Pink Beetroot Hummus

If you love hummus, but are looking for a little bit of a change, you need to try this pink beetroot hummus! This recipe is super easy to follow and it results in a dip that is both flavorful and beautiful. Plus, the beets add some important nutrients to the mix. So give this hummus a try the next time you're looking for something new!

This healthy and colorful pink beetroot hummus is perfect for entertaining. Treat yourself and your guests to this stunning pink hummus made with roasted beetroot!

I love having hummus around for a quick snack. I always have some in the fridge because it's such a great filling lunch option, especially when paired with veggies and a wrap or pita.

Jump to:

• What is hummus?
• Why add beets?
• Are chickpeas good for you?
• Ingredients
• How to make pink beetroot hummus
• How to cook chickpeas from scratch
• How to store cooked chickpeas
• How to serve this Pink Beetroot Hummus
• Variations
• Expert tips
• Storage
• Related recipes
• Recipe

There are many great store-bought beets out there to save time instead of roasting, like Love Beets or Melissa's Produce; however, nothing beets, I mean, beats, homemade hummus, especially with the earthy taste of beets! I can't resist a food pun!

This pink beetroot hummus is a delicious addition to this Chickpea Quinoa Salad. Or try this Southwest Quinoa Bowl.

For a hummus recipe with the added oomph of horseradish, try my incredibly delicious and creamy Roasted Beet Hummus with Horseradish.

What is hummus?

Hummus is a creamy and delicious dip or spread that originated in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. It is made of cooked chickpeas, tahini (a paste made from hulled sesame seeds), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. 

Why add beets?

Apart from the gorgeous pink that the freshly roasted beets give to hummus, I love the subtly earthy and mildly sweet flavor they add.

Beets are a great source of antioxidants, phytonutrients, beta-carotene, fiber, folate, iron, manganese, potassium, and vitamin C. Beetroots and their juice have been linked with numerous health benefits such as liver cleansing, improved blood flow, increased exercise performance, and lower blood pressure.

Beets are commonly found throughout Europe, and they are seen extensively in Eastern European, Russian, and Scandinavian cuisine.

Are chickpeas good for you?

Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber. They also contain manganese, minerals, zinc, and vitamins including B vitamins and amino acids.

Hummus is a source of protein and fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, especially calcium, folate, magnesium, and potassium.

Ingredients

• Cooked chickpeas - you can use canned, but I've found that freshly cooked chickpeas have great taste and texture.
• Roasted red beets for earthy sweetness. You can use precooked beets instead of roasting them yourself, however, the flavor will not quite be the same, and the color will not be as vibrant.
• Garlic for bite
• Tahini because it's essential for hummus! I start with ¼ cup, you can add more if you like after tasting it. It's easy to add more if you need it but you can't take it away if you've added too much. I really like this one from Kevala.
• Fresh lemon juice for brightness
• Fine sea salt for bringing out the flavor
• Cold water for thinning the hummus

How to make pink beetroot hummus

Here are the steps you'll need to take to make this gorgeous roasted beetroot hummus. If you've got packaged beets and canned chickpeas, go straight to the last step:

• Roast the beets (unless you're using pre-cooked beets) and chop them
• Cook the chickpeas (unless you're using canned chickpeas or pre-cooked chickpeas)
• Combine the ingredients in a food processor.

Roast the beets

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the beets for roasting by cutting the stems and greens and reserving them for another use in vegetable broth or sauteing the greens with garlic. It's best to cut off the stems and greens within two days of buying the beets; otherwise, they will wilt.

Scrub the beets, dry them, and cover them with aluminum foil completely. You don't have to wrap each beet separately. Depending on the size of the small beets, roast them for 40 to 60 minutes. 

Then, remove the beets from the oven and let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Once the beets are cooled, roughly chop them and reserve the beet juice to go in the hummus.

Cook the chickpeas

While the beets are roasting, you can cook the chickpeas - instructions are below. If using canned chickpeas, you can cook them briefly for 20 minutes to soften them, then drain and rinse them. If you're in a hurry, you can skip this step.

If you want extra creamy hummus, be sure to cook the chickpeas until they are soft and yield to the pressure of your finger, or use a pressure cooker.

Combine the ingredients

Put the chickpeas, chopped beets with any beet juice, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, cumin if you are adding it, and salt in the food processor bowl. Blend until smooth for at least 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add 4 tablespoons of cold water during blending. Stop the food processor and scrape the sides occasionally.

Add another 2 to 4 tablespoons of cold water if the hummus is too thick. Continue to blend until the hummus is smooth and creamy.

Serve with an extra drizzle of olive oil on top, and add parsley or add microgreens and sesame seeds as I did.

How to cook chickpeas from scratch

I cook a pound of chickpeas at a time. That way, I always have some in the freezer to use for making hummus. Here's how to do it:

• Rinse a pound of dry chickpeas well, pick through them, and place them in a large stockpot the night before. Cover them with several inches of water on top, since the chickpeas will absorb water and get bigger. I leave them on the kitchen counter overnight, covered.

• The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place them in the stockpot and cover them with an extra 2 inches of water on top. Bring the water to a boil and cook them for at least one hour, up to one and a half hours at a simmer, occasionally stirring. Add more water when necessary. You want well-cooked chickpeas to get nice and creamy hummus. They should get so soft that they yield to pressure.

How to store cooked chickpeas

When the chickpeas are cooked, drain them, rinse them with cold water, and place them on a baking sheet to cool. Measure 2 cups for this recipe, and freeze the rest by placing them in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Lay the bag flat in the freezer, so the chickpeas do not freeze in clumps.

You can try the store-bought pre-cooked beets that are sold in vacuum packaging. The color may be different, as well as the taste. If you're in a hurry, they'll do in a pinch, but I urge you to try roasting and tasting the difference for yourself!

How to serve this Pink Beetroot Hummus

• Add a swirl of extra virgin olive oil to the hummus when you serve it. You can garnish it with parsley which is traditional, or microgreens and sesame seeds, which is what I did.
• I love serving this hummus with pita bread or wraps along with raw vegetables such as sliced red pepper, carrot sticks, or sliced cucumber and radish.
• You can also serve it on whole-grain crackers, or tortilla chips, or put it on sandwiches along with avocado for a healthy snack that'll keep you full until dinnertime!
• Spread it on toast and top it with avocado.
• Add it to a Mediterranean Bowl, or add it to my Southwest Quinoa Bowl.
• Make a sandwich or wrap and add this beetroot hummus, avocado, cucumber, radish, and sprouts.

Variations

• Skip the beets.

• Add sumac, cumin, smoked paprika, or a combination. Adjust the amount to your taste, you may need to add more lemon, salt, or spices.

Expert tips

• You may want to wear gloves when cutting and handling the beets since the pigmentation can leave a reddish-pink stain.

• It's well worth the effort to cook the chickpeas and roast the beets. When you cook the chickpeas you can control how soft the chickpeas get for creamier hummus. To save time, roast the beets and cook the chickpeas the day before.

• Add cold water while the ingredients are mixed in the food processor until the hummus is creamy. Blend for at least 3 to 5 minutes.

Storage

• This hummus will keep for about 4 to 7 days in the fridge in a tightly sealed container. 

• You can freeze it for up to 4 months in a tightly sealed container. I've never had to do that since it disappears so fast.

Related recipes

If you make this recipe, let me know what you think by ★★★★★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. You can follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @resplendentkitchen and hashtag #resplendentkitchen.

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