Roasted beet hummus is a healthy appetizer dip. Beautiful red beets, earthy spices, and fresh lemon juice go perfectly with crunchy pita chips.
Have you noticed that beets are subtlety making their way into menus whenever you dine out? It’s a sure sign of fall, and if you like them you are certainly in for a treat! Red beets have this incredible vibrant magenta color that can’t help but catch your eye.
It may be a little bit of a mess, turning your fingers purple as you work diligently with them, but oh so worth the effort if you are an advocate for these fresh root vegetables. I’m a big fan of the slightly sweet and earthy vegetables, especially when they are oven-roasted and super tender.
It all starts with roasting these earthy gems at very high temperatures of 400 degrees until fork tender. This really brings out the hint of sweetness inside of the beet.
Did you know that much of the granulated sugar available at the market is from a varietal called sugar beets? Yup, they have 18% sucrose, that’s a good amount for just one vegetable! I blended this roasted beet hummus in my blender until smooth, with a little bit of chunky texture remaining.
I have yet to find a more luscious, magnetic, fuchsia-colored vegetable, and I can’t get enough. My husband Jason may disagree, as many people either LOVE or truly dislike beets. Do you know what I say? More for me! Hehe, and by the way, Jason did have a couple of bites, so it was bearable for even the toughest critics.
Nothing “beets” some fresh hummus and crunchy chips, together, happily co-existing in one bite, or two, or three. You know the drill, grab your favorite cold beverage and nosh away.
How do I remove beet stains from my cutting board?
I feel your pain, the struggle is real! Unless you are boiling your beets or roasting them whole, they can be a bit messy and tricky to clean after you start cutting them up. I would first start with washing your fingertips and hands immediately with warm soapy water right after you work with beets or use gloves to avoid staining altogether. To clean your board, don’t let the beet juice sit and soak, clean up right after and wash with hot soap and water and give the board a good scrub with your sponge. If you need to further deep clean the board from stains, generously sprinkle some coarse kosher salt on the board surface, cut a lemon in half and use the lemon to rub the salt into the board. Salt works into those fine grains of the board and acts an abrasive lifting those gnarly stains. A plus is that your board will be lemony fresh! (Source: Epicurious)
Roasted Beet Hummus
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 5 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 cups red beets, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 3 large beets)
- 15 ounces chickpeas, drained (1 can)
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup walnuts, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon chives, chopped for garnish
- lemon peel, grated, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a bowl, toss garlic and beets with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, just to coat.
- Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet, spreading in a single layer. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.
- In a food processor or blender, add chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Puree until chunky but smooth.
- When beets and garlic are cool enough to handle, add them to the mixture and puree until smooth, leaving the mixture a little chunky if preferred.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top hummus with chopped walnuts, chives, and lemon peel.
Equipment
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Heba says
Thank you! The recipe is very tasty, I didn’t imagine beet hummus would taste that good.
ron kratz says
great earthy taste! I had pre-boiled beets, it was ok, could still taste the beets
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks Ron! Pre-cooked beets are definitely quicker to use.
Linda S Moser says
I’m a little confused do you roast the beets first for the beet humus or just peel them and then roast them
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Linda- Peel the beets, then cut them into cubes, then roast the cubes with the oil and garlic. I hope that helps!
Kim says
How long will this keep in the fridge? I live by myself so 8 servings will last me a while. Thanks!
Jessica Gavin says
The beets will last about a week wrapped up in an airtight container.
Janice says
Look at the color on that hummus, it is gorgeous. This looks so appetizing. I’ve been trying to find more beet recipes because of running. They say it improves endurance so I try this next time I make hummus.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you Janice! After I roast them they are still dark, but they brighten up to a beautiful fuchsia after blending 🙂 Yes I have heard that beets gives you energy, if you can get your hands on some juice that would be a good pre-workout boost 🙂