I think beets can be a bit controversial: some folks hate them, some folks love them. Even if you fall into the former camp, can you at least appreciate with me what a beautiful magenta color they can lend to a dish?
That’s (at least partly) why I decided to try a new take on my usual homemade hummus recipe by adding in roasted beets. JUST LOOK AT THAT PINK COLOR ❤
Even if you’re not the biggest beet fan, you can still achieve the pretty pink: the recipe is customizable to control the intensity of the beet flavor while still lending the color. For this batch, I erred on the lighter side because my boyfriend isn’t a huge beet fan, and even he still enjoyed this hummus!
Ingredients
- 1 can of chickpeas
- 1/4 cup tahini
- Juice from 1/2 large lemon (or 1 full small lemon)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Fresh basil (optional)
- 2 small roasted & peeled beets (optional to use more for a stronger beet flavor)
Preparation:
- Place whole, unpeeled beets on a baking tray and roast in the oven at 425F for ~30 minutes or until just getting soft (you should be able to easily cut through them). Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Drain the chickpeas but reserve 3 Tbsp liquid from the can. In a food processor, combine drained chickpeas, lemon, garlic, tahini, salt, basil, and reserved chickpea liquid. Pulse until creamy and smooth.
- Peel the cooled beets and cut in quarters. Place in the food processor and continue and pulse again until beets are incorporated.
- Transfer to a bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil. Bask in the magenta-colored beauty, and enjoy with pita chips, celery sticks, or however you like your hummus!
