Golden Beet Hummus
A lightened-up hummus - reining in the tahini and oil a bit. Billowy and smooth, it's a boosted hummus for everyday, all-day w/ golden beets, turmeric, and chickpeas.
This week I felt like I needed to step up my snack game. You know, do a better job of having easy, good-for-me things to grab between meals. Hummus is an obvious go-to, but I thought I'd take a swipe at making a version that is on the lighter side. Hummus often has a lot of tahini and added oil, and I wanted to see how I could rein it all in a bit and really amp it nutritionally as well. Billowy and smooth, this is a boosted beet hummus for everyday, all-day ;) enjoyment. Meaning, it's delicious without being overly indulgent, and it incorporates a number of favorite all-star ingredients - golden beets, turmeric, and legumes. Enjoy! -h
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Golden Beet Hummus
You can make this with raw (or roasted) beets! The beets pictured in this version were raw. And, yes - you can absolutely use red or purple beets. If you tend to find turmeric too acrid or bitter/tannic, start with less, and add a bit at a time. I call for a range of spices/extras - turmeric, saffron, and nutritional yeast. All give some nutritional boost to this hummus, but you can certainly leave them out. The amazing color here derives more from the turmeric vs. the beets, so keep that in mind. My main recommendation - make a triple batch to keep on hand all week.
- 1 14- ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium golden beet (raw), peeled, and quartered (4-inch diameter)
- 4-6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 4 medium garlic cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup ice water
- 3/4 teaspoon round turmeric (optional)
- pinch of saffron (optional)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
- to serve (all or some of the others): sesame seeds, hemp seeds, edible chive/flower blossoms, chopped chives, thread of toasted sesame oil
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Peel the chickpeas by popping each one out of its skin. This will make your hummus extra smooth. If you can't stand the idea of this (understandable!) - skip this step. Your hummus won't be quite as smooth, but will still be tasty.
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Place the chickpeas into a blender or food processor and puree into a thick paste. Add the beets and puree again. Add the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and tahini. Slowly drizzle in the ice cold water. Keep processing for a few minutes, three or so. Add the turmeric, saffron, and nutritional yeast and give another spin. Taste and adjust with more salt or lemon juice if needed. This recipe calls for substantially less salt than many other hummus recipes, the idea being, you start with a bit, and then salt to taste.
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Smear hummus across a serving plate or bowl, and top with any of the suggested toppings.
Makes about 2 cups.
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Comments
Delicious! Will definitely make it again! I had it with grilled radishes and it was a perfect combo. Also good with goat cheese and crackers.
The photos of this recipe are arresting – SO gorgeous! I will be trying this recipe with red beets (because I can’t get enough fuchsia in my life), but this golden beet version will have to be next – that yellow is so happy!
A friend told me about your site last year, and now I keep coming back looking for that next perfect recipe. I have found so many! Just made your Sunshine Pad Thai last night, it was so delicious and easy, and gave us a mood boost to eat a bit of sunshine 😉 Thank you!
Thanks Betsy! So happy you enjoyed the noodles – big fave over here too 🙂
We’ve had your Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread on heavy rotation since you first posted about it.
This Golden Beet Hummus is about to become our new afternoon snack house music. Thank you, Heidi!
That looks lovely ! I have made pink beets hummus but have never seen yellow beets in India…learn to something new. Do yellow beets have different nutritional benefits ?
HS: Hi Gauri – I make the same hummus using Pink beets all the time. Difference, but similar. Go for it!
What a striking colour, beautiful!
Yes!! I’ll have to try this! I *try* to have healthy snacks ready to do between meals and hummus is a go to. However I can’t snack all day long with hummus because all the tahini does add up. I’ll have to try this! Are the beets just raw then?
Thank you so much for a recipe void of sesame, as I’m allergic to it. I can enjoy hummus again 🙂
HS: Hi Judith – thanks for the note. Please note that tahini is sesame seeds ground to a paste. You can leave out the tahini here though, for a perfectly respectable spread.
Oooh, I love all those ingredients and will have to try. About five years ago I stopped buying commercial hummus when I discovered how easy (and healthier) it was to make my own. Sometimes, when I have the time, I peel the chickpeas. The other slightly more time intensive technique was whipping the tahini and lemon juice FIRST for much longer than I would have ever imagine is needed. Keep scraping down the sides and blending for about two minutes of blend time total and the resulting hummus will be appreciably more smooth.
This looks almost too good to eat. Is there any substitute for the chickpeas? I’m allergic but want to try this!
HS: Hi Savannah – you could certainly substitute white beans…
Ditto Barbara’s . Heidi, your work is peerless. Thank you.
Is the beet (golden beet hummus) cooked or raw? Thanks.
HS: Hi Narelle – I made this version with raw, but you could certainly use boiled, steamed, or roasted beets!
This looks fabulous… and do I see rose petals in there? I have bought dried rose petals for your rose petal granola and am wondering if you have a date on when those might be in stock at your Quito website…please….keep on doing your amazing food thing, you inspire me daily.
HS: Hi Laurie – thank you! That company went out of business unfortunately – but keep your eyes peeled for dried rosepetals in the bin section of a well-stocked natural food store or co-op. That’s where I tend to see dried roses (in the blend your own tea / herbal bins)….
I’ve been reading your recipes and cooking from them for years and never thought of writing to thank you to you until now. I love the layout of your recipes and that they usually fit print out on one page and use mostly ingredients easy to find here in Stockton where I live. I like that the print here symbol is easy to find and conveniently placed. If you looked in my binder, you would find yourself mostly in the soup section. I’m moved to write now because of the gorgeous color of the beet humus which I will make. Your site and your recipes have so much integrity. Not easy to be committed recipe after recipe. Thank you Heidi.
HS: Thank you for the kind note Barbara! 🙂 Please enjoy the hummus!
Is the beet raw or cooked?
HS: Hi Mo – the beet is raw, but you could certainly use cooked, or roasted if you like!
Oh, this looks so good. I love golden beets, and turmeric. I will add some black pepper and olive oil to make the turmeric more absorbable.
HS: Thanks mbw! There is definitely an oil component in sesame seeds (ground to make the tahini) – and you likely get natural fat as part of other whole foods. Not convinced you need to add more if you don’t want to.
so colorful, looks like art — will make it for the kids to try ..
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