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Roasted butternut squash hummus is scrumptious! It was born out of my love for both butternut squash and chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). It seemed like a logical move to marry the two and see what happened. The result of this union is a beautifully orange-hued and deliciously earthy hummus that has an accent of za’atar and is garnished with sweet and tart pomegranate seeds. It’s truly a magical marriage of flavor and color!

What’s not to love about butternut squash? Its beautiful, deep orange flesh is sweet, earthy, nutty, and tasty as hell! It’s a super versatile vegetable and is delicious in many styles of dishes like pasta, soup, risotto, curry, and hummus.

My mind is blown! I just found out that botanically, butternut squash is a fruit and not a vegetable! What! Who would have known? Well, it doesn’t matter. Whether it’s a fruit or a vegetable, butternut squash is a badass of the squash world! It’s rich in beta carotene, vitamins C and A, and loaded with minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

OK. I know that whole butternut squash can be intimidating. If you’ve ever tried to cut one up, you know what I’m talking about. They’re incredibly hard, they have an odd bulb shape that makes them slippery and hard to hold, and they can seem downright impregnable! Luckily, this is no longer a problem as they sell pre-cut butternut squash in most grocery stores and there are also some tricks (see my notes in the recipe) that will make breaking down this stubborn squash easy as 1-2-3.

Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus is easy to make:

Let’s break it down.

  • Open two cans of your favorite garbanzo beans/chickpeas. Drain and reserve the liquid. This liquid is called aquafaba and it’s pretty amazing! You can use it in vegan recipes to replace eggs or egg whites. In this case, we’ll use it to thin out the hummus.
  • Cut the butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast until tender. Add the squash, garbanzo beans, to the food processor along with the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and spices. With the processor running, stream in the olive oil. Thin with a little aquafaba, if needed, and season with salt.
  • Garnish with pomegranate seeds, parsley, and za’atar.

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” ALBERT CAMUS –

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Butternut squash roasted hummus with za'atar and pomegranate seeds comfort and thyme food blog

Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus

  • Author: cllombardi
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
  • Category: Appetizers
  • Method: Roast/Blend
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

The subtle earthiness of this roasted butternut squash hummus will have you swooning for more.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 small butternut squash
  • 2 15-ounce cans organic garbanzo beans, drained well, not rinsed, liquid reserved
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon za’atar + more for garnish
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons olive + more for drizzling
  • 1 teaspoon aquafaba (reserved garbanzo bean liquid)
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds, for garnish
  • fresh chopped Italian parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut butternut squash lengthwise, scoop out and reserve the seeds, drizzle with a little olive oil and season lightly with salt. Set cut side down and roast for 30 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool.
  3. Add drained garbanzo beans to food processor or blender.
  4. Scoop out 1 cup of roasted squash and add to food processor. Reserve the remaining for nibbling on or another delicious recipe like pasta with fall veggies or butternut squash soup.
  5.  Add garlic, tahini, lemon juice, za’atar, turmeric, and salt. With the food processor on, add olive oil in a thin stream and adjust the texture with a little aquafaba. Process until smooth.
  6. Serve hummus in shallow bowl or platter. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a light sprinkle of  za’atar, pomegranate seeds, and chopped parsley.
  7. Serve with your favorite grilled flat bread and  fresh veggies.

Notes

  • To make the butternut squash easier to cut, microwave it for 1 minute prior to cutting it. Don’t like microwaves? No problem. Just roast it in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. That should do the trick.
  • Za’atar is an ancient Middle Eastern herb and spice blend that is made with sumac, salt, toasted sesame seeds, dried herbs like thyme, savory, marjoram, and oregano. It’s used as a seasoning for meats, vegetables, hummus, yogurt, and bread.
  • Use any remaining aquafaba for another recipe. Aquafaba is the reserved cooking liquid of beans and other legumes. It can mimic egg whites and can be used in meringues and marshmallows which makes it an excellent alternative for vegan recipes or anyone that would like to avoid eggs.