This delicious pumpkin hummus inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine is easy to make, low in calories and makes for a highly addictive dip or spread. Its creamy texture, health benefits and tasty seasoning combine as a perfect appetizer for fall.
There must be something about hummus as many countries like Greece, Izrael, Turkey or Egypt claim it as their own. However, all we know for sure is that it has been consumed in Egypt in the 13 century and that hummus in Arabic means chickpea.
Having lived in the Middle East for over a decade, I encountered hummus quite often. We used to visit our favorite Lebanese restaurant located on the corner of our street. There, they served hummus and various fresh vegetables – carrots, cucumbers, spring onions, and radishes. Another favorite of mine is the Lebanese baba ganoush dip, as well as the classic Lebanese tabbouleh salad made with parsley, tomatoes, and bulgur wheat. Such a treat as it was fresh, tasty, healthy, and affordable. Later, when we moved back to Europe, I found some hummus in supermarkets, but it wasn’t even close. And I started to miss the hummus from my Lebanese restaurant.
So I searched around for other options and found that you can make it at home. Buying all the ingredients I experimented a little but still couldn’t come up with the same taste as I remembered from the restaurant. I delved deeper and discovered that you can make various flavours such as sweet potato hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, pumpkin hummus, avocado or even chocolate hummus! Except for the chocolate one I have tried them all. And I came to the conclusion that the hummus I liked the most is actually flavoured pumpkin hummus and that’s the one they served that time in the restaurant. So this pumpkin hummus recipe is a result of my experiments. But let’s start with the ingredients first:
What is hummus made of?
Chickpeas
The main ingredient of hummus are Chickpeas known also as garbanzo beans or Cicer arietinum. If you completely replace chickpeas with something else then it is not a hummus anymore. Chickpeas are the most widely consumed legumes in the world, this is because chickpeas are not only tasty but also super nutritious and a gluten-free source of plant-based proteins. It is also rich in iron, magnesium and vitamin B-6.
Pumpkin
Adding pumpkin to the mix will not only give a beautiful orange colour to your hummus but also improve its nutritious aspect. Low in calories, pumpkin belongs to the category of nutrients dense food. With a high content of vitamin A, C and E and potassium, pumpkin is versatile and easily added to your diet. This pumpkin soup with carrot is irresistible. Most people refer to pumpkin as a vegetable, whereas it is in fact, a fruit with many seeds. Nutritionally however it is more similar to a vegetable. Alternatively, you can use canned pumpkin puree like in this delicious pumpkin pie smoothie or you can use powdered pumpkin and make this dehydrated pumpkin pie.
Tahini
Tahini – This high in calories pasta made from ground sesame seeds is commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine. It is a must-use ingredient in hummus that accomplishes a specific taste and nutritional value of hummus. Tahini contains healthy fat, vitamins, and minerals that play vital roles in bone health and energy production
Olive oil
Olive oil – High in antioxidants, olive oil contains nutrients that fight inflammation. These include oleic acid as well as the antioxidant oleocanthal.
Homemade Pumpkin hummus recipe
First step: Start with the pumpkin, depending on the type of pumpkin you use, you will cut it into half, deseed it and peel it off. The best pumpkin for hummus is butternut squash as it has a very smooth and creamy texture. On the other hand, Hokkaido pumpkin doesn’t need to be peeled off before placing in the oven.
To use every bit of the pumpkin, I made these crunchy roasted rosemary and garlic pepitas from the seeds I removed from the pumpkin.
If you still have some pumpkin left you can make this tasty pumpkin curry, pumpkin spice smoothie or Pumpkin pancakes that your kids will go crazy over. Alternatively, if you prefer something savoury this pumpkin soup is just a perfect match.
Second step: Cut the pumpkin into small cubes and roast them in the oven together with garlic, olive oil and rosemary.
Third step: When it’s done, remove it from the oven and let it cool down