My sons Ethan and Steven love to snack on hummus and pretzels. I always make sure the house is well stocked with both items. So with the boys in mind, I developed this delicious Pumpkin Hummus. It has all of the creamy goodness of hummus plus the addition of pumpkin and earthy warm spices like cumin and smoked paprika. It is topped with chili roasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of olive oil. Served with homemade pita chips it becomes perfect for entertaining. This is a must try for everyone who loves hummus and pumpkin.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Hummus:
1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved and rinsed
3 tablespoons reserved liquid from chickpeas
1/4 cup Tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 +1/8 teaspoon cumin
2-3 dashes cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds
cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
3 pitas
dried parsly
Kosher salt
black pepper
Time-Saving Tips: Both the Pumpkin Hummus and the pita chips can also be made in advance.
Let's cook.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut each pita into eight equal pieces. Spread all of the cut pitas onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Brush olive oil onto each piece and sprinkle with dried parsley, fine sea salt, and pepper. Flip all of the pieces over and repeat. Once all of the pieces have been coated on both sides place in the oven. Bake for ten minutes and then turn all of the pieces over and bake on the second side for about three minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Put the pumpkin seeds in a small bowl. Spray two quick shots of cooking spray onto the seeds. Then sprinkle with the 1/8 teaspoon of each the chili powder and the fine sea salt and toss. Place the seasoned pumpkin seeds in a dry pan and saute over medium heat. Saute until the spices are fragrant and some of the seeds start to turn golden. Transfer the pumpkin seeds to a plate to stop the cooking and so they cool.
Now to make the hummus. In the bowl of a food processor add the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, pumpkin, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne pepper, Kosher salt, smoked paprika and 3 tablespoons of reserved chickpeas liquid. Pulse until it is nearly smooth. I prefer it to have some texture. Adjust seasoning and add a little bit more of the reserved liquid if you would like the hummus a little thinner. I used my Cuisinart food processor to make the hummus. Click HERE if you are interested in learning more about my Cuisinart 14-cup Food Processor.
Scoop the hummus into a small bowl. Then drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and then sprinkle with the seasoned and toasted pumpkin seeds.
It's ready! This Pumpkin Hummus is so good it is really hard to stop eating it. My husband and I ate all of it ourselves. I can't wait to make it for Ethan and Steven when they are home. I know they will love it, too.
Enjoy!