Here’s another one of my “go-to” recipes… hummus! It’s the easiest thing, and WAY cheaper to make yourself. Of course, you have to have a food processor or I guess a good blender (I’ve never tried it in the blender but I’ve seen other food bloggers do it) and the tahini, but once you have those items, the rest is cheap and easy.
To make about 7oz is only $2.60, versus upwards of $4 in the store. Plus, you can make any flavor combination you want! If you are obsessed with squash (like I am) it will eventually find it’s way into your hummus…
I keep the ingredients for hummus on hand pretty much 24/7. It’s healthy and tasty and quick to make for parties. Apparently you can freeze hummus! Just in case you make more then you can get through. This recipe makes quite a bit since the addition of the squash adds a lot of volume. Perfect for parties and get-togethers.
Why not use up some of that roasted squash from Thanksgiving? Or if you want to make my ultimate go-to hummus, omit the squash all together. It’s delicious either way.
- 2 cans canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 2+ tablespoons of the reserved chickpea liquid.
- 8 dashes tabasco sauce or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (I prefer the red pepper)
- Half of a small to medium squash, roasted
- Optional:
- Olive oil
- Pomegranate seeds
- Sprinkle of ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- Sprinkle of paprika
- Chopped parsley
- Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the flat steel blade, and process until hummus is the texture you like. Add the squash in smaller chunks so it is easier to blend into the other ingredients. I generally opt for a smoother puree, so I add a little more canned chickpea liquid or you add some olive oil. Keep blending until you have a smooth consistency. Taste for seasoning. I like to make sure it has enough lemon and enough salt and red pepper flake. If you need to add more of anything (sometimes an extra clove of garlic is good), do it and pulse a few more times to mix it up. Taste again.
- When it tastes delicious to you, scrape it into a bowl or tupperware. Make a few dimples in the top with a spoon or spatula and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle fresh parsley. I like to make the dimples or “rivers” so the olive oil has little places to settle into throughout the surface of the hummus, but this is fussy and unnecessary, so you can skip that altogether and just eat it right out of the bowl with pita chips, veggies (carrots and sliced cucumbers are good) or crackers.
- For the pictured variation, I added olive oil, pomegranate seeds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- To roast the squash, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking sheet or in an oven proof dish. Drizzle with oil and roast for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and a fork pierces through the flesh easily. You can roast the squash and freeze it, well wrapped, up to a month ahead of time.
This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten, otherwise known as The Barefoot Contessa. This is from her Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, copywrite 1999.