March 19, 2010

Beet and Chickpea Hummus

I’m not a huge fan of beets, but I love their vibrant color. After getting them for 3 weeks straight in my CSA box, I tried to find new ways to use them. Then I saw this recipe on Simply Recipes.Beets in hummus! Brilliant! I decided to combine her recipe with the one I usually use, which included keeping some of the chickpeas in the hummus and reducing the tahini. Since beets don’t have a strong flavor, they just added a little sweetness and a gorgeous color.

The color was so bright it looked artificial. Sophie loved it and asked for “purple” hummus several times!

Beet and Chickpea Hummus

Ingredients:

1 15-oz can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans + 1/4 c of juice from the can
2 medium-sized beets, cooked and quartered
juice from 1 lemon (about 4-5 T)
2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
2 T tahini sesame paste
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
a couple big pinches of coarse salt & black pepper to taste
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Place all ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor (or blender) and pulse to combine. While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil and process until smooth. Check for taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with vegetables (baby carrots, sliced cucumbers) pita wedges or corn chips.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Nat's Notes:
1. To cook beets, cut the green tops off and scrub clean. Either place the beets in a pan filled with 1/4-inch of water and bake, covered, at 375 until they're fork-tender, or boil them in water for about 30 minutes. Remove from water, let cool, and peel.

from Perry's Plate

30 Minutes and Under, Appetizers, Perry's Plate Originals

4 comments »

4 Responses to “Beet and Chickpea Hummus”

1

Kathryn — March 20, 2010 @ 7:29 am

what a cool idea! did the "beety" flavor come out a lot? I've never been a fan of beets, but they are so healthy.

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2

Natalie — March 22, 2010 @ 10:46 pm

I'm not a huge beet fan, either. The first batch I did was the one I posted. It added a mild sweetness, but not beety taste. (Probably because I put tons of garlic in it.) The second batch, I upped the beets and definitely tasted them. Ivy's the only one who likes it. :)

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3

brooke — July 2, 2011 @ 3:45 am

Mmm…SO yummy! First homemade hummus I've actually liked! Added the juice of one lemon for some zing and loved it!

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4

Beyth — July 29, 2011 @ 11:35 pm

This was delicious! I used one large beet, though I think next time I would throw in two, even if they're large. And I boiled the beet, though I think next time I would roast/bake, as I lost a lot of color to the boiling water. Mine is a pretty shade of light pink… I'm a bit envious of your magenta hue! Serves me right for taking liberties with your recipe. :)

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