Easy Pumpkin Hummus

Pumpkin Hummus throws a creative curveball on the timeless snack classic hummus. Just in time for the season when pumpkins will be everywhere you look! Hummus works as a delicious snack and, it’s full of protein. Then, blending in the pumpkin adds sweetness as well as nutrition. 

Want more ways to get creative with pumpkins that don’t involve messy carving? Check out some of my other pumpkin recipes like Curried Pumpkin Soup and Pumpkin Smoothies!

Making Easy Pumpkin Hummus

Making pumpkin hummus is easy. Have you ever made your own hummus before? It is pretty simple. You toss a few ingredients together and blend them until smooth. 

Break out some warm pita bread or crackers and you are good to go. Well, making pumpkin hummus just involves adding one more ingredient to the mix, pumpkin. 

Easy is great, but even better, pumpkin is packed with vitamin A and C, great for fiber, and it adds an awesome color to hummus. Plus, pumpkin has a savory as well as sweet quality, therefore it adds flavor to the mix as well. 

To keep things super simple, you can use canned mashed pumpkin like you find for making pumpkin pie. Pre-cooked canned garbanzos work too. I wouldn’t call it easy if I didn’t mean it!

Hummus, even pumpkin hummus, keeps pretty well due to the other ingredients acting as preservatives. Lemon, olive oil, salt, and cayenne pepper all inhibit mold growth. 

Without the help from those things though, garbanzos by themselves will begin to stink unless you wash them frequently. Pumpkin has about three days before it starts getting mouldy. So, hummus provides a great way to keep them good to eat longer.

How Healthy is Hummus?

Ok, if you are vegan or vegetarian, then you probably already know how fantastic hummus is nutritionally speaking. Hummus comes packed with iron, folate, phosphorus and B vitamins from garbanzos. 

Now take the healthy hummus up to a whole other level!

Pumpkin also qualifies as a “superfood”. Rich in vitamin A and C, full of fiber, over the top with antioxidants, plus low in carbs. Pumpkin also has a ton of potassium. All of these add up to a very heart healthy ingredient. 

It doesn’t stop there. Pumpkins are also rich in beta-carotene. So, good for your eyes, your heart, and your skin. That means it is literally great for feeling good inside and out… as you will be able to see for yourself. 

What is the Difference Between Garbanzos and Chickpeas?

There is no real difference between a garbanzo bean and chickpea. It is a legume by either name. There are a few different varieties and size is the main difference. So if you feel like you need to separate the two, call the smaller ones chickpeas and the larger ones garbanzos. 

If it helps avoid confusion, why not?

A Little More About Pumpkin Hummus

Hummus has been around a few thousand years. Egyptians, Greeks, Arabs, all claim to have originated hummus. However, it most likely originated in Egypt as garbanzos were a popular crop in the “breadbasket” of the world. 

In truth, during in classic antiquities trade abounded between all these cultures. Of course since hummus travels well, and tastes so good, everyone wants to take credit. 

Pumpkins come from North America, and were a staple of indigenous people. In that case, pumpkin hummus is actually a pretty new twist on a timeless classic.

Variations on the Recipe

You can also try doing some variations on this recipe. Pumpkin goes great in hummus but I have some other suggestions to try also. You can blend in some peas or husked soybean. The green color of the hummus is beautiful. It will make you think of Spring, and not anything gross. 

Parboil some carrots so they soften up a bit. Blend them in. Even a can of pitted black olives works well. Be sure to rinse them first just to take a bit of the saltiness out. 

With all the different color tones you create, try doing a “Neapolitan” style service where you showcase hummus of a couple colors.

How Do You Keep It Fresh?

You made a big batch of pumpkin hummus. It is pretty much the king and the queen and the court jester of snack foods. It tastes so good, it packs so much nutrition, it simply puts a smile on your face. 

So how do you keep it fresh? Olive oil, cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice all work as preservatives on their own merits. Put them all together and you have just created a superior and healthful food preservative. 

You can easily keep your pumpkin hummus for a week to 10 days without worry as long as you keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing it. Just make it in batches for a convenient snack dip or spread you can use in sandwiches as well. 

Any More Pumpkin or Garbanzo Recipe Suggestions?

Try some of these other recipes if you like the pumpkin hummus!

• Pumpkin pie bread bread pudding with salted caramel sauce
• Pumpkin crumb cake
• Smoky roasted chickpeas 
• Savory Pumpkin Cheese Dip with Bacon