Beet Hummus

Whenever I want to eat more fresh vegetables, I make a batch of hummus. Classic hummus, a back-pocket recipe for me, is a perfect dip for crunchy veggies. But when I want to change things up, roasted beet hummus hits all the right notes. It’s colorful, delicious and boosted with extra nutrition from healthful beets. You know what they say—eat the rainbow for good health!

Adding beets to hummus gives the dip a delicious sweet-and-savory flavor, and like all beet recipes, the root vegetable adds a vibrant plum color that’s beautiful on a party platter, especially alongside colorful vegetables. Plus, there are so many things to do with hummus, you can easily swap this one in for a fun twist.

Ingredients for Beet Hummus

• Beets: Beets add a rich color and a sweet, earthy flavor to hummus. There are several ways to cook beets, and for this recipe you’ll roast them. Roasting removes excess moisture from the beets and intensifies their sweetness. You can use drained canned beets, as well; just make sure they’re not pickled beets.
• A whole garlic bulb: Garlic lovers, this hummus is for you! An entire bulb of garlic packs this hummus with flavor (the strong taste of the beets stands up to the extra dose of seasoning). Roasting removes the sharp flavor of raw garlic, giving it a pleasant mellowness. Don’t love garlic? Reduce the quantity, or sub it out for a roasted shallot.
• Chickpeas: The base of classic hummus? Chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans. These mild, savory legumes contain fiber and plant protein, and they blend into a creamy smoothness. Use canned beans for ease, or make your own from scratch. Here are some chickpea recipes so you can use every last garbanzo.
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice provides essential acid to brighten the rich, earthy ingredients in hummus. Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled works in a pinch.
• Greek yogurt: Adding strained (Greek-style) yogurt to the hummus is optional, but it will help make your hummus become super creamy, and it adds a pleasant tang. Leave out the yogurt to keep this hummus a vegan snack.

Directions

Step 1: Microwave the beets

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pierce the beets with a fork or sharp knife. Place the beets in a microwave-safe bowl, and cover loosely with paper towels. Microwave the beets on high for four minutes, stirring halfway to ensure they cook evenly. Allow to cool slightly, then wrap each beet in foil as individual packets.

Step 2: Roast the beets and garlic

Remove the papery outer skin from the garlic bulb, but do not peel or separate the cloves. Cut the bulb in half crosswise. Sprinkle the halves with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap each half in individual foil packets. Roast the beets and garlic until the garlic cloves are soft and can be easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.

Step 3: Puree the hummus

Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven. Carefully unwrap from the foil. Rinse the beets with cold water until you can safely handle them, then peel them. Place the beets in a food processor. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins, and add them to the food processor. Add the garbanzo beans, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, cayenne pepper and remaining oil, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.

Step 4: Add the final flavorings

Taste of Home

If desired, pulse 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt into the beet hummus. Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl. If desired, dollop the remaining yogurt over the top. Sprinkle with dill or parsley. Serve with assorted vegetables, crackers or pita bread.

Recipe Variations

• Swap the beans: Don’t have (or love) chickpeas? Try another type of canned bean. White beans taste great with this recipe; try adding beets to this white bean hummus, or use navy or butter beans.
• Swap out the beets: Roasted beets add sweetness and color to this hummus, but other roasted vegetables can achieve a similar effect. Roasted sweet potatoes, red peppers, carrots and winter squash are tasty choices.
• Swap the seasonings: Dill and beets are a natural pairing, but there’s a wide world of spices and herbs that will taste great here. Parsley and cilantro, fresh or dried, are tasty. Paprika or smoked paprika would add an earthy note to the dip, while sumac would add a bright citrusy flavor. (What is sumac? A great tangy spice you want to know more about!)

How to Store Beet Hummus

Store leftover beet hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three or four days. As it sits, the hummus may thicken up a bit; simply stir in a bit of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice or plain water to loosen it up.

How to Freeze Beet Hummus

Beet hummus (like all hummus recipes) freezes very well. Freeze in a tightly sealed container for up to four months. Thaw in the refrigerator. The thawed hummus may be slightly thicker or grainer in texture; stirring in yogurt or olive oil will smooth it. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh dill to liven up the flavors.

Beet Hummus Tips

Taste of Home

How do you make smoother hummus?

For the smoothest possible hummus, remove the skins of the chickpeas before blending the hummus. Simply pour the drained canned chickpeas into a large bowl of water. Rub the chickpeas between your palms. The skins will float away easily; skim them off, then drain the chickpeas.

How do you make chickpeas from scratch?

Cooking dried beans is often cheaper than using canned, and it’s easy to do. To cook dried chickpeas from scratch, soak them overnight (or follow this guide on how to quick-soak dried beans), then simmer on the stovetop until tender. If you find beans difficult to digest, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the pot; it’s great for degassing beans.

How do you serve beet hummus?

In addition to serving hummus as a dip, this beet hummus also makes a delicious spread on a sandwich or wrap. Leftover hummus can be eaten in creative ways. Consider stirring it into a pasta salad, for instance, or slathering it over a pizza crust.