This post was last updated on May 21, 2020 by India
This butternut squash hummus recipe is one of my very favorite fall recipes! I love to have a batch of this on hand for snacking during the week. It makes a stunning dish that is perfect for dinner parties! This butternut squash hummus has roasted butternut squash blended with tahini, honey, and salt and is mixed with salty feta cheese, tart pomegranate seeds, and fresh cilantro leaves.
About Butternut Squash Hummus
This recipe is loosely adapted from the Butternut Squash & Tahini Spread recipe in Yotam Ottolenghi’s book Jerusalem. I looooove this cookbook and I reach for it often whenever I’m craving anything with middle eastern flavors. I highly recommend any book by Yotam Ottolenghi–he makes vegetables taste absolutely divine and his flavor combinations are so unique! His new book, Simple, is on my wishlist as a high priority item. I actually made the recipe (as written in Jerusalem) last year when I hosted thanksgiving and it was a hit with my family.
I got the idea for this Butternut Squash Hummus one day as I had squash that needed to be cooked and was not in the mood for soup–which is rare for me because soup is my absolutely favorite! In all honesty, besides my vegan cheese sauce, butternut squash soup is the only thing I really feel comfortable cooking with butternut squash. I dont know why, but this root vegetable intimates me so much!
I got over my butternut squash fear and experimented — I knew I wanted to make something with warming spices and bright flavors, so I roasted the butternut squash with this spice blend, blended with tahini and honey to make it creamy and slightly sweet, and topped it with fresh goat cheese, cilantro, and fresh pomegranate seeds. The combination of sweet, creamy, fresh, and salty makes an amazing dish. This is a show stopping appetizer — the colors are so beautiful and vibrant and the dip can be made the day before.
Tips and Tricks for Butternut Squash Hummus
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- Roast the squash with yummy spices. I used the Maharajah spice blend from Seasonality Spices, but have included a similar spice blend in the notes below.
- Use in brine feta. Feta soaking in brine is so much more flavorful than pre-crumbled feta. I like Dodoni brand Greek feta, which I find at Costco. Don’t worry if you aren’t able to find in brine feta, this Butternut Squash Hummus will still be good!
- Use a water bowl to remove your pomegranate seeds. I find this is the easiest way to deseed a pomegranate. Cut your pomegranate in half. Fill a medium sized mixing bowl with cold water, and with the pomegranate submerged in the water and facing the bottom of the bowl, peel out the arils. The arils will sink to the bottom while the white pith floats to the top.
Serving Suggestions for Butternut Squash Hummus
The butternut squash hummus really is the star of the show, so anything you serve it with is going to come in second place. If you’re serving as an appetizer, I recommend serving with these Simple Mill almond flour sea salt crackers. If you want a vegetable to with, I would recommend cucumber slices or endive leaves. Yum!
Did you try this recipe for Butternut Squash Hummus?
If so, let me know in the comments! I love hearing how recipes turn out for others! And it helps me improve my writing and recipe development!
Butternut Squash Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons maharajah spice blend see DIY spice blend in recipe notes
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt I used pink himalayan salt
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 6 - 8 ounces feta crumbled, plus more as desired
- 1 pomegranate
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
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Peel, seed, and dice the butternut squash. Place the butternut squash in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil and spices until well covered.
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Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (optional) and arrange squash in a single layer. Roast for 30 - 40 minutes, until squash smells fragrant and is soft and tender when pierced with a fork.
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Transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the tahini, honey and salt and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. The butternut squash hummus should taste slightly nutty and sweet.
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Dessed the pomegranate by filling a medium sized mixing bowl with water. Cut the pomegranate in half and with the pomegranate submerged in the water and facing the bottom of the bowl, carefully peel out the arils. The arils will sink to the bottom while the white pith floats to the top. Discard the floating pith. Repeat with the other half. Place the arils on a paper towel and pat dry.
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Spread the butternut squash hummus onto a platter and top with the cilantro leaves, crumbled feta , and pomegranate arils.
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If you prefer, you can mix the cilantro, feta, and pomegranate arils into the butternut squash hummus.
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Serve with your favorite gluten free crackers, cucumber slices, or endive leaves.
Recipe Notes
To make your own Maharaja spice blend, whisk together the following spices in a small bowl: 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1/8 teaspoon finely ground salt
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