Gordon Ramsay's Roasted Squash Hummus Is A Flavorful Take On A Classic

The great thing about hummus is that it's amenable to a kaleidoscope of different variations. You can make hummus with beets, carrots, roasted peppers, frozen peas, and even chocolate! While it's easy enough to simply purchase a tub of hummus to keep in your fridge, there's nothing quite like making your own at home. And if you're a fan of bold flavors, you should definitely try out Gordon Ramsay's earthy, spicy take on this Middle Eastern classic.  

Though hummus has been around for centuries and made in various countries throughout the world, the recipe has stayed remarkably consistent. Classic hummus is a mash of chickpeas, tahini (a paste derived from sesame seeds), garlic, lemon juice, and salt. And though there have been some ingredient swap outs, such as butter for olive oil or olive oil for Greek yogurt, the recipe hasn't seen much tinkering until recently. 

Never one to shy away from bold flavors, Ramsay takes a simple, creamy recipe for hummus and ratchets up the flavor with a smattering of spices and the addition of roasted butternut squash. It's a quick recipe that you can easily make in your own kitchen, even if you don't have every single one of the spices Ramsay uses. 

The spice blend Ramsay assembles for his roasted squash hummus is a Moroccan blend known as ras el hanout, which traditionally is a combination of cinnamon, cumin, coriander, allspice, black pepper, and ginger. Ramsay's take on it, as can be seen on his Youtube channel, calls for whole cinnamon and cloves, as well as seeds of mustard, fennel, cumin, coriander, and fenugreek. He toasts the seeds in a pan until the aroma hits before grinding them together with paprika and salt.

He then peels and chops up a butternut squash and arranges it on a tray with smashed garlic, olive oil, chopped fresh ginger, and seasons it with his version of ras el hanout. The seasoned squash is roasted at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until soft. 

Once cooked, the soft chunks of squash head to a blender with canned chickpeas, tahini paste, lemon juice, and a glug of olive oil. When it's blended into a rich and creamy dip, Ramsay recommends serving it immediately, and garnishing it with a little more of the spice mix alongside warm, griddled pita bread.

If you can't find ras el hanout at your grocery store, you can purchase some online or blend some yourself. You don't need to go all out as Ramsay does, but the blend does bring an earthy kick to the hummus. Paired with the natural sweetness of the squash, it makes for a great twist on an old classic.