Butternut Squash Hummus with Spiced Pepitas
Butternut Squash Hummus is ultra creamy with sweet and smoky flavors. It’s topped with utterly addictive spiced pepitas for a dip that everyone will remember!
I’m easing my way into fall today with this Butternut Squash Hummus with Spiced Pepitas! I even cracked open a can of pumpkin last week.
That’s a huge step for me!
I created this fall inspired recipe for a virtual baby shower for three of my favorite bloggers. I’ve had the privilege of meeting all three of these ladies in person and they’re all so talented. If you haven’t visited their blogs before, click the links below and check them out. Their recipes always inspire me!
Kristine @ Kristine’s Kitchen
Denise @ Sweet Peas & Saffron
Ashley @ The Recipe Rebel
I wish all of these lovely ladies the best of luck with their new additions when they arrive, and hope that they’re all great nappers. 🙂
Don’t forget to check out the other recipes for this virtual shower toward the bottom of this post!
My mind went to hummus for a savory baby shower appetizer…are you surprised? I have many versions here including my lemon, white bean, and green hummus to name a few.
Since fall is on the horizon, I wanted to give hummus an exciting fall twist. This recipe does just that with caramelized roasted butternut squash added to the mix. It gives the hummus a nice sweetness, and who can resist that color?
I added some smoked paprika to give it a smoky flavor as well, but the spiced pepitas take it over the top.
Be warned — one taste of these pepitas and I was hard pressed to stop eating them. They’ve got an addicting sweet-smoky-spicy flavor that I just can’t get enough of.
You might want to double the batch!
I tried this recipe with both homemade roasted butternut squash and canned butternut squash puree. While the puree version was fine, it was no where near as flavorful as the one with the fresh roasted butternut squash.
I know it’s nice to cut corners sometimes, but believe me — roasting your own butternut squash for this recipe is completely worth the effort.
If you use fresh butternut squash, the hummus will be on the thicker side. If that bothers you, go ahead and add a tablespoon or two of water to thin it out some.
This Butternut Squash Hummus with Spiced Pepitas will be the star appetizer for your fall gatherings or holidays. It’s smoky, sweet, and spicy with the intoxicating crunch of pepitas. The pomegranate is a lovely garnish that I highly recommend, and makes it look even more festive.
Fall is starting to look really good.
More butternut squash recipes you’ll enjoy:
Butternut squash mac and cheese
Roasted Butternut Squash Falafel Bites by She Likes Food
Butternut Squash Hummus with Spiced Pepitas
Ingredients
For the hummus:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 cup cubed butternut squash cut into 1" cubes*
- 15 ounces chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-2 tablespoons of water optional
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish (optional)
For the pepitas:
- 1 cup raw pepitas
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Roast the butternut squash:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
- Place the butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and roast in the lower third of the oven in an even layer for 25-35 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Roast the pepitas:
- While the butternut squash roasts, place the pepitas on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil, maple syrup, spices, and salt and roast in the upper third of the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove from heat and cool.
Prepare the hummus:
- Place the cooled butternut squash, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, pepper, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
- With the processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to thin out the hummus if desired.
- Serve topped with the pepitas, and garnish with pomegranate and chopped cilantro or parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- The pepitas contain a high amount of fat and calories (about 170 calories and 15 grams of fat per 1/4 cup), but the fat is made up of the good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated). They also contain 9 grams of protein per serving and are rich in iron (14%).
- You'll more than likely have some pepitas leftover which is a good thing because they're great for snacking! Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
- *You may use canned butternut squash puree to save time but the flavor is much better with fresh roasted butternut squash!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
35 Comments on “Butternut Squash Hummus with Spiced Pepitas”
Yay for breaking out the pumpkin! I’m all about hummus, and this butternut squash hummus looks absolutely perfect! I love the fall flavors and color, too. Such a great dish for this time of year and perfect for celebrating a baby shower! 🙂
Thanks Gayle!
Gahhhh I love fall flavored hummus!!! This sounds fantastic – ESPECIALLY with those pepitas!! I feel like I’d want to put them on everything! haha Or just eat them right off the baking sheet…
Thanks Ashley and these pepitas have been my undoing! I think they need a post of their own! 🙂
Oh my goooooosh, this hummus is fall perfection! I’ve NEVER had butternut squash hummus before but this is seriously such a good idea, Marcie!
Thanks Sarah! It was the first time I’d tried it and now I don’t want hummus any other way!
Oh hello, heaven! I am all over this!
It’s hummus heaven for sure! Thanks Julia!
I love everything about this recipe, but those pepitas have me gaping. YUM!
The pepitas are crazy good!! Thanks Kelsie!
I’m all about the butternut squash (step aside, pumpkin – lol), so I know I’m going to devour this whole bowl. It would be dangerous around me. I bet the sweetness from the butternut makes it extra good with salty chips/crackers!
The butternut makes this the best hummus I’ve had and I love that autumn color! Thanks Liz!
I have cracked open two cans of pumpkin and you may recall I’m not a big fan of pumpkin.. lol. BUT, I seriously think I may be changing my mind! Just don’t tell anyone. 😉 Anyways, butternut squash is one of my favorite fall veggies (alongside brussels sprouts), and you know I have an obsession with hummus, so this is toe-ts calling my name! I have a hummus recipe coming up and it’s kinda similar? But not really. But I just don’t want you thinking I’m stealing your ideas! Yours looks waaay better, so I’m over here re-thinking all my life’s decisions! 😉 I’m a weirdo, I know. Just hand me a vat of this hummus.. mmmkay? Cheers, girlfriend!! <3
I won’t tell anyone. 🙂 And don’t worry…I’d never think you were copying me. Similarities happen all the time and I can’t wait to see your version cuz I know you’re gonna knock it out of the park like you always do!
Butternut squash hummus is such a brilliant idea! Perfect for this time of year when it’s still warm but squash is already in season. I could see myself eating the whole batch while watching football!
Also, congrats to Ashley, Denise and Kristine on their little bundles of joy! I wish I could have participated with you girls but this month was a little crazy for me. You all did a wonderful job, everything looks delicious!
Thanks so much Sarah! I’m always looking for ways to get more butternut squash into my life so this perfect!
Hahaha, I’m pretty sure I opened the pumpkin as soon as it hit the shelves, but only because I’m working ahead to get ready for the babe! Thank you so much Marcie! I don’t know what I would do without you guys <3
You’re so welcome Ashley and I wish we could have all celebrated in person!
Haha you are too cute, Marcie! 🙂 I feel the same way about not wanting to let go of summer but have to admit that I totally cracked open the pumpkin on a scorching day in July for a video lol.
Love this hummus, Marcie! The addition of butternut squash is such a great idea – I could easily finish off this bowl in one sitting 🙂
I’m not normally working too far ahead but maybe one day I’ll be more organized? Thanks Kelly and hope you’re having a great weekend! 🙂
This looks absolutely amazing, Marcie! Love the sweet/spicy/smoky combo, and of course butternut squash is one of my favorite foods! Thanks so much for the baby shower, you ladies are the absolute sweetest!
You’re so welcome Denise! Best of luck to you with the birth of your new addition! 🙂
We are totally on the same wavelength with the butternut squash today! I love hummus and this version looks amazing!! I love the spiced pepitas on top!
We were weren’t we?? Your falafel look amazing and I’m dying to try it!
I’m loving all the recipes in this virtual baby shower! This hummus looks perfect! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you Mira!
Marcie, it is so sweet of you to create this for your friends! I hope they have good nappers as well 😉 I love the idea of the pomegranate added in – what a wonderful twist! I often roast butternut squash for other recipes and have some leftover, so now I know what to do with the extra!
Thank you Katherine! The pomegranate really is delicious here and yes — this is perfect for your leftover squash!
That looks like the hummus of my dreams, Marcie! And I agree – nothing like home-roasted butternut squash! Gorgeous!
Thank you so much Nora!
Thanks so much!
I haven’t made hummus in ages – definitely need to change that because this looks so good. Made me hungry looking at those photos! 🙂
Thank you Stacey! 🙂
Yummy! Such an interesting blend of flavors…and the pepitas are amazing!
I did make a couple of tweaks…added some cinnamon to both the pepitas and hummus; And added some cumin to the hummus to help amp up the flavor even more.
One question/comment: would be helpful if you were specific about what quantities to divide the olive oil amount into for the hummus; I just eyeballed it, but a more specific split would be helpful.
Thanks for your feedback Paula, and I will definitely specify the amount of oil to use for the squash and hummus!