Butternut Squash Hummus with Pomegranate Arils
The holidays are definitely looking a bit different this year and since typical traditions are falling to the wayside, I wanted to re-think some of the recipes we normally cook at Thanksgiving.
Enter this fun, seasonal butternut squash hummus that’s equal parts delicious and festive. It’s nice and light (can serve with veggies and/or warm pita) and won’t fill you up before your meal. The pomegranate molasses + arils on top add the perfect amount of sweetness and texture — don’t skip on the pomegranate if you can!
The best part is that if you have leftover hummus, it’s delicious spread on some toasted bread with leftover turkey + cranberry sauce…a little twist on a traditional leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwich!
Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with family, friends, a significant other or by yourself (but hopefully still with loved ones on Zoom!), sending love + positive thoughts your way!
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1/2 of a medium butternut squash
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Kosher Salt
4 whole cloves garlic, skin on
1 15 oz can chickpeas
Juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup tahini
2 tsp miso paste
1 tsp pomegranate molasses (plus an extra drizzle for garnish)
Pomegranate arils (for garnish)
METHOD
Roast the butternut squash and garlic:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Slice off the stem end from the butternut squash and then cut the squash in half lengthwise, keeping the skin on and seeds in - we will scoop those out later.
Rub the squash with 3/4 Tbsp of the olive oil on both sides and season the flesh side with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Place the squash flesh side down on the sheet tray.
Drizzle the four skin-on garlic cloves with olive oil to coat and a pinch of Kosher salt and then wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Place on the sheet tray with the squash.
Pull the garlic out of the oven after 30 minutes and allow the squash to cook for a total of ~45 minutes or until you’re able to easily insert a knife into the thickest part.
Allow everything cool to room temperature. Once cooled, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skin and scoop out the flesh from the butternut squash (discard the seeds and the skin). You’ll need 1 cup of butternut squash flesh for this recipe. I like to freeze the remaining butternut squash flesh for a soup later.
Prep the chickpeas:
Drain the chickpeas and add to a pot of boiling water along with 1/8 tsp baking soda
Simmer the chickpeas for 10 mins, then drain and allow to cool.
Rub your fingers over the chickpeas to remove the paper-y outer shells. This is optional, but will result in a ultra-smooth hummus!
Make the hummus:
In a food processor, blend the cooled chickpeas, roasted garlic cloves, 1 cup of the butternut squash flesh, lemon juice, tahini, miso paste (if using), pomegranate molasses and salt until the mixture is homogenous.
With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and blend until the hummus is smooth.
Serve topped with pomegranate arils and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. Enjoy with warm pita and fresh vegetables.
NOTES
The butternut squash and garlic can be roasted up to two days in advance! Just store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Substitutions:
The miso paste adds a really nice depth of flavor to the hummus. If you don’t have it, you can skip it! Just taste the hummus for salt at the end – you may need to add additional salt.
If you don’t have pomegranate molasses, you can sub out with honey or maple syrup.
SHOP
In this post, I’m using all Mark & Graham serve ware and I’m fully obsessed! The pieces are so versatile and perfect for holiday entertaining. They can be personalized if you’d like, so they also make the perfect thoughtful gift.
I work on the marketing team for Mark & Graham, so this post isn’t sponsored in any way — just sharing some beautiful pieces from our brand!
