Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Sweet Potato “Hummus” – So Close

One of my all-time favorite things to do is take an iconic recipe, and somehow tweak it to maybe make it easier, healthier, or tastier; which was definitely not what happened here. This was simply a case of me wanting hummus, not having garbanzo beans, and making it anyway with sweet potatoes, which, much to my amazement, came out remarkably well.

I don’t blame you if you're skeptical, but this stuff really does have almost the same taste and texture as hummus. It has a little bit of a sweeter finish, which reminded me of a red pepper hummus, but all in all, it’s very close. In fact, my wife Michele, who has a much more discerning palate than I do, said that if she were blindfolded, she’d have trouble identifying this as not being actual hummus.

However, to get this close to what you think hummus tastes like, please be prepared to adjust the ingredient amounts to your liking. Some folks like just a hint of garlic and lemon, while others like to be crushed by it. Same goes for the tahini, and other seasonings, so taste, and adjust accordingly.

Of course, since the name, “hummus” comes from the Arabic word for chickpeas, one can make a strong argument that this isn’t hummus, and therefore shouldn’t be called hummus. But those people don’t have to worry about search engine results, which is why I just worked the word “hummus” into this paragraph four times. Actually, let’s make it five, as I say I really do hope you give this easy, and delicious alternative hummus a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for about 2 cups of Sweet Potato Hummus:
2 cups mashed, roasted sweet potatoes
1/3 cup tahini
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chipotle
pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons cold fresh water whipped in to lighten texture, optional
freshly chopped parsley to garnish
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13 comments:

FoodwishesAddict said...

Sounds delish! I am going to try this, as per your advice, soon! Thanks, Chef John - you never disappoint!

Nader Nassif said...

As a Lebanese I cannot help but think that something is wrong with this idea because the word hummus means chick pea in Arabic. That being said, I would be interested in trying it and not calling it hummus 😁

rancholyn said...

I love this recipe and can't wait to make...Waiting for flatbread recipe...thanks

Scratch said...

I suggest "Spummus"

Linda S said...

My son made this yesterday. It is the best hummus we have ever had. We love your recipes.

Ratty said...

Made this last night so it's ready for my pita chips this evening. I love the tip about adding some water - totally worked.

Tasting this before putting it in fridge it seemed a bit too sweet for me but I'll try it with the chips and keep an open mind. Maybe I'll add more tahini.

Ratty said...

Update: OMG delicious. Don't know if it was the overnight fridge or just having it on a cracker but it's perfect. Not at all too sweet. Usually I think about small things to change. Not this time. I change nothing.

Unknown said...

Made your "Spummus" today. What a taste sensation! Love it! Thanks Chef John!

Unknown said...

I made this tonight. I like it. It is a great weeknight recipe especially if bake the sweet potatoes a day or so ahead of time and they are cold and ready to go. Personally I'd add some more spices, but I really like it

Sailingsoul said...

"Of course “hummus” comes from the Arabic word for chickpeas, one can make a strong argument that this isn’t hummus, and therefore shouldn’t be called hummus. When did that start happening? Vegan's make and eat "burgers" made with no beef or meat, "Cheese" made with no dairy, Bacon made with no pork and the list continues. Yet the band plays on. Lol!

Spencer said...

This was a bit of a surprise in that I was expecting something different than what turned out. It is sweet and very creamy with just the right amount of kick. My wife does not like chipotle (for some unreasonable reason) so I just made the "pinch" of cayenne a bit bigger. It keeps well for a day or two and is great with just about any cracker or chip.

norma said...

Chef John, you are a magician. Yesterday for dinner I made five of your recipes - this one, the tahini sauce, pita bread, falafel (we did patties), and the big fat greek salad. I think I made my boyfriend fall in love with me all over again. Or, rather, you made him! EVERYTHING was fantastic and a hit! It was a really delicious dinner that could be made in advance, other than cooking the pitas and falafels right before we ate. Thank you so much for all the amazing recipes, and as always, enjoy (this compliment).

Alden said...

Hi Chef John,

So here's a challenge for you. You see, I'm doing a Mary's Mini Diet for weight loss. What the Mary's Mini is a simple 10 day diet but can be safely done long-term for accelerated weight loss. The idea is to keep it monotonous and boring with minimal variety, because variety leads to eating more.

One starch ONLY is used for the 10 days (potatoes OR sweet potatoes OR rice OR quinoa OR any starch except beans). There is no limit on portion size. Eat to satiation, not stuffed. If your starch is potato and you want a snack, Mary says to have a potato!

Allowed starches are:

1) root veggies (carrots, beets, turnip, daikon, and salsify are too low in starch and so are in the non-starchy category)
2) some winter squash like acorn
3) whole grains

Add some SIMPLE non-starchy veggies if you like (green beans, salad greens, broccoli, asparagus, peas etc. Mary says no fancy veggies like artichoke hearts) Peas are a legume but they are mentioned as being OK.

Allowed condiments include veggie broth, salsa, mustard, ketchup, siracha, nooch, soy sauce. Foods NOT allowed are fruit, processed sugar, processed grains like bread/crackers, gravies/sauces with flour, beans/lentils, nuts, seeds, avocado, coconut, chocolate.

I would like to focus on potatoes but the only oil free potato recipes I know are hash browns, mashed potatoes, and potato salad with dill, mustard, and ketchup.