The secret to achieving the creamiest hummus lies in how the beans are prepared and ICE COLD water. This colorful, festive twist on classic hummus utilizes roasted beets for color and the earthy flavor beet lovers adore (without overpowering the flavor of a really good hummus).
Ingredients
- 1 med-large red beet (or 3 small ones)
- 1 can of chickpeas
- ¼ cup sesame tahini make sure you mix first so it’s not chunky
- ½ medium sized lemon
- 2 large garlic cloves either raw or roasted, since I’m roasting the beets I usually roast the garlic
- Olive oil for roasting or spray if oil free
- ¼ cup of olive oil into hummus if oil free you can always just add more cold water
- Freshly ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons ice cold water
Optional Toppings
- Crushed pistachios
- Edible flowers
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Roasted chickpeas
- Pickled red onions
- Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400, peel the beet, and cut in 4 quarters. You can roast directly on parchment paper or wrap individually in tin foil with a drizzle of olive oil and salt. Sometimes depending on your oven the beets can dry out so I wrap mine along with the garlic. I use fresh elephant garlic so I leave the skin on slightly, cut the top off, dash of olive oil and salt and wrap in tin foil leaving the top exposed. Roast the garlic for 20 mins, pull out and let cool, if you are using a few roasted chickpeas for topping, also pull those out and set aside. Let the beets roast for another 15- 20 minutes. Once your fork pierces right through they are ready, pull out and cool for 10 minutes.
- To make creamy hummus, drain the chickpeas, rinse and add to a small pan, cover with water and ½ teaspoon baking soda. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes, drain and let cool for 10 minutes
- While the beets are still cooking, in a blender or food processor, add the garlic, 1 teaspoon sea salt and lemon juice. Blend and let sit for a few minutes (this really brings out the flavor).
- Combine chickpeas, cooked beet, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Process ingredients until smooth, adding cold water as needed to reach the desired consistency.
- With the food processor/blender (if using a blender) running, drizzle in olive oil until the hummus is smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Chill, garnish, and serve.
Notes
I sometimes add in a dash of cayenne if I want a little kick to the flavor.