If you are looking for a colourful, healthy and delicious appetizer or spread for your sandwiches, look no more, we have the perfect dish for you, beetroot hummus, made with roasted beetroots.
What is Beetroot Hummus?
As simple as it sounds, beetroot hummus or pink hummus is your traditional hummus with the addition of a vibrant and delicious ingredient: Beetroot.
To make this colourful homemade hummus you will need to bake fresh beetroots, as oven-baked beetroots work best for this recipe.
Oven-baked beetroot adds sweetness, colour and lovely flavour to your classic hummus. This root veggie contains a high amount of water so they are the perfect vegetable to add to your hummus to get a nice consistency
Beetroot Health Benefits
Beetroot is often referred to as a superfood. It is packed with essential nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre, and is low in fat too. They are especially good for people with prediabetes or diabetes. So, for me, as a prediabetic, beetroot hummus has become a favourite on our weekly menu and for special occasions.
Christmas, Easter and other special gatherings are the perfect days to serve this lovely pink appetizer.
Family Friendly Hummus
Both our kids love this beet hummus recipe. The vibrant pink colour and flavour are perfect for little kids.
Our toddler Luca loves Beetroot hummus spread on some pita bread and our baby Lena enjoys having it on its own!
Before adding salt and garlic, we separate a bit for Lena and then mix the salt and garlic with the rest of the ingredients for the three of us.
Beetroot is such a great ingredient to give to your little ones and chickpeas are protein and fibre rich.
Our Beet Humus recipe is:
- An appetizer or spread
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Healthy
- Family-friendly
- Smooth
- Packed with flavor
How to make Beetroot Hummus
To make this Beetroot Hummus recipe or dip at home you will need a few simple ingredients, a food processor and 15 minutes of your time once the beetroot is roasted.
Ingredients
Beetroot. Choose a small-medium size raw beetroot for this recipe. To make the best hummus, you will need fresh beetroot. To cook beetroot, simply cover in tinfoil and bake for about an hour at 200C / 400F. This time applies to small-medium size beetroots. For bigger ones, you may need longer baking time.
Chickpeas. To make hummus, we buy organic jarred or canned chickpeas and we love the flavour. Make sure you use good-quality chickpeas as it makes a huge difference in the taste of your hummus. You can as well soak overnight dried chickpeas or leave them in hot water for 1 hour.
Tahini. Sesame seed paste, that’s all tahini is. This paste will give your hummus a delicious tangy flavour. For this recipe, we use store-bought tahini. You can find tahini in most grocery stores or online. You can alternatively use peanut butter or cashew butter.
Lemon juice. Use fresh lemon juice if possible. Lemon works really well in this hummus as it contrasts the sweetness from the beetroot, making the hummus tangier.
Extra Virgin Olive oil. For your beetroot dip, you want to use the best olive oil you have at home, extra virgin olive oil is best when adding it to dips and salads.
Garlic. Just a little bit of raw garlic makes already a big difference in taste. You can skip this ingredient or add less if you are making this dip for kids as well. Another option is to roast the garlic while roasting the beetroot and adding it roasted. It gives a beautiful taste to your dip. If you don't have fresh garlic, consider adding some garlic powder.
Fresh mint. Mint and beetroot are such a good combination, so we add finely chopped fresh mint before serving the hummus.
Sesame seeds. We love making a dish look delicious just with the presentation. Adding sesame seeds not only does this but also improves the taste.
Salt. If you are making this recipe for babies or small toddlers, separate their portions before adding salt.
Step-by-Step Method
- Roast the beetroot. It is easier than you think to cook fresh beetroot. To cook beetroot, cut the top and bottom of the beet, wash with water, and wrap in aluminum foil. Then roast the beetroot for about an hour at 200C / 400F. This time applies to small-medium size beetroots. Depending on the size of your beets, you may need to cook them for longer. To make sure the beets are cooked, stick a knife. This should go all the way in easily. Leave to cool and peel.
- Add all the ingredients to a food processor. Cut the cooked beets into four pieces and add them to the food processor with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend until you have a really smooth hummus. Start blending the ingredients and slowly, add some cold water to achieve the creamiest hummus and keep blending until you have the desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
Beet Hummus or Beetroot Dip is the perfect appetizer for family gatherings and parties such as Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and other celebrations. This dish brings colour to your table and everyone loves it. You can serve it with some crudites such as carrot sticks, celery sticks, finely sliced peppers or cucumber, some pita bread or pita chips, crackers or crusty bread.
Another way to enjoy this pink hummus is on a Snack Board. We love making vegan charcuterie boards, and this dip gives the board such a nice touch.
You can as well, enjoy this hummus as a spread for your toast or sandwiches. Find some other vegan sandwich Spreads in this lovely Round-up post.
If you want some other suggestions on how to use your Beetroot Hummus, make sure you try adding it to your favourite sandwiches, falafel platter, and burritos.
Store
If you have leftovers and want to store them for later, keep the hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for a maximum of 4 days. Mix well before serving to ensure a creamy texture.
How to plate your hummus
Some would say the presentation is as important as the taste of your dish, especially if you have guests or you want to bring your dish to a party or family dinner. Pour the hummus into a nice bowl, use the back of a spoon and move in a circular motion from the centre of the bowl to the edge. Add fresh herbs such as mint, parsley, basil or oregano, sesame seeds and some extra olive oil on the top. Your lovely pink hummus will be easier to shape when chilled.
FAQ and Tips
Can you freeze beetroot?
Yes, and you definitely should! If you are going to have your oven working for an hour, make it worth it by adding more beetroots than the ones you need for this recipe. Once your beetroots have been roasted, cut them into smaller pieces and freeze. Next time you want to make this recipe or any other, you can simply have it ready to go
Can you use tinned or precooked beetroot?
To make the perfect Beet Hummus, always bake fresh beetroots. Tinned beetroots, pre-cooked or boiled will make your hummus watery. If you are using tinned or boiled beetroots, do not add water to the recipe.
Can I use other legumes to make this Beetroot dip?
Sure, if you don't have garbanzo beans or you prefer to use something else, you could try using kidney beans. They are lovely in taste and color.
Do I need to peel the chickpeas to make hummus?
No, this step is not necessary. We have done this, and you get a silky and smoother texture. Is it worth it? Well, it depends on how big of a batch you want to make and how special is the occasion. If you need some help to skin your chickpeas fast, check Cook's Illustrated recommendations.
Can I make this recipe without tahini?
Yes, you can simply skip this ingredient or try adding some peanut or cashew butter instead.
Beetroot Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 beetroot small-medium
- 500 gr cooked chickpeas
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup tahini
- Juice of one small lemon
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F
- Cut the tops and bottom of the beetroot. Wash with water, wrap in tin foil, and roast for about an hour. A skewer or knife should go all the way in easily when ready.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to a food processor. Add the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.
- When the beetroot is roasted and has been cooled, cut it into four pieces and add them into the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend all ingredients until you have a smooth consistency. Add slowly the cold water if it's too thick and keep adding it a little at a time to your desired consistency.
- Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Serve with extra virgin olive oil, sesame seeds and chopped fresh mint.
Nutrition
If you tried our recipe, please leave a comment or tag us on Instagram @Sixhungryfeet. We are always happy to see your creations!
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