Cannellini Pumpkin Hummus

Hummus is one of my favorite ‘come-to-the-rescue’ foods.

Spoon some on a plate, cut up a few veg and there’s lunch. Add some bread and you’ve got dinner.

Strictly speaking, hummus is made with chickpeas. ‘Hummus’ is, in fact, Arabic for ‘chickpeas’. The full name for the beige dish that is so popular around the world is actually ‘hummus bi tahini’ – chickpeas with tahini.

(Tahini is a greyish brown paste made from sesame seeds, with a taste vaguely resembling peanut butter.)

So this Cannellini Pumpkin Hummus should really be Cannellini Pumpkin with Tahini, but in North America hummus has become associated with the garlicky tahini taste of the traditional, even when it’s made with different beans.

And why are we even messing with something so good to begin with?

Well, it seems to be what we humans do.

And sometimes a person might have three cups of beans in the fridge waiting for an excuse to happen into something.

And sometimes one of your tribe mightn’t be super jazzed about chickpeas (again).

And pumpkin isn’t just for Thanksgiving.

So you tinker (and generally add too much garlic). You don’t even bother to check to see if there are already recipes around for it, because you tinker (that seems to be what humans do).

Turns out – there are. Quite a few. (Both humans that tinker and recipes for white bean and pumpkin hummus.)

But here’s where my tinkering is a bit different. First of all – probably too much garlic. You will likely want to ratchet it down a bit, as it may get in the way of the other flavors for you. (But this is how I like it. The recipe calls for 2 to 4 cloves – choose two for the less allium-centric version.)

Second- more beans to pumpkin, with a more robust boost of tahini and lemon.

Third – a bit of orange juice to accent the pumpkin.

Fourth – no cumin. It’s one of my favorite spices, but never in hummus.

The verdict from the mixed vegetarian-omnivore tribe in my house ranging in age from 11 to 88 is ‘Yes!-Bloggable.’ (And keep the garlic – but that’s up to you.)

Serve this as a dip for veg and crackers, or a quesadilla filling with crumbled feta, even a sandwich spread.

The recipe makes about 4 cups, so halve it if that’s more than you’ll be able to use within three or four days.

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Cannellini Pumpkin Hummus

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

 

You can try this with roasted butternut squash instead of pumpkin. Sunflower butter will also work in place of tahini (though tahini is probably easier to find in most stores). Three cups of beans will be about 1-1/2 regular-sized (19 oz / 540 ml) cans. You can store leftover beans in the fridge. Add them to salads or mix them in with other dishes for extra nutrition. They have a mild flavor and a smooth texture so they won't be overwhelming. You can also just mash them and spread on toast with some avocado, lime juice and salt and pepper. If you can't find cannellini beans, you can substitute cooked navy beans.

Servings: 4 cups / 1 liter

Author: Mary Gillespie

Ingredients

• 2-4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml salt
• 3 cups / 750 ml cooked cannellini beans
• 1 cup / 250 ml pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup / 80 ml tahini
• 1/3 cup / 80 ml lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml orange juice
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml olive oil
• Pumpkin seeds for garnish optional

Instructions

To make in a food processor:

1. Whiz garlic and salt in food processor until garlic is minced. Add beans and process until beans are broken up.
2. Add pumpkin and process until beans and pumpkin are mixed. Stop and scrape down sides of the food processor bowl as needed.
3. Add tahini, lemon juice and orange juice and process until the mixture is smooth. With motor running, add oil and pepper. Process until mixed.
4. Scrape hummus into serving bowl and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds (if using). If possible, let hummus sit for 30 minutes before serving. Store unused hummus in fridge for up to 4 days.

To make without a food processor:

1. Mince garlic and sprinkle with salt. Mash minced garlic and salt with the flat edge of a knife, pressing down and smearing the minced garlic until it becomes a paste.
2. Place beans in a sieve or strainer. Place sieve over a mixing bowl, Mash beans and force through strainer with spoon. Add garlic and pumpkin and stir until completely combined.
3. Add tahini, lemon juice and orange juice and mix thoroughly. Drizzle oil over and sprinkle with pepper. Stir in oil until mixture is smooth.

Photo by Jules – used in accordance with the specified CC license