During a brief stay in the US last year, I finally understood the American obsession with pumpkin.
With the abundance of fresh and canned versions of the fall squash available, I began experimenting with all kinds of recipes. Due to my soft spot for desserts and sweet snacks, I ended up making mostly sweet recipes – pumpkin scones, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin cheesecake.
When I eventually returned to Buenos Aires, I brought this newfound love of the fall squash home with me.
Where I live in Argentina, we don’t have the exact type of pumpkin that is widely available in the US. Neither do we have canned puree in the stores, as you’ll find in the US.
We have zapallos though, and since both zapallos and pumpkins are simply different types of squash from the Cucurbita botanical family, zapallos make a perfect substitute.
I especially like using the zapallo ingles, a squash with a thick, dark green skin and orange flesh that produces a subtly sweet puree when roasted.
It’s been a year since my stay in the US, and thinking back on those times brings back all kinds of mouthwatering memories. I’ve been feeling nostalgic about last fall, so a recipe featuring this hearty winter squash was in order.
This time, I decided to make something savory and was struck with the idea of a seasonally-inspired hummus!
This dish is not only a great way to satisfy your hunger, but also an amazing appetizer to serve when friends are over on game day, or a long, lazy afternoon.
This is a twist on the typical hummus recipe, with a hint of pumpkin and a beautiful yellow-orange color. It’s easy to make, as long as you’ve got a food processor or electric blender, and is the perfect way to start any meal.
What are you waiting for? Go make a big bowl of this creamy hummus right now!
The Recipe
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 servings | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 40 minutes |
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Most people love sweet pumpkin recipes, but how about trying a savory one instead? This rich, creamy hummus is perfect for fall and is sure to be a hit!
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- 1 pound fresh pumpkin or zapallo (or 1 ½ cup puree)
- 30 ounces chickpeas* drained (2 cans)
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup water + more as needed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds to garnish
- Freshly ground black pepper to garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the squash into half and place it on a baking sheet, and then roast it for 40 minutes, until the flesh is tender enough to be mashed into a puree.
- Combine the chickpeas, minced garlic cloves, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and ½ cup of water in the bowl of a food processor or electric blender. Process for 20 seconds, scraping down the sides of the processor or blender as needed. Add an extra tablespoon of water at a time if necessary, until the chickpea mixture is thick but smooth.
- Add the roasted puree (or canned puree), ground cumin, and salt. Process until the ingredients are fully combined. Add an extra tablespoon of water at a time if the mixture is too thick, until you get a creamy puree.
- Garnish hummus with toasted pumpkin seeds and freshly ground black pepper before serving with slices of bread or pita chips.
Adapted from Allrecipes.
Nutritional Information*
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Roast the Squash
Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F.
Cut the squash into half and place it on a baking sheet, then roast it for 40 minutes, until the flesh is fork tender.
Remove the seeds and mash up the flesh until pureed. You can use a food processor or blender for this, if you prefer).
Step 2 – Prepare Your Mise en Place
Get the rest of the ingredients for the recipe ready. Since this recipe involves very little hands on time, most of the work goes into preparing the ingredients.
It is best to measure out all the ingredients before you start cooking, so you have everything prepared beforehand and ready to go. This will make the rest of the process much easier.
Step 3 – Prepare the Chickpea Hummus Base
Combine the chickpeas, minced garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and ½ cup of water in the bowl of a food processor or electric blender.
Process the ingredients for about 20 seconds, scraping down the sides of the processor or blender with a rubber spatula as needed.
Add an extra tablespoon of water at a time if necessary, until the chickpea mixture is thick but smooth.
Step 4 – Add the Puree
Add the roasted pumpkin puree (or canned, if you prefer), ground cumin, and salt.
If you are using canned puree, be sure to buy the kind that is plain and unsweetened, without any other ingredients added. You don’t want pre-spiced pie filling (though a sweeter version made with warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg in addition to the cumin could be fun to try…).
Process for 20 seconds, scraping down the sides of the processor or blender as needed.
Add an extra tablespoon of water at a time if the mixture is too thick, until you get a creamy hummus.
Step 5 – Garnish
Garnish hummus with toasted pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
Serve and Impress!
This hummus is so good that you can even eat it by the spoonful (I know I did). However, if you want to impress your guests, serve it with a platter of sliced crusty bread, tortilla chips, or make a batch of our sour barley pita bread.
Want to mix things up a bit? Add a little sprinkle of ground turmeric, which has anti-inflammatory properties and will spice it up a little. Or, really, dash it with any other warming spices to imbue it with the true tastes of autumn.
If you loved this fall-inspired recipe, then you’ll definitely enjoy our recipes for pumpkin sage pie, pumpkin soup, and even Asian-style pumpkin curry!
And if you’re looking for some more delicious flavor combos in the hummus department, check out our recipes for five gourmet varieties.
Can’t get enough garbanzos in your diet? Try our crunchy and spicy snack: oven-roasted chickpeas!
And if you have any leftover tahini, use it to make morning banana smoothies.
Want more pumpkin inspired recipes? Get them here!
What are you favorite ways to eat winter squash? Do you prefer sweet or savory recipes? Let us know in the comments below!
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Photos by Felicia Lim, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details.
*Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Felicia Lim
Felicia Lim is a Singaporean who moved to Argentina for love. Based in Buenos Aires, also known as “the Paris of South America,” she fills her days with freelance writing, recipe development, and food photography – three passions that give her endless joy. When she isn’t typing away at her computer, cooking in the kitchen, or shooting in her balcony-studio, you can probably find her curled up on the couch, lost in the pages of a good book.
Hi Felicia,
This is so good. I particularly like this because there are so many ways I can eat it with.
Well done!
Looking forward to more of your recipes in Foodal.com
Love and blessings
Mum
Glad you enjoyed this recipe!!