Pumpkin Hummus

The arrival of pumpkins in stores and roadside stands signals cooler weather, Halloween, and, of course, Thanksgiving. I have to admit – I’ve never been interested in carving pumpkins; I dislike the mess. So I stock up on canned, solid -pack pumpkin for my recipes.

Since I like to experiment with traditional ingredients in non-traditional ways, I thought I’d try adding pumpkin to a hummus recipe. Doug didn’t  think that combination sounded very appetizing, but approved the experiment anyway.

As it turns out, I’m not the only one who thought of adding pureed pumpkin to hummus. I found a number of recipes which included other ingredients as well – yogurt, cayenne pepper, and cumin – to name a few.


Try this (or a version of your choice) and see what you think. Is it a hit-or-miss?

Pumpkin Hummus


1 -15 oz can solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup canned chick peas, rinsed
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup tahini
juice of 1 to 2 lemons
pinch salt
water, ½ cup or more


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a drizzle of pomegranate molasses – or – 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds or toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish, if available


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Place the pumpkin, chick peas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and salt in a blender or food processor and pulse until the mixture is well combined and lightens in color. Add enough water to thin-out the mixture to the consistency of a spread or a dip. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.


To serve, spread the dip/spread in a serving bowl and drizzle the top with a little pomegranate molasses, or sprinkle with pomegranate or pumpkin seeds.


Serve with vegetable dippers and/or toasted pita triangles.


Our evaluation: In a word, interesting. This recipe has a mild pumpkin taste with a hint of chick pea and sesame flavor. The pomegranate syrup garnish added a sweetness that one would not associate with hummus, but gave it a surprising twist.