While certainly not a traditional hummus, beetroot hummus is so widely spread in shops these days that it makes sense to have a recipe to make it at home rather than buying. It follows the same outline as a hummus recipe, simply with added roasted beetroot and roasted garlic in place of raw. It’s very slightly sweet and has a noticeable beet flavour.
I clearly photographed this recipe in late summer, when we had cucumbers and peppers, but beets are available almost all year (they don’t like high heat, so are harder to find in hot summers). At other times of year serve with more root veg like carrots and kohlrabi or simply with crackers or bread.
If you’re looking to include more beetroot in your diet or have a glut to use, try chocolate beet muffins, gluten-free beet tart, or wintery beet salad with spinach and orange.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Beetroot: roasting makes it sweeter and reduces the water content for a stronger flavour. You can use boiled or steamed beets but the hummus will be lighter in colour and taste.
- Garlic: if you prefer to use raw garlic, add a clove or two instead of roasting it.
- Chickpeas: cooked or canned. If cooking from dried, add half a teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking water for a softer texture after cooking. If using canned, drain and rinse well before adding.
- Tahini: any tahini you like. If you want to avoid the natural bitterness of tahini, use a white (hulled) type.
Step by Step
Step 1: roast the beets and garlic in a covered dish.
Step 2: add everything but the oil to a food processor.
Step 3: blend until quite smooth. It will look a little dry at this point.
Step 4: add the olive oil in a slow stream while blending.
Recipe Notes
This will naturally be a slightly chunkier hummus than the smoothest options due to the added beetroot. You can make it smoother by blending with a high-powered immersion blender or standing blender with a tamper, but even a good food processor will leave some texture (which is not a bad thing – what is the obsession with paste?).
Keep in mind that it will take almost an hour to roast the beets. You can pop them in the oven while you’re making something else and keep in the refrigerator for up to three days before making the hummus.
How to Store
Storage: keep the hummus in the refrigerator for up to three days in a sealed container.
Freezing: hummus can be frozen. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator and give it a mix before serving.
Expert Tips
- Thin with water: if the hummus is too thick, add a splash of water and blend to combine. Adding more oil will make it feel a little greasy and unpleasant.
- Season to taste: tahini may be salted or unsalted, and either way this should be seasoned based on your personal preference. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Top with cumin: it’s a nice addition to top with a sprinkle of toasted cumin seeds before serving. If you want a different profile, try adding fresh dill instead.
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Beetroot Hummus
Description
Ingredients
- 2 small beetroots or one long
- 3 cloves roasted garlic or 1 clove raw
- 500 grams cooked or canned chickpeas drained and rinsed well
- 50 grams tahini
- Juice of a lemon ~3 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon sea salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Toasted cumin seeds for topping optional
- Hot pepper flakes for topping optional
Instructions
- Roast the beets in a covered oven-safe dish for about 50 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly before slipping the skins off. To roast the garlic with the beetroot, either add three single cloves of garlic, skin-on, to the dish. Or roast a whole head of garlic (cut off the top bit, drizzle with some oil, and place root-side down in the dish).2 small beetroots, 3 cloves roasted garlic
- Add the roasted beet, garlic, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor. Mix until well blended. It won't look smooth, but there shouldn't be visible chunks or whole chickpeas.500 grams cooked or canned chickpeas, 50 grams tahini, Juice of a lemon, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Slowly pour the olive oil into the mixer while blending. The hummus should be quite smooth and light. Transfer to a dish and serve with a sprinkle of cumin seeds and hot pepper if you want a bit of spice.2 tablespoons olive oil, Toasted cumin seeds for topping, Hot pepper flakes for topping
- Serve immediately or set aside to rest at room temperature for an hour or two before serving for the best flavour. This will keep in the refrigerator for about three days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.