Sweet Potato Hummus

Name: Sweet Potato Hummus
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 large sweet potato; 3 Tablespoons tahini; 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice; ½ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste); 1 cloves garlic (minced); ¼ teaspoon cumin; cayenne pepper (optional); drizzle of olive oil (for serving); dash of paprika (for serving)

By Brittany Mullins

Published Sep 16, 2022, Updated Oct 03, 2023

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This vegan sweet potato hummus is made with roasted sweet potato, tahini, lemon, garlic and cumin — no chickpeas required. It’s creamy, subtly sweet, full of flavor and super easy to whip up. Serve it as a healthy appetizer or snack with veggies, crackers or pita.

I love hummus and I love sweet potatoes so I thought why not combine the two to create sweet potato hummus! And if I do say so myself, the end result turned out better than expected! It’s creamy, subtly sweet thanks to the sweet potato and has a hint of nuttiness thanks to the tahini.

The recipe I’m sharing today requires just six main ingredients and comes together in about 25 minutes. Just cook your sweet potatoes, add to your food processor with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth… easy peasy!

A bowl of sweet potato hummus surrounded by various vegetables and pita chips for dipping.

Sweet Potato Nutrition

Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse vegetable! They’re packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. They’re also high in antioxidants which help protect your body against free radical damage.

Studies have shown sweet potatoes positively impact gut, brain, eye and immune health. And some studies have shown that certain antioxidants in sweet potatoes may protect against certain cancers. Bottom line? They’re SO good for you and delicious! Now you have no excuses to not incorporate them into your diet. (Source)

Ingredients measured out to make sweet potato hummus: sweet potato, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, salt, cumin, cayenne pepper and garlic.

Ingredients Needed

sweet potato – when searching for the perfect sweet potato, look for ones that have firm, unwrinkled skin. Any type of sweet potato will work with this recipe, but I usually go for Jewel or Beauregard as both are very common at most stores. Beauregard has a slight purplish-red skin, with bright orange inside. Jewel has light brown/orange skin with orange flesh. The main difference between the two is that the Beauregard has a much more intense sweetness to it.
tahini – an important ingredient in hummus! The nuttiness of the tahini pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the sweet potato. If you’re new to tahini it is made by grinding sesame seeds into a smooth paste and can be found by other nut and seed butters in most grocery stores.
lemon – fresh lemon juice adds just the right amount of acidity to this sweet potato hummus.
salt – to bring all the flavors together.
garlic – I love adding garlic to hummus for an extra boost of flavor!
cumin – a common spice found in hummus that adds a nice, subtle flavor.
cayenne pepper – this is optional, but I really enjoy adding a pinch of spice to this hummus.
olive oil – for drizzling on top. I recommend using extra virgin olive oil.
paprika – just a dash on top for some added flavor!

Three photos showing the process to make sweet potato hummus, steaming the sweet potato cubes, and then adding the ingredients to make the hummus in a food processor to be blended smooth.

How to Make

This sweet potato hummus recipe is so easy to whip up. Begin by peeling and chopping your sweet potato into cubes. Add them to a steamer basket, cover and steam for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.

Next, add the cooked sweet potatoes to a food processor along with tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic, cumin and cayenne (if using). Process on high until smooth, creamy and no chunks of sweet potato remain, about 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the sweet potato hummus to a bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of cayenne pepper and/or paprika. Serve with your favorite chopped veggies or pita chips for dipping.

Close up of sweet potato hummus in a bowl. A pita chip rests in the hummus.

How to Cook Sweet Potatoes

The first step to making sweet potato hummus is cooking the sweet potatoes. I typically steam sweet potato chunks for this recipe, but you can also boil them or bake a full sweet potato and scoop out the flesh.

Bake

Start by washing your sweet potatoes well. Use a fork to poke several holes in each potato – I usually poke 4 times for each potato! Place the potatoes directly on a baking sheet and bake at 400ºF for 60 minutes. Some people like to wrap their potatoes in aluminum foil but that actually steams the potato so just pop them right in the oven! You’ll know the potatoes are ready when they’re a little wrinkly and can easily be pierced with a fork.

Steam

To steam, simply peel the sweet potato and cut into cubes (about 1 inch in size). Add about 1-2 inches of water to a pot, place your steamer basket in and add sweet potato cubes. Boil water, cover and let the sweet potatoes steam until soft.

Boil

Boiling is another quick option. Simply peel the sweet potato and cut into cubes, about 1 inch in size. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add sweet potato chunks. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, around 15 minutes.

Sweet potato hummus in a serving bowl surrounded by veggies and pita for dipping.

Hummus Variations

Spice it up – add in some crushed red pepper flakes or diced jalapeño for a spicy variation.
Roasted garlic – skip the fresh garlic and use a few cloves of roasted garlic instead! I love the mild flavor that roasted garlic gives hummus.
Roasted red pepper – add a smoky sweetness to your sweet potato hummus by adding 1 roasted red bell pepper (or about 3/4 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers) to your food processor. Save some extra for topping!
Fresh herbs – adding some fresh rosemary, parsley chives, or dill would be an excellent way to add a touch of flavor.
Crushed nuts – roasted and crushed walnuts, pecans or cashews would be a delicious and nutritious topping. For a treat add candied pecans or candied walnuts.

Dipping a pita chip into sweet potato hummus in a bowl.

How to Serve

With pita chips or fresh veggies – I love enjoying hummus as a snack with pita chips or fresh veggies! It’s also a great addition to any mezze platter!
As a spread – hummus is delicious when used as a spread! Some ideas: vegan tortilla pizzas, egg, spinach and feta breakfast wrap and hummus avocado toast.
Falafel – the perfect dip for baked falafel!
With crackers – try my almond flour crackers or use store-bought. I love Simple Mills for store-bought.
Za’atar Chicken Bake – make this simple sheet pan meal and serve it with this sweet potato hummus!

How to Store

This sweet potato hummus stores really well in the fridge so I always love making a batch over the weekend to have on hand for snacks or meals throughout the week. Store any leftover hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-7 days.

More Sweet Potato Recipes

More Dips and Spreads

Be sure to check out all of my sweet potato recipes as well as all the snack recipes here on EBF!

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.

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