It’s finally the season of our all-beloved veggie! Soups, stews, carving, roasting. No matter when and it which way, pumpkin always is a great idea! But the good same old soup can also get a little boring after a while. So let’s bring some new spices into your kitchen and try out having pumpkin in a different way! Soft roasted pumpkin on a bed of creamy white bean hummus, topped with pine nuts and a good drizzle of olive oil. Perfect fall lunch or dinner and great for meal prep!
What is special about this dish?
The combination of pumpkin with oriental flavors and the slightly different variation of hummus! Hummus usually is made out of chickpeas, tahin and olive oil. In this recipe, we are using white beans, also called butter beans instead of chickpeas. They make it equally as creamy and taste very similar. The major difference is that compared to chickpeas, white beans have a milder and slightly buttery taste. This goes in great harmony with the roasted pumpkin. This is flavored with an oriental spice mix and then baked. To finish off we are topping it with roasted pine nuts. This gives the final touch and is really delicious!
Is this dish healthy?
Yes and yes! Let’s start with the white bean hummus. Beans have a great nutritional value. They are an incredibly good source of plant based protein and fibre. Plus, the addition of the olive oil and tahin not only make it super creamy but they also add a decent amount of healthy fats.
Pumpkin, as you can read in my November Top 5 as my food of the month, is also super nutritious. Lots of vitamins such as B1, B2, B6, C and E as well as other minerals. Plus it contains a lot of fibre, which is really beneficial for your digestion.
Also the pine nuts are really nutritious, as all nuts! Protein, unsaturated fats and minerals. Brainfood at its finest!
How to make this dish
This actually is super simple. To start, you need to combine the spices with some olive oil and brush the pumpkin with it. Then pop it in the oven for half an hour and that’s all you got to do for the pumpkin!
Next up, making the hummus. For this you need a food processor or at least a blender! Into this you add the white beans, olive oil, tahin, salt, paprika and garlic powder. And VERY important: you need to add a little splash of vinegar! Sounds a bit unusual at first, but believe me, it makes the difference. The slight acidity makes the hummus so super addicting, I promise, soso good! And last, but not least we also need to add some of the liquid the beans were preserved in. This helps to make it super creamy!
When and how to best have it
If you are wondering when to best have it, I can only tell you so much: it works at any time of the day! It is a great addition to your brunch, works great as a lunch or a comforting dinner! What is great about this is, that it works amazing for meal prep too! You just need to make the hummus first. This you can store in the fridge for up to a week. The hummus need to be baked and stored separately and can be reheated when you want to eat it!
In terms of how to best have it, I recommend serving it either with some kind of bread such as pita bread or with some cooked grain as quinoa! If you are not super hungry, it also works great with a green salad on the side!
Perfect comforting and healthy dish for fall to make use of all of the pumpkins that are in season! Easy and delicious!
Oriental Spiced Baked Pumpkin with Creamy White Bean Hummus
Creamy, tangy white bean hummus topped with super flavorful, oriental spiced pumpkin and topped with crispy nuts. Fall comfort at its finest.
What you will need
For the pumpkin:
- 1 hokkaido squash
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the rest:
- 1 can white beans
- 1 tbsp tahin (this is a paste made out of sesame seeds. If you do not have this, simply add more olive oil)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika powder
- 2-3 tbsp of the liquid the white beans were canned in
- 2-3 tbsp parsley
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- some PIta bread to serve
How to
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Preheat the oven to 200°C. Slice the pumpkin into about 1-2cm thick slices. Lay them out on a baking tray. mix the spices with the olive oil and brush the pumpkin with the mixture. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until soft.
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In a food processor combine the drained white beans, tahin, olive oil, salt, paprika, vinegar and the preserved liquid in which the beans have been stored. Blend until creamy. If not creamy enough add more of the liquid or more olive oil.
Add the pine nuts to a pan and heat them up. Fry them until golden brown, then immediately take them off the heat.
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Divide the white bean hummus onto plates. Top with the pumpkin when done. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and parsley. Enjoy!
I hope you will enjoy this recipe!
Happy cooking,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière
