Recipe: Moroccan-Spiced Carrot Hummus — Snack Recipes from The Kitchn |Cooking With Amanda

This hummus is so addicting, both in flavor and in color — bright orange! The Moroccan spices add such a lovely dimension, too. This is the kind of warm-and-spicy flavor combination I crave as the days get shorter and chillier. I have a feeling you will be whipping it up more than once this holiday season to share at dinner parties and potlucks.

We are in the thick of the carrot harvest at our farm and this hummus is one of the first autumn carrot recipes I've made. My husband managed to eat the whole batch in less than 24 hours. He's a hungry farmer but still…I'll take it as a compliment!

We grow quite a variety of carrots, but I chose to use the orange ones for this hummus so the color would be bright and inviting. However, if you stroll through your local farmers market and find some colorful rainbow carrots, feel free to use those for this recipe. Just keep in mind the color won't be quite the same.

I don't know what's more exciting, this hummus or the fact that I can wash it down with a pumpkin beer! I love the flavors of the fall and I hope you all enjoy this simple hummus as much as my family does. Grab your favorite crackers and dip away. Cheers!

Moroccan-Spiced Roasted Carrot Hummus

Makes about 3 1/2 cups

1 pound carrots, chopped into 1-inch chunks
3 whole cloves of garlic, peels left on
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if from a can
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water + more to thin if necessary
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Fresh cilantro, minced, to serve

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the chopped carrots and whole garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Scatter evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment and roast in the oven until the carrots are tender and lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Toss carrots halfway through cooking. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their peels.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine roasted carrots, roasted garlic, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, water and all of the spices. With the motor running drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Whirl away until smooth, scraping the sides down as necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. If the hummus is too thick, add a little more water or oil and process until desired consistency is achieved.

Serve with minced cilantro and your favorite veggies and crackers.