I haven’t made Sweet Potato Hummus in a while, and I made it last weekend for a party. It’s one of those things I forget about, and then when I do make it I think, “Why am I not making this all the time?!?”
There’s nothing authentic about it, and I don’t care. Sweet Potato Hummus is easy, nutritious, and will keep in your fridge for a week. It’s also beautiful. Just look at that color!
The preparation is similar to regular hummus. Toss baked sweet potatoes, beans, olive oil, citrus juice, tahini, and seasoning into the food processor and buzz it until smooth. And like standard hummus, the longer you allow the flavors to meld the better. This Sweet Potato Hummus is spicier than the usual hummus, and you can adjust the heat according to your family’s tastes. Please note though, the longer Sweet Potato Hummus rests in the refrigerator, the more mellow the spice gets. So if it’s a little spicier than you expected when you taste it after processing, it will calm down after a day or two in the fridge. I actually think Sweet Potato Hummus is best on the third day.
Note that both tahini and lime can sometimes be bitter. You’ll notice the recipe includes an optional teaspoon of honey. Do taste the blended hummus while it’s still in the food processor. If you detect any bitterness, add the honey and process again. I end up adding the honey about half the time.
It’s delicious on pita bread, pita chips, crackers, tortilla chips, and Fritos Scoops. My personal favorite delivery vehicle for Sweet Potato Salsa is Garden Salsa Sunchips. Nothing in it is especially perishable, so it’s a great option to throw in a container and stash in a lunchbox, take tailgating, or bring to a pool party or cookout. As long as you’re mindful of the spice level, you can serve it to toddlers, grandparents, and everybody in between.
Feel free to garnish Sweet Potato Hummus with a drizzle of olive oil or a sprinkling of chopped scallion or crumbled feta. Pistachios and pomegranate arils make excellent toppings, too. (If you happen to have pomegranate molasses to splash on, I’m jealous.)
I won’t bore you with nutritional information, we all know sweet potatoes are crazy good for you. (As you might imagine, they’re even better for you if they don’t have marshmallows all over them.) Sweet Potato Hummus is a delicious and silly easy way to up your daily veggie quotient.
Eat the rainbow, people!
Sweet Potato Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 can chickpeas or cannellini beans, drained
- 2 T. tahini
- 2 T. olive oil
- juice and zest of one lime
- ½ t. smoked paprika
- ¼-½ t. cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ⅛ t. cumin
- 2 pinches salt and one pinch pepper
- 1 t. honey if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Cover a sheet pan with foil or parchment. Wash the sweet potatoes and prick a couple of times with a fork. Bake the sweet potatoes for 45 minutes or until soft when squeezed.
- When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins. You can pull it off with your fingers.
- Put the sweet potatoes in the food processor with all of the remaining ingredients except the honey. Process until smooth. Taste. If you detect any bitterness, add the honey and process again. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Sweet Potato Hummus will keep for about a week.
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