Beet Hummus Recipe

No good snack table is complete without pita chips and hummus. The funny thing is I don’t even remember ever eating pita chips and hummus before starting college, but my college friends and I *always* had hummus on the menu for gatherings, so now I still do the same. Pita chips and hummus are my go-to chips n dip for every party, along with some carrot sticks and cucumber spears.

Click here for the recipe for ‘Beet Hummus’

So since I love hummus, it just makes sense to combine it with one of my favorite vegetables: beetroot. I’m a firm believer that beets make the world go ’round. No, they do *not* taste like dirt, as some people like to think. They actually taste like incredibly sweet jewels of purpleness and vegetableness. I love them, and my life has never been the same since I first tried Beetroot Hummus at a local market in Cork, Ireland. The flavor and color were both intense on a simple water cracker. It was unforgettable.

Here’s my version of that amazing beetroot hummus the Irishman named Walter sold at the Cork English Market. The combination of beets and hummus is delightful. You can definitely add traditional chick peas to this hummus, but Walter’s version had no chickpeas.

Here’s what you need:

Cooked beets (you can roast your own, or use drained canned beets), tahini paste (sesame seed paste), fresh lemon juice, toasted walnuts, ground cumin, whole wheat bread, garlic clove, and salt.

Whole wheat bread adds a serious nuttiness and depth to the hummus. Start by toasting one or two slices of whole wheat sandwich bread until it’s completely dehydrated but not burned. There are no substitutes for whole wheat bread. Either use it or don’t use any other breads. Regular bread just has no flavor. Toss the bread into a blender or a food processor.

Pulse until you get fine crumbs, just like that. Transfer the bread crumbs to a bowl.

To the blender we will add the beets. They should start on the bottom of the blender.

Then add the other stuff, like tahini, toasted walnuts…

One crushed clove of garlic, too. Don’t add too much garlic to hummus. I’ve made this error too many times and it is lethal, I tell you. Lethal!

Add the bread crumbs back in.

Squeeze some fresh lemon juice. Fresh is much better than bottled lemon juice.

Toss in some ground cumin. Don’t leave this out. It adds a nice warm flavor to the hummus.

Blend away until the texture is how you like it. I prefer a smooth puree. Adjust with some salt and lemon juice, if necessary. Serve with pita chips and proceed to eat away.

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Beet Hummus Recipe

Total time: 8 minutes
Prep: 8 min
Cook: 0 min
Yield: About 2 cups
Level: Easy

Ingredients:
1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs from toasted whole wheat bread (about 1 slice of sandwich bread)
2 cans (15 ounces each) whole beets, drained
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
2 heaping tablespoons of tahini paste (sesame seed paste)
Fresh juice of 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a blender or a food processor, grind one to two slices of toasted whole wheat bread until you get fine bread crumbs. Transfer the bread crumbs to a separate bowl. To the now empty blender, add drained beets, toasted walnuts, tahini paste, the toasted bread crumbs (measure out 1/3 cup total), lemon juice, garlic clove, cumin, and salt. Blend until hummus is smooth and no lumps remain. Adjust with additional lemon juice and salt if necessary. Serve with pita chips. Store in refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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