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Beet hummus is a vibrant pink, slightly sweet, and ultra-creamy spin on traditional hummus. This simple recipe features roasted beets, creamy chickpeas, runny tahini, and a squeeze of lemon, resulting in a dip with the perfect balance of flavors. Serve it with your favorite vegetables, crackers, salads, and more!
Table of Contents
💗 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Versatile: Use it on wraps, spread it on burgers, or dip your favorite crackers and vegetables right in. You can use beetroot hummus for just about anything.
- Colorful: There is something about eating vibrant colors that makes you feel a little bit healthier. The pink hue is out of this world!
- Simple ingredients: Less than 10 simple ingredients are needed for this recipe to come together. You should have most of them in your pantry already.
- Customizable: Feel free to add spices, more tahini, or a little heat to make this recipe your own.
If you love the sounds of this roasted beet hummus, you should really check out our hummus, vegan pesto, baba ganoush, and toum.
🌿 What is beet hummus?
Beet hummus starts the same way as a traditional hummus recipe made from chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
For a subtly sweet and earthy flavor, roasted beets are mixed in. This addition not only provides a vibrant pink hue that makes this recipe look incredible, but it also adds layers of complexity to the taste! While you can customize this recipe, we recommend keeping it simple. Using fresh ingredients makes all the difference in the overall flavor and texture.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Cooked chickpeas: For the creamiest beetroot hummus, we recommend pressure cooking your chickpeas from dry. To take it a step further, remove the chickpea husks (or as many as you can) before blending them. Don’t forget to save the cooking liquid, which is known as aquafaba.
- Beets: Roasting the beets allows for the Maillard reaction to occur, resulting in a deep caramelized flavor that makes this recipe something special!
- Olive oil: High-quality olive oil is a must here! If you don’t have olive oil, try avocado oil, but EVOO is best.
- Tahini: Look for smooth, runny tahini to achieve silky smooth hummus. We always have the best luck in Mediterranean markets. Brands to watch out for include ARZ Fine Foods, Tamam, Alkanatar, Baron’s, Okka, and Soom.
- Lemon: Add both lemon juice and zest for a bright, tart, and acidic flavor that compliments the earthiness of the beets. Remember to use fresh lemon juice, not lemon juice concentrate!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves provide a zesty kick. For a more subdued flavor, roast the garlic cloves with the beets.
- Cold water: Ice-cold water is important for tahini-based sauces. It keeps the hummus light, fluffy, and airy. Keep that water cold!
- Sea salt & pepper: To enhance the other ingredients and add depth of flavor.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make roasted beet hummus
Step 1: Prepare the chickpeas
If you have the time, pressure-cook your chickpeas from dry. In a hurry? Open enough cans to make 2 cups, making sure to save the liquid (aquafaba) for later.
Step 2: Season the beets
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, toss the beets with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sea salt, and cracked black pepper.
Step 3: Roast the beets
Transfer the beets to the prepared baking sheet, spreading them in an even layer. Roast them for 25-30 minutes, or until fork-tender.
Step 4: Process the hummus
Once the beets and chickpeas are ready, place all ingredients in a food processor, except the 3 remaining tablespoons of olive oil. Process for 2-3 minutes, then slowly add in the oil while mixing.
Step 5: Adjust seasonings
Process for another 2-3 minutes, making sure to stop and scrape down the sides periodically. If the hummus is too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust any seasonings to your liking, then serve immediately. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this roasted beet hummus recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🍞 How to use beet hummus
This beet hummus recipe is extremely versatile! There are a number of ways you can use it, but these are some of our favorite ideas:
- Salad: Add a dollop of hummus onto a fresh salad for a creamy texture. Bonus — it increases the protein and fiber content.
- Crackers: Use this beetroot hummus as a dip for your favorite crackers like Raincoast Crisps, Melba toasts, crostinis, water biscuits, pita chips, or Mary’s crackers.
- Bread: Smear a generous helping onto a slice of toasted or untoasted dairy-free bread or sourdough bread. Top it with hemp seeds and pea shoots for a nutrient-dense breakfast, or turn it into a tofu and veggie sandwich for lunch.
- Charcuterie board: Include this picture-perfect beet hummus in a DIY charcuterie board with olives, vegan cheeses, dried fruits, and nuts.
🌡️ Storage
For any leftover beet hummus, follow these simple storage tips:
- Fridge: It’s best to keep hummus in the fridge in an airtight container. It will last for about 6-7 days this way. Hummus thickens as it sits, so add 1-2 tablespoons of cold water to help make it creamy when you’re ready to serve it again.
- Freezer: If you’re not eating it within a week’s time, store the hummus in a freezer-safe container or bag. Depending on how much you have left, it may be a good idea to separate it into multiple containers so you only have to thaw one at a time. Beet hummus will last 2-3 months if stored correctly.
- Thaw: Thaw your hummus in the fridge overnight and it should be ready in the morning. As with the fridge method, add a bit of cold water and stir to thin it out and make it creamy again.
♻️ Variations
- Beet varieties: Try using other types of beets like golden, Chioggia, or Mangel-wurzel beets.
- Grilled: To create a smoky, slightly charred flavor, try using grilled beets.
- Herbs and spices: For more depth of flavor, add herbs and spices like cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, and sumac.
- Steamed beets: If you prefer a more earthy flavor, steam your beets instead of roasting them. Make sure to let them drain well before processing them.
- Oil-free: If you’re conscious of your oil consumption, you can easily make this without the use of oil. Just make sure to add more tahini!
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Food processor: If you have access to a food processor, hummus is always easier to make with this kitchen appliance. If you don’t, a blender will do just fine.
- Cook from dry: The flavor is night and day when you cook chickpeas from dry rather than use canned.
- Remove the skin: For the smoothest, creamiest texture, remove the skins from the chickpeas before blending them.
- Add ice when blending: Adding ice water or ice cubes while blending ensures the hummus whips up and turns out fluffy.
- Adjust consistency: The longer you let the food processor or blender run, the more creamy the hummus will be. This also ensures the beets are fully pulverized.
💬 FAQ
This beet hummus recipe contains everything a traditional hummus recipe does, but roasted beets are added for an earthy, slightly sweet flavor and a vivid pink color. Some people replace chickpeas with beets completely, but this isn’t technically considered hummus.
Beetroot hummus is full of fiber and protein, making it ideal to help with weight loss. Just note, weight loss is multifactorial with healthy food, regular exercise, and calorie reduction all playing parts.
The best way to make hummus taste better is to use quality ingredients. This includes dried chickpeas, extra-virgin olive oil, and a reputable tahini brand. Additional modifications include adding more salt or oil for improved flavor.
Beet hummus carries a sweet, slightly earthy flavor with punchiness from the garlic and tartness from the lemon. Roasting beets brings out the natural sugars in the vegetable, transforming it to taste sweeter rather than earthy.
🍴 More chickpea recipes
If you enjoyed this beet hummus recipe, be sure to check out some more dishes with chickpeas as the star ingredient:
- Vegan Tuna: A simple plant-based tuna made from a base of chickpeas.
- Vegan Chickpea Salad: Healthy, flavorful, and simple side dish with Mediterranean mix-ins.
- Falafel: A homemade falafel recipe prepared using traditional methods.
- Chickpea Fries: A simple French-inspired appetizer featuring chickpea flour.
- Roasted Garlic Hummus: Smooth, creamy hummus infused with sweet and savory garlic.
- Israeli Hummus: Silky, garlicky, and perfectly tangy Middle Eastern-style hummus.
Best Beet Hummus
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Beets
- 1 medium beet, cubed in 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Hummus
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 3 tablespoons runny tahini
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup aquafaba (chickpea brine)
- ¼ cup ice-cold water
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chickpeas by pressure cooking them from dry or opening enough cans to make 2 cups. Make sure to save the liquid (aquafaba) for later.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the beets with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sea salt, and cracked black pepper.
- Transfer the beets to the prepared baking sheet, spreading them in an even layer. Roast them for 25-30 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- Once the beets and chickpeas are ready, place all ingredients in a food processor, except the 3 remaining tablespoons of olive oil. Process for 2-3 minutes, then slowly add in the oil while mixing.
- Process for another 2-3 minutes, making sure to stop and scrape down the sides periodically. If the hummus is too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Serve your roasted beet hummus on toast, with veggies, crackers, or chips. Happy eating!
Notes
- Food processor: If you have access to a food processor, hummus is always easier to make with this kitchen appliance. If you don’t, a blender will do just fine.
- Cook from dry: The flavor is night and day when you cook chickpeas from dry rather than use canned.
- Remove the skin: For the smoothest, creamiest texture, remove the skins from the chickpeas before blending them.
- Add ice when blending: Adding ice water or ice cubes while blending ensures the hummus whips up and turns out fluffy.
- Adjust consistency: The longer you let the food processor or blender run, the more creamy the hummus will be. This also ensures the beets are fully pulverized.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
