Butternut Squash Hummus: A Very Fall Twist on the Classic

A sweet, savory and smoky butternut squash hummus that quick n'easy to make and tastes like a bite of fall on a pita chip.

I'm all about hummus and all it's glorious variations! The very first post on my blog was this beet hummus, where I unequivocally exclaimed that if it's a veggie, it can be a hummus flavor!

Guess what?! I'm now unequivocally exclaiming if it's a squash, it can be a hummus flavor too!

Why this Recipe Works

• Quick and Easy! Once the squash is roasted, which can be done in advance, this butternut squash hummus comes together in 10 min!
• Balance of Flavor! The sweetness in the butternut squash is balanced by the savory tahini and garbanzo beans and smoky spices.
• Smooth and creamy!Thanks to using almost equal parts tahini to garbanzo beans.
• Recipe is Versatile! Quantity can be easily halved or doubled. It's a whole wide squash world out there… feel free to swap in any other squash type too!
• The addition of a roasted butternut squash adds a touch of sweet creaminess and a fun fall seasonal twist to classic hummus.

To Buy Whole or Pre-Cut Butternut Squash… that is the question?

I always prefer to go for the whole produce, in its natural glorious form. That means no pre-cut squash for this gal.

But guess what? Cooking fresh food is literally my job!!!

Buying pre-cut veggies and squashes sacrifices some quality and is generally more expensive. I recommend deciding if it's worth doing so on a recipe-by-recipe basis.

For this butternut squash hummus, if ya need to save time, I'm gonna say buying pre-cut squash is OK. You officially have my blessing to do so (take advantage it's uncommon).

Not all pre-cut squash is the same! Avoid packages that look overly dried out.

Cutting, peeling and seeding butternut squash can be both intimidating and time consuming. So I'm gonna share some tricks to make it both inviting and easier. Basically you want to create flat surfaces (always when cutting), then make make it manageable to work with, peal the skin, cut into moon shapes then cube as efficiently as possible. Step-by-step guide summarized below. For an *epic* in depth tutorial check out this epic Serious Eats video on how to Prepare, Peel and Cut Butternut Squash.

How to Cube Butternut Squash

1. Cut both ends off
2. Divide in half widthwise
3. Using a veggie peeler, peel both halves.
4. Slice seed section in half lengthwise and remove seeds and fiburous flesh with a spoon.
5. Slice and dice the seed section.
6. Slice and dice the top section.

How to Make this Recipe

Roast butternut squash with garlic cloves. Place all ingredients, aside from the olive oil, in a food processor and puree. With the motor running, slowly drizzle the olive oil in and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in a bowl and make hummus art by adding various toppings (optional).

Butternut Squash Topping Ideas

• Cubed roasted butternut squash, or other squash variations
• Fresh minced parsley
• Fried sage
• Toasted pine nuts
• Pomegranate arils
• Flaky sea salt
• Sumac
• Za'atar

I have wayyyyy to much fun adding toppings to my hummus. The PDN photo award badge on my the side bar is from a hummus art series I made!

Cooks Tips

• Butternut squash can be roasted up to 3 in advance.
• If you don't have a food processor, a blender can work as well.
• See my suggestions for all sorts of topping ideas.
• Leftover hummus will keep in the fridge up to 5 days.
• Hummus will thicken up in the fridge, dilute with 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time until you get your perfect consistency again.

Print Recipe

Butternut Squash Hummus

A sweet, savory and smoky butternut squash hummus that tastes like a bite of fall on a pita chip - quick, easy, and real damn good.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Californian, Mediterranean

Servings: 8

Author: Daniela Gerson

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1/2 cup olive oil divided  (2 Tbsp for the squash and 2 Tbsp for hummus)
• 4 cloves garlic skin on
• 4 cloves garlic peeled + minced
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 15- ounce can chickpeas lightly rinsed + drained, reserve liquid
• 2/3 cup tahini
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp each sea salt + pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 1/4 cup ¼ cup ice water, as needed to thin out, or use olive oil.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
• Place cubed butternut squash and unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss with your hands and spread out in one layer on the pan. Roast for 25 minutes, until tender at set aside to cool. Unpeel the garlic.
• Combine the chickpeas, tahini, roasted garlic, butternut squash, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
• With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. Add ice water, liquid from garbanzo bean can and/or olive oil to thin out until desired consistency is reached.
• Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the reserved butternut squash, and other toppings. See my topping suggestions above. Serve with fresh veggies and/or pita chips.

Notes

Cooks Tips

• Butternut squash can be roasted up to 3 in advance.
• If you don’t have a food processor, a blender can work as well.
• See my suggestions for all sorts of topping ideas.
• Leftover hummus will keep in the fridge up to 5 days.
• Hummus will thicken up in the fridge, dilute with 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time until you get your perfect consistency again.

Hummus Variations

Consider this your hummus playground — endless colorful riffs, other mediterranean dips included, plus toppings.

• Beet Hummus — a vibrant, earthy roasted beet hummus that's marvelously magenta.
• Carrot Hummus — a bright carrot hummus that works wonderfully with every color of the carrot rainbow.
• Black Hummus — a dramatic hummus made with black tahini for a richer, nuttier, more intense flavor.
• Hummus Toppings — a playful riff on the classic American 7-layer dip… hummus style.
• Hummus with Spiced Lamb — a popular Middle Eastern dish that turns hummus into a hearty appetizer or full meal.
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus — classic hummus gets a sweet, smoky, orange-ish red upgrade with roasted red peppers.

If you're looking for the perfect hummus topping — these crispy chickpeas were made for every bowl.

Or try green tahini for a brighter, zestier, herbaceous twist on the classic Middle Eastern tahini sauce, whipped feta for a creamy, tangy, party-perfect Mediterranean dip, labneh for a thick, creamy Middle Eastern 2-ingredient yogurt cheese, or muhammara — a sweet, sour, smoky, spicy roasted red pepper and walnut dip.

If ya try this recipe, I'd love to hear about it - leave a comment below and let me know, and tag me on IG, @danielagerson, so I can see too.

Keep exploring for more seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides designed to inspire ya to play in the kitchen.

Let's make waves in the kitchen.