Sweet potato hummus is smooth, thick and has a delicious flavor of sweet potato, tahini and garlic. It’s the perfect appetizer with crackers, pita and so much more! The sweet and subtle sweet potato flavors go well with the garlic, tahini, and the chickpeas. It’s a beautiful combination of flavors that will quickly become a staple in your home. This bright orange-colored hummus will become your new favorite snack!

Homemade dips are so fun to have in the fridge for daytime or after school snacks! If you are looking for more healthy snack recipes, you should also try my homemade pico de gallo, beet hummus, and caramelized onion dip!

A hand dipping a round cracker into orange Sweet Potato Hummus.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Simple hummus recipe. This recipe comes together quickly, effortlessly, and it only requires a few ingredients.
  • Healthy and unique snack. I’m always looking for healthy snacks for my kids! This is a great option! Instead of pulling out granola bars (although I have a delicious, healthy homemade granola bar recipe), having some of this healthy hummus in my fridge is a great and different snack option for my kiddos.
  • Smooth and flavorful. Sweet potatoes is honestly such a delicious hummus pairing! The sweetness from the potato marries beautifully with the garlic and tahini. It’s a fun take on traditional hummus.

Ingredient Notes

Sweet Potato Hummus ingredients on a marble background.
  • Sweet Potatoes: You’ll need 2 sweet potatoes for a total of 1.5 lbs. All sweet potatoes differ in weight so you may only need 1 large sweet potato for this recipe.
  • Chickpeas: Use 1 can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans). Drain and rinse the chickpeas before using.
  • Tahini: This is a type of spread that is made from ground sesame seeds. Tahini isn’t sweet like most nut butters. It has a strong earthy and slightly bitter taste. The tahini goes so well with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes!
  • Olive Oil: Use more or less depending on how thick you want your hummus to be.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Bake the sweet potatoes. Follow the baking instructions in the recipe card, or check out my baked sweet potatoes recipe.
  2. Add ingredients to a food processor. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scrape the soft flesh into the bowl of a food processor. Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt and pepper.
A food process with Sweet Potato Hummus ingredients in it.
  1. Mix. Once the ingredients are in the food processor, pulse until smooth.
  2. Add olive oil. With the food processor on, add in the olive oil. Tip: if you want a thick hummus, only add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil (noted in recipe card). Otherwise you can additional olive oil to thin out the hummus if you’d like.
  3. Serve! Spoon the hummus onto a plate or into a large bowl for serving. We like to eat this with crackers, pita bread, homemade naan, or veggies.
Pureed orange Sweet Potato Hummus in a food processor.

Recipe Tips

If you don’t have tahini or you don’t want to use tahini, you can eliminate it from the recipe; just know that the recipe will taste different as tahini provides flavor. If you choose to go this route you may need to compensate with more olive oil, as tahini is a bit runnier which helps the hummus from being overly thick.

What can you eat with hummus? So many things! Pita chips, pita bread, regular chips, crackers, vegetables, bagels, quesadillas, as spread on sandwiches, etc. The options are really endless when it comes to what you can eat with hummus.

Storing and Freezing

Hummus should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 1-2 weeks when stored properly.

To freeze, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months. To help preserve freshness and moisture, pour a very thin layer of olive oil over the hummus in the container prior to freezing. Let thaw and enjoy chilled or at room temperature.

FAQs

What can I use instead of chickpeas for hummus?

I’d use some kind of bean. Black bean hummus would be good or you can use pinto beans or edamame. However, for the sweet potato hummus, I wouldn’t use black beans or edamame because the color and flavor would clash too much with the sweet potato. The only one that could maybe work is pinto beans, but I haven’t tried this recipe with pinto, so I have no idea how the flavor would be. I’d stick with chickpeas for this recipe!

Is there a substitute for tahini in hummus?

You can either eliminate tahini from the recipe, although it is a common hummus staple. You can also add more olive oil to the hummus to make the consistency more like hummus, or you can use a neutral-flavored nut butter like cashew butter or maybe almond butter. I’m not sure what this recipe would taste like with cashew or almond butter, so if you do opt for that route, please let me know if the flavor combination works out in the comments below.

Can you freeze hummus?

Yes you can! You can make this sweet potato hummus recipe and freeze it in one large container or individual containers for smaller portions to remove and enjoy. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the hummus in the container to help preserve moisture and freshness, then store in the freezer.

Why is my hummus dry?

If your hummus is dry, consider adding additional olive oil and/or tahini. The moisture in those two ingredients should help.

What is tahini?

Tahini is a paste that is made from ground up sesame seeds. It’s a main flavor staple of most traditional hummus recipes.

Sweet Potato Hummus on a plate with crackers surrounding it.

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Sweet Potato Hummus on a plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Sweet Potato Hummus

This sweet potato hummus is a delicious and healthy snack.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 2 sweet potatoes - about 1.5 lbs in weight (total)
  • 1 15.5 oz can chickpeas - drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 small garlic clove - (See note #1)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil - add more if you want it less thick

Instructions
 

  • Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 40-60 minutes or until soft and fork tender. Remove from the oven, carefully unwrap the foil and let the sweet potatoes cool. Once cool enough to handle, scrape the soft flesh into the bowl of a food processor.
  • Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt and pepper to the food processor. Pulse until smooth. With the food processor on, stream in the olive oil. (See note #2)
  • Spoon the hummus onto a plate or large bowl for serving. 
  • Serve with crackers, pita bread, or veggies.
  • To store, keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. 

Notes

Notes:
  1. Use a smaller sized garlic clover, otherwise the garlic will be too overpowering. 
  2. I used 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. If you want the hummus to be a tad thinner, add more olive oil as you see fit. 
  3. If you don’t have tahini you can make this without it, just note, the flavor will be different as tahini adds a nice flavor to hummus.
  4. Hummus should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 1-2 weeks when stored properly.
  5. To freeze, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months. To help preserve freshness and moisture, pour a very thin layer of olive oil over the hummus in the container prior to freezing. Let thaw and enjoy chilled or at room temperature.
  6. Nutritional information only includes values for the hummus, not the crackers or sides you wish to serve alongside it. 

Nutrition

Calories: 60kcal (3%)Carbohydrates: 6g (2%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 4g (6%)Saturated Fat: 1g (5%)Sodium: 248mg (10%)Potassium: 101mg (3%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 3689IU (74%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 12mg (1%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating and review on the blog post letting me know how you liked this recipe! Take a picture and tag @saltandbaker on Instagram and Facebook so I can see what you’re making!

This recipe was originally published on Dec. 2, 2019. It was republished on Dec. 6, 2021, to include additional information and photos.