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 hummus and white bean hummus.
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
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”
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!
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! 🙂
Thanks so much!