Beet "Hummus" Recipe

Name: Beet "Hummus"
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/2 pound beets (about 4 medium sized beets), scrubbed clean, cooked, peeled, and cubed*; 2 Tbsp tahini sesame seed paste; 5 Tbsp lemon juice; 1 small clove garlic, chopped; 1 Tbsp ground cumin; 1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest from approx. 2 lemons); Generous pinch of sea salt or Kosher salt; Fresh ground pepper to taste

For those of you out there who cannot fathom even the idea of beets, fine. Truly, I'm a-okay with it. That only means there is more of this beet hummus for me.

I ate this entire batch, save one teaspoon that my mother caught just in time, before it was all finished off. (In this family, you snooze, you lose.)

Seriously, if you like beets, and you like hummus, you'll love this beet hummus. The ingredients are beets, tahini, garlic, lemon, cumin, and salt and pepper. Unlike traditional hummus, are no chickpeas in this recipe.

Use as a pretty topping for cucumber rounds, scoop some up with pita triangles or celery ribs, or just dive in, like oink-oink here, with a spoon, and eat it up before anyone knows what they're missing. Many thanks to neighbor, pastry chef, and friend Evie Lieb, for sharing this terrific recipe with us.

Is Hummus Even Hummus Without Chickpeas?

Hummus both unites and divides. It's now popular the world over; in America, a tub of hummus and a platter of baby carrots is as common at parties as chips and salsa.

Hummus originated in the Middle East. It's an Arab food that many regions have deeply embraced and come to claim as their own. In Arabic, the word hummus refers to chickpeas. This recipe replaces chickpeas with beets. So rather than being "based on" it is "inspired by" a traditional hummus.

Beet "Hummus"

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Servings 8 servings

Yield 2 cups

8 ounces beets (about 4 medium beets), scrubbed clean, cooked, peeled, and cubed
2 tablespoons tahini
5 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon lemon zest (zest from about 2 lemons)
Generous pinch sea salt or kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Cook the beets:

To cook the beets, cut off any tops, scrub the roots clean, put them in a covered dish with about 1/4 inch of water in a 375°F oven, and cook until easily penetrated with a knife or fork. Alternatively, cover with water in a saucepan and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Peel once they have cooled.
Blend the beets and remaining ingredients:

Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and ingredients as desired.

Chill and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

Eat with pita chips, or with sliced cucumber or celery, or on a crostini with goat cheese and shaved mint.

Elise Bauer

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
40	Calories
2g	Fat
5g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	40
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g	3%
Saturated Fat 0g	2%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 37mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 5g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 4mg	18%
Calcium 20mg	2%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 131mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.