Roasted Beet Hummus

What came first the tahini or the chickpeas?

What makes hummus, hummus? Is it the tahini or the chickpeas? Or both? Am I wrong to call this amazingly bright dip hummus? After all, it has absolutely no chickpeas in it. It’s straight up beet and tahini swirled into a magenta magnificence.

For all the beet haters out there, if you just happened to stumble across this page without actually meaning to, it doesn’t taste like beets. Can you guess that I am close to someone who despises beets? My family never ever dished out beets. I was raised thinking I didn’t like them. Disclaimer: My mother made sure we ate our share of vegetables. “Something green for every meal” she always said, just not bright purple. So when I create or discover a recipe that literally “hides” an ingredient that others may not be so into, I am thrilled.

I am not sure when I discovered my love for beets. I think the color first caught my attention, then the brilliance of naturally dying cakes with beet juice. Then adding them into juices, roasted salads, and everything else I started to love about beets showed up on my plate pretty consistently. So wanting to stuff as many beets into a hummus dish as I could only seemed natural. But then. I discovered making it a literal beet hummus (rather than a beet infused hummus) and took out the chickpeas altogether. So back to my question… that still makes this a hummus right?

Just a few simple notes to keep in mind then you are on your way to making a crowd pleaser that spices up any dish.

When starting to blend your roasted beets, be sure to not add any water. Toss in the roasted tahini and lemon or lime juice to help it move through the blender or processor. The beets hold quite a bit of moisture so to allow the hummus to result in a nice thick creamy dip, being mindful of not adding too much liquid is key. Begin adding the rest of the ingredients – garlic, salt, and o yea, that’s it (this might be the simplest recipe with the fewest ingredients on my blog yet.) Go ahead and dip a finger in there to give it a taste. You may need to add a dash of oil (really any will do for this one – I used coconut oil) if it’s too thick for the blender. Just a dash.

Give it another taste. Here is where you get to be the creator, the creative, and the chef of your own home. What I love most about cooking is the creativity, the space to modify recipes or create new ones that suit my palate and those I am serving. That’s the beauty of cooking. It is not an exact science. So rather than feeling intimidated by flavor profiles and technique, let it be an experience. Start with the flavors you love and go from there.

Did you taste it yet? All beets are different with varying consistency, size, and taste so you may need to be your own creative. If the tahini really stands out, add a pinch more salt. If it tastes a little boring, add more citrus. Citrus enhances the flavor of any dish, even in baking. I often find that a little lemon or lime juice elevates a dish to a level that salt cannot.

With a dash of citrus here and a pinch of salt there, you’ve got your roasted beet hummus that tastes nothing like beets and everything like hummus. It’s paleo, packed with nutrients A to Z, vegan, and adds a punch of color to almost any dish. I love it simply with fresh veggies like carrots and cucumber, spread on toast, plopped on top of salads, or spread all over the Bomb Black Bean Beet Burger  .

Yummmmm.

homecooked with love LLC

Yields 5-6 Servings

Roasted Beet Hummus

45 minPrep Time

5 minCook Time

50 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

• 3 large fresh beet bulbs or 4-5 small, quartered *See Notes
• 1/4 cup roasted tahini
• 3 Tablespoons Lemon or Lime juice
• 3/4 teaspoon high mineral sea salt
• 2 garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• dash of Cold Pressed, Unrefined Coconut or Olive Oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degreed F
2. Spread quartered beets onto parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with oil
3. Bake in over for about 45 minutes or until beets are very easily pierced through with a fork
4. Remove from oven and let cool completely, at least a half hour
5. Add beets along with the rest of the ingredients to a food processor or bender and blitz until smooth. If too thick to swirl, add a dash of oil or citrus.
6. Taste
7. Add more citrus juice and/or salt to taste if needed
8. Blitz one more time
9. Enjoy as a dip, with pita, on burgers or dipping sauce for French Fries.

Notes

I find it easiest with less mess to peel post roasting the beets. Let them cool completely, then simple rub your fingers across the outer layer to remove skin. You can also you a vegetable peeler before roasting to remove peel.

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https://www.wilderootsprovisions.com/roasted-beet-hummus/