Hatch Green Chile Hummus

A creamy, smokey and delicious dip; this Hatch Green Chile Hummus is easy to make.

Ultra creamy, flavorful and with a hint of spice, this dip is perfect for parties or to enjoy with a meal.

Jump to:

• What is Hatch Chile
• Making the best hummus
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Serving and Storage
• Recipe FAQs
• More Dips to try
• Hatch Green Chile Hummus

Dips are often the most celebrated dish of any party. They are colorful, flavorful, easy to make and so very versatile. For a get together or for a gathering I like to make different kinds of dips.

From this super popular Papdi Chaat Dip to a lip smacking Mango Salsa and Layered Greek Dip; I have made them all for different parties.

Hummus is one amazing dip. With a base of garbanzo beans, it is so very versatile. Spice it up with a colorful vegetable or add some flavorful toppings and the dip is a totally new one.

Moreover, it pairs beautifully with all kinds of chips and vegetables. And not to forget it borders on the healthier side with no butter, cream or flour. It is truly a canvas that can be modified to suit the audience.

What is Hatch Chile

A popular pepper from Hatch valley region in New Mexico, USA; Hatch Chile is a flavorful spice for so many recipes. A super seasonal pepper, this makes its appearance only between August and October.

This pepper has an amazing flavorful flesh but the skin is almost inedible. And so we roast these in the oven or on an open grill and remove the skin. Then the flesh works for any recipe of choice.

The pepper is slightly sweet, spicy and super earthy. They add a lot of zing to hummus, salsa or any other dips. Plus, a great pepper to add to pastas, sandwiches and even Mexican mains.

Given the limited availability of this pepper, we can buy them, prep them and freeze to use later. However, if you would like to save yourself from all this, simply get them canned, frozen or prepared. These can then be added to any recipe throughout the year!

Making the best hummus

Today, we are making a Hatch Green Chile Hummus recipe. What makes it special is the addition of Hatch Chile. However, we need the basics of a good hummus in the recipe for sure.

• The best hummus starts with chickpeas or garbanzo beans. They need to be cooked but not mushy. And they can be made perfect in two ways. One is to peel every chickpea and use. This however, is pretty tedious. So the second option is to add a pinch of baking soda while cooking the chickpeas. This softens the skin and yields a super creamy hummus.
• The second element is tahini. While a lot of folks make it at home; I like to use a good quality store bought tahini. I love the one from Trader Joe's or the one from Soom. They both work great. Plus, do not skimp on this one. It helps with flavor.
• Using a food processor often makes all the difference. The sandy yet creamy texture is best achieved in it. A blender often blends it too smooth instead of textured.
• Finally, ice cold water. If you have noticed, the moment tahini touches lemon juice, it tends to turn crumbly. And then, when you add ice cold water, it helps loosen up the tahini, make it pale colored and super fluffy. So make sure you use ice cold water when blending hummus.

Why this recipe works

• It gives us a creamy and super fluffy hummus.
• This hummus is Vegan.
• The recipe is a fun twist on traditional hummus.
• The Hatch Green Chile hummus is flavorful and has the perfect spice and earthy taste.
• It is a guilt-free dip with zero cream, flour and butter.
• The same recipe is easy to make in under 15 minutes by simply using canned chile and garbanzo beans.
• This dip is great with various chips, crudités or fries.
• It is a naturally gluten-free recipe.
• Adjust the spices and spice in the recipe by changing the proportions of the spices and chile.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Garbanzo Beans: We use canned beans for the recipe. Simply boil with water and some baking soda to use. However, dry garbanzo beans work too. For these, soak them overnight, pressure cook with water and baking soda. Then use the garbanzo beans.
• Hatch Chile Peppers: This is the signature of the recipe. Roasted Hatch Chile gives the recipe flavor, mild spice and perfect smokey texture. The peppers need to be roasted before adding. However, canned Hatch chile can be used directly too.
• Tahini: Another key ingredient in every hummus recipe is tahini. Use a good quality tahini or make your own. Both work really well.
• Garlic: To add some zing to the recipe we add some garlic. This is an optional ingredient but I strongly recommend adding it.
• Olive Oil: Good quality olive oil makes all the difference in the recipe. Add some to whip up the hummus to a smooth consistency and then to top it too.
• Seasonings: Along with these ingredients we add some ground cumin powder and salt. They are perfect to season the hummus.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- Place the Hatch Chile in a baking tray in a single layer. Do not overlap them.

2- Place in the oven and broil for 3-4 minutes, flipping once in between. The skin should char but the flesh should still remain intact.

3- Remove and transfer immediately to a ziploc bag. Seal and let it cool.

4- Remove the peppers from the bag and peel completely. Chop them and set aside.

5- In a pan add water and canned garbanzo beans. Also add the baking soda and mix well.

6- Bring to a boil and let the beans cook for 5 minutes. Then turn down the flame and drain the garbanzo beans. Set aside.

7- Add lemon juice, garlic and salt to a food processor. Blend till the garlic crushes.

8- Then add tahini and whip till it is crumbly.

9- Add the New Mexico green chile peppers, cooked garbanzo beans and cumin powder.

10- Blend till smooth. Add water (if needed) and finally add the olive oil. 

11- Once it is smooth, transfer to a bowl.

12- Add more olive oil and top with your favorite toppings. I like to add paprika and chopped Hatch green chile peppers. Serve this Hatch Green Chile Hummus with your choice of chips or cut vegetables.

Expert Tips and Notes

• Fresh Hatch Chile give us the best flavor in hummus. Roast them well and use in the recipe. In Hatch chile season a lot of street roasters are able to roast the peppers and sell. These work too.
• If using canned peppers, make sure they are drained well and used. Excess liquid will make the hummus too thin.
• If hatch chile is not available, use a mix of poblano and jalapeños. However, they are spicy so use only half the amount in the recipe.
• Add garlic, salt and oil to the food processor before any other ingredient. That way, the garlic is mellow in the recipe. However, it can be added with the other ingredients for a bold flavor.
• I strongly recommend using a food processor for the recipe. A blender tends to blend it to a paste rather than a hummus consistency.
• Do not skimp on the tahini or olive oil. These give the best texture and taste in the hummus.
• As we use garbanzo beans, the hummus tends to become thicker on standing. So adjust the consistency while making it.

Serving and Storage

The Hatch Chile hummus is great straight from the food processor. However, it can be stored too. It does thicken on standing.

Transfer to an air tight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Leaving it open tends to form a skin on top. Serve cold from the refrigerator.

The hummus is easy to freeze for up to two months.

Serve hummus with your choice of sides. Naan bread, pita bread, roti chips, tahini cauliflower or sliced vegetables work well to enjoy with the hummus. Moreover, store bought pita chips, fries and potato chips are great too.

Recipe FAQs

More Dips to try