Beet "Hummus"

In this colorful beet "hummus", beets stand in for the traditional chickpeas. Made with cooked red beets, tahini, lemon, and garlic, it's great with pita chips or veggies!

Beet Hummus
Elise Bauer

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.

Beet Hummus
Elise Bauer

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.

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Beet "Hummus"

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 8 servings
Yield 2 cups


Ingredients

  • 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

Method

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

    Beet Hummus
    Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
40 Calories
2g Fat
5g Carbs
1g Protein
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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.