Living in the Middle East I’m always finding inspiration in the beautiful array of mezze dishes available here. Hummus has gained notoriety the world round and it’s most likely something you eat on a regular basis. But here there are so many different varieties and different types of dips – such as this Arabic Moutabel recipe I posted a few weeks ago. Beetroot hummus is a great twist on the original – and no more difficult to make. The addition of beetroot packs in extra iron, fiber and vitamin C – not to mention an irresistible pop of colour and extra flavour.
Hummus for one
I very nearly didn’t share this recipe because it’s difficult to make for a single, or even a double, portion. No one really wants to open a tin of chickpeas to only use a small amount. This recipe makes around 4 generous portions. If you’re like me and happy to eat this several days in a row this is no problem, But if you want more variety in your diet this becomes a little tricky.
I’d never tried to freeze hummus before so I decided that I would trial it and post this if it worked successfully without affecting the taste or texture. Good news! I managed to get pretty perfect results from freezing and thawing – just follow the instructions below!
How to make beetroot hummus?
This recipe is so easy to make – simply put all the ingredients into a food processor / blender and blitz for around 2 minutes – scraping any dip that has stuck to the sides every so often.
I added an optional step to make an even smoother hummus – boil the chickpeas for 20 minutes in some water with bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). The soda helps to break down the texture of the chickpeas making them mushier and the hummus smoother. It’s absolutely not essential – but it does make the texture extra smooth!
Can you freeze beetroot hummus?
You can freeze beetroot hummus very successfully! Portion it up into individual freezable pots and then cover and freeze. Defrost in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before serving. If you get any separation after freezing then give it a good stir and it should be fine.
What can you serve this with?
You can serve this with a whole array of things. If you fancy a healthy snack you can serve it with crudites – some crunchy carrot and celery is perfect. It’s also great as an open sandwich – topped with some fresh greens and a little drizzle of tahini (as pictured). Or you can have it Arabic style, with some warm Arabic or pitta bread dipped in – yum!
Products that work well for this recipe
Russell Hobbs 3-in-1 Blender
Bamboo Lotus Serving Board
Cole & Mason Herb Keeper
Beetroot Hummus
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Healthy, delicious and so pretty! This beetroot hummus makes a fantastic mid afternoon snack, or a tasty open sandwich when topped with some leaves and a drizzle of tahini. Yum!
These are generous portion sizes and will be enough for 2 decent sized pieces of bread per portion.
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (optional)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 200g cooked beetroot, see note 1
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed and then chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon – juice only
Instructions
Optional step: Place chickpeas in a pan of boiling water with 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda for 20 minutes. The chickpea skins will float at the top of the water when boiling – use a slotted spoon to remove most of them (not essential and don’t worry about getting them all – but this helps make it smoother. Drain and rinse well. This will leave the chickpeas impossibly soft and make the texture of the dip even smoother. It definitely isn’t essential but does make it super creamy.
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and season well. Blitz until you have a smooth paste & serve – easy!
Top with your choice of tahini, sesame seeds, microgreens, chopped herbs – or whatever you fancy!
Notes
- If you are using precooked beetroot then use the vacuum packed variety rather than the jars in vinegar.
- If using fresh beetroot then you can roast or boil it. Boiling it makes the skins easier to peel off and is absolutely fine for this recipe.
- The prep time does not include the optional step of pre-boiling the chickpeas. Add an additional 25 minutes if you choose to do this
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dip
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: Arabic
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 215
- Fat: 13g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Protein: 7.5g
Keywords: dip, hummus, arabic, middle eastern, chickpeas, tahini, snack, appetiser, starter, mezze
Absolutely loving the vibrant colour and the sprinkle of herbs on top – makes such a difference! I love beetroot hummus but never thought of making it – will definitely give it a go!
★★★★★
Aww thank you Kristina – really appreciate it! Can’t wait to hear your feedback when you’ve tried it!
This recipe was a knock-out and the additional tip (to boil the chickpeas to remove the skins) made it creamier than most hummus-es (hummi?) that I’ve tried. It really has some nice heat to it as well. It was the perfect way for me to start working that superfood, beets, into my diet.
★★★★★
Thanks Aubrilyn, Really glad you enjoyed the recipe! I had to Google the plural – it’s hummuses 🙂
Hi
Thanks for a great recipe..do we have to roast sesame seeds before using for topping.? Also can you tell me how much gm of chickpeas if we are taking dried ones … thank u so much in advance …
Hi Tressa, Thanks for your comment 🙂
For the sesame seeds, toasting them helps to bring out the flavour but it’s not essential.
For the chickpeas,you can use roughly half the amount if you are using dried (they will double in weight as you soak/cook them)
Thanks a lot for ur quick reply..