigerator. If you’re not going to enjoy these bowls within 2-3 days, just store the hummus separately and add the toppings when ready to eat.

• How long will these hummus bowls last? If stored properly, the black bean hummus should last 4-5 days. While you can assemble these bowls 2-3 days in advance, any longer than that and I would wait to add the toppings to the hummus.

• Can you freeze hummus? You can, but I don’t usually do it as I find hummus doesn’t have the same texture after it’s frozen and thawed.

Additional recipe tips and substitutions

• Be sure to roast the peppers skin side up. I don’t normally remove the skins from the peppers but if you want to, just let the peppers cook and blister a little longer. You should be able to lift the skins right off.

• For a short cut, you can use a jar of roasted red peppers. I used a 370 ml jar of flame roasted peppers and just drained them. You end up with a few more red peppers in the hummus, and the hummus isn’t quite as thick, but it still tastes great.

• If you like things a little less spicy, just reduce the amount of crushed red pepper flakes you add to the recipe.

• I used no salt added black beans in this recipe. If your beans have salt added, you might want to reduce the amount of salt you add to the hummus.

• If you’re meal prepping this recipe, you’ll get enough hummus for about 4 bowls. Feel free to use more or less toppings to suit your appetite.

• To keep these bowls gluten-free, make sure your tortilla chips are gluten-free.

• You can also serve this hummus bowl as an appetizer by serving it in a large bowl with all the toppings piled on. Just don’t forget the chips and pretzels for dipping!

More hummus and dip recipes to try

• Roasted Beet Hummus

• Roasted Red Pepper Dip

• Creamy Herb Dip

• Arugula Hummus

• Chipotle Dip

• Edamame Hummus

If you make these Black Bean Hummus Bowls, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.

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