Hummus & Veggie Snack Cups
Roasted red pepper hummus forms a peach-orange layer beneath cucumber spears, snap peas, bell pepper strips, and small tomatoes in individual clear cups. The vegetables rise above the rims, making each cup easy to pick up and eat without a shared dip bowl.
These no-cook cups take about 20 minutes to prepare. Thick purchased hummus helps hold the vegetables upright; drying the vegetables and assembling close to serving keeps them crisp and the hummus layer tidy.
Ingredients for Hummus & Veggie Snack Cups
- 2 1/4 cups thick prepared roasted red pepper hummus (about 510g)
- 1 medium English cucumber (about 300g)
- About 6 ounces sugar snap peas (170g)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (about 150g)
- 1 medium orange bell pepper (about 150g)
- 12 to 24 mixed red and orange cherry or grape tomatoes (about 180g)
Equipment: Twelve sturdy, clear 5-ounce cups, a knife, a cutting board, and a spoon.
How to Assemble Hummus & Veggie Snack Cups
- Wash and dry: Rinse the vegetables, dry them thoroughly, and trim the snap peas as needed. Water left on the vegetables can collect in the hummus.
- Cut the dippers: Cut the cucumber into spears and the peppers into long strips. Check their length against a cup; they should extend above the rim and be easy to grasp. Leave the snap peas whole and the tomatoes intact.
- Portion the hummus: Spoon about 3 tablespoons into the bottom of each cup. Keep the upper walls mostly clear so the hummus forms a distinct visible layer.
- Fill and chill: Gently stand cucumber, snap peas, and both colors of pepper in the hummus. Tuck one or two tomatoes between the taller pieces near each rim so they stay visible instead of sinking. Leave enough room to pull out one vegetable at a time. Serve cold, or loosely cover and refrigerate until serving.
Choose Cups and Cut Vegetables That Fit
Clear, high-sided cups show the hummus layer and support the upright vegetables. Assemble one cup before cutting all the cucumber and peppers: cup heights vary, and pieces cut too short can disappear into the dip. If the first cup feels crowded, use fewer pieces rather than forcing them in and smearing hummus up the sides. Adjust the hummus slightly if your cups differ in capacity, leaving room for the vegetables.
Make Ahead and Keep the Vegetables Crisp
Keep cut vegetables in covered containers in the refrigerator, then assemble the cups close to serving for the freshest appearance. Loosely cover finished cups and keep them chilled. Arrange them on a platter to serve; in warm weather, set the platter over ice to help keep the cups cold. Do not freeze assembled cups, since the raw vegetables will lose their crisp texture.
For another individually portioned vegetable appetizer, try cucumber ranch bites.
Hummus and Vegetable Swaps
Another thick purchased hummus will hold the vegetables upright, though it will change the orange appearance of these cups. A few carrot sticks can replace some pepper strips; cut them to a similar length and avoid overpacking.
Nutrition
Yield: 12 snack cups. Approximate nutrition per cup: 100 calories, 3g protein, 4g fat, and 11g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 80 calories, 3g protein, 4g fat, and 9g carbohydrates. Values vary with the hummus brand and the amount of vegetables in each cup.
Equipment
- Twelve sturdy clear 5-ounce cups
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups thick prepared roasted red pepper hummus (about 510 g)
- 1 medium English cucumber (about 300 g)
- About 6 ounces sugar snap peas (170 g)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (about 150 g)
- 1 medium orange bell pepper (about 150 g)
- 12 to 24 mixed red and orange cherry or grape tomatoes (about 180 g)
Instructions
- Rinse the vegetables, dry them thoroughly, and trim the snap peas as needed.
- Cut the cucumber into spears and the peppers into long strips that extend above the cup rims. Leave the snap peas whole and the tomatoes intact.
- Spoon about 3 tablespoons of hummus into the bottom of each cup, keeping the upper sides mostly clear.
- Stand the cucumber, snap peas, and pepper strips upright in the hummus.
- Tuck one or two tomatoes between the taller vegetables near the rim, leaving room to remove the vegetables easily.
- Serve cold, or loosely cover and refrigerate until serving.
Tips
- Dry the vegetables thoroughly so water does not collect in the hummus.
- Assemble one cup before cutting all the cucumber and peppers to check the right length.
- If a cup feels crowded, use fewer vegetables rather than forcing them in.
- Assemble close to serving time for the freshest appearance.
Variations
- Carrot Sticks: Replace some of the pepper strips with carrot sticks cut to a similar length.
- Other Hummus: Use another thick prepared hummus; the color of the cups will vary.