Roasted Beet Hummus

8/2/2016

Roasted Beet Hummus

Talk about "taste the rainbow"!! This roasted beet hummus is a hot pink dream come true. Obviously, I couldn't resist serving the brightest, most colorful veggies with this hummus! Not only is it a beautiful appetizer to serve at your next party, it's actually tastes as great as it looks. This delicious hummus is smooth, creamy, and full of flavor. I made a huge batch of it and ate it all week with wraps, veggies, and big spoonfuls of it on top of all of my salads. It's the perfect thing to keep stocked in your fridge or to pack for work with a little side of veggies. 

So what's the secret to this majestic hummus? Two things.
1. Don't be tempted to take a shortcut by using the pre-packaged steamed beets from the grocery store. Normally I'm all about taking shortcuts to make healthy cooking quicker and easier, but I tried this once, and the color was a really boring, blah, light pink. Definitely not the hot pink I was going for! It's worth the extra time to roast the beets (it's actually super easy!), plus it brings out a lot more flavor.
2. This is optional, but if you want super creamy hummus, you'll need to remove those little skins from the garbanzo beans. It's tedious and a little annoying, but it will make a big difference in the smoothness of the hummus. It probably only takes an extra 5 minutes, so I think it's worth it!

Ingredients
​2 small roasted beets
1 (15 oz) can of garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
Zest of 1 lemon (reserve a pinch for garnish)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp tahini
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

1. Start by roasting the beets. I followed these instructions. Note: it gets a little messy as you peel the skin 
from the roasted beets, so feel free to cut it instead.
2. Allow roasted beets to cool. Then slice in quarters and place in your food processor with all other ingredients.
3. Blend ingredients in food processor until hummus is smooth. Season to taste with salt & pepper. 
4. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of lemon zest.

Serve with beautiful, colorful veggies. My faves: purple cauliflower, carrots, Persian cucumbers, cherry 
tomatoes, sugar snap peas, & watermelon radish.

If anyone is a little skeptical about beets and thinks they may be overpowering in a hummus recipe - don't you worry. The combination with the garlic, lemon, and tahini is absolute perfection and so fresh. Plus beets have a ton of health benefits. They boost your immune and heart health, provide antioxidants, and are full of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, folate, potassium & manganese. So time to add some delicious beets to your diet!

Can't wait to hear how you like this one! 

Photography by Kristen Schellenberg