This easy beet hummus is bright in flavor and color. Hints of sweetness from the beets, tangy lemon, garlic, and warm spices are blended together for a healthy nutrient-packed dip great for an appetizer or snack to share! The hot pink color makes it a real showstopper. Kick it up a notch  by garnishing with salty feta and fresh parsley.

Watch my video below and check out the tips for the creamiest red beet hummus ever!

Beet Hummus, topped with chickpeas and parsley for garnish

Hummus kinda runs in my blood. I will eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner (gimme some hummus and a side of tabouli or Shirazi salad and I'm all set!)

Hummus is a Mediterranean diet staple and for good reason. It's packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals and can be flavored in so many different and fun ways. The options are truly endless with hummus: eat it plain or make an epic layered dip with spiced meet and beautiful veggies! Mix it up with roasted red peppers, avocados, pumpkin, or even beets. 

What I love about This Beet Hummus...

Clearly this beet hummus recipe is special, due to its stunning hot pink color from the beets! Who doesn’t want to eat festive hot pink hummus that tastes delicious and also good for you?! 

Here's the real draw for me though. The beets provide a slightly sweet and earthy flavor that pairs oh-so perfectly with bright lemon, fresh garlic, nutty tahini, and bold spices like cumin, coriander, and sumac.

Best part? I took a shortcut by using quality canned beets and canned chickpeas, which cut my work by a lot!

If you are looking for a flavorful dip, but also want a snack that is packed full of nutrition, you will want to make this easy beet hummus ASAP!

Is Beetroot Hummus Good for You? 

If you're wondering if beet hummus is good for you, the short answer is YES! Beet hummus is made from 2 all-star ingredients, chickpeas and beets, both of which have some wonderful benefits. For this reason, beet hummus may be one of the healthiest dips you can make and here is why. 

Earlier, I spent time talking about the awesome benefits of chickpeas and 17 awesome ways to use them

Chickpeas contain a lot of plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy carbs. They can help manage weight, aid digestion, are heart healthy, and can help reduce cholesterol levels naturally.  

Beets too have some great benefits; they are low in calories yet loaded with nutrition. Beets have high levels of vitamins and minerals like: 

  • Fiber 
  • Vitamin C 
  • Folate vitamin B6
  • Magnesium

Beets can help keep your blood pressure normal, fight inflammation, improve digestion, support brain health, and can even help fight some types of cancers.

The great thing about beets is when they are cooked, they have a slight sweetness and mild, earthly flavor that isn’t too overpowering.

Beet hummus in a bowl served with pita bread

What Do Beets Taste Like?

Beets…most people think they either love or hate them. The taste of beets depends on the way they are prepared. A raw beet is going to taste earthy and have a stronger flavor (many people think a raw beet tastes like dirt.) But a raw beet still has a sweetness to it. 

A cooked or roasted beet will have a milder, sweeter flavor, and will have less of that earthy and dirt-like taste. This is because the cooking process draws out the natural sugars and mellows out the flavor, while turning beets nice and tender. 

The great thing is that beets do come ready in cans as well. So if you're not up for cooking or roasting your beets just to make hummus, you can go ahead and use my shortcut: canned beets! They work wonderfully!

What You Need to Make This Beet Hummus Recipe 

This is an easy beet hummus recipe, which means there is no fuss and no messiness from using raw beets. Canned chickpeas and canned beets are just as healthy as their raw counterparts but make your life a whole lot easier and cleanup is a breeze. 

Chickpeas: The base of hummus is traditionally made with chickpeas, which are hearty and neutral in flavor. I did not cook my chickpeas from scratch like I do in this classic hummus recipe, instead, I took a major shortcut by using quality canned chickpeas. 

Beets: You can use already cooked of canned beets for this recipe. Like I said earlier, I went ahead and used canned beets--easy and mess-free! Canned beets are already cooked and sweet and you can simply drain the beets and dump them into your food processor with the chickpeas and the rest! 

Tahini Paste:  Tahini paste is ground sesame seeds and it brings the ultimate nutty flavor in hummus we all know and love. I used Soom Tahini brand (affiliate link.) 

Citrus: My citrus of choice for all sorts of dips is fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice gives this beet hummus a bright and tangy kick, balancing the sweetness of the beets.

Garlic: A small clove of raw garlic gives the hummus a pop and great depth of flavor. 

Spices: You can play with the spices to your liking, but I highly recommend this combination: Cumin, sumac, and coriander which are warm and rich with flavor and will bring this beet and chickpea hummus to the next level. 

How to Make Beet Hummus 

Making this beet and chickpea hummus is ridiculously easy. It's a matter of blending the ingredients in a food processor or your favorite blender (affiliate link.)

Step 1: Add ingredients to food your food processor 

Add the canned chickpeas, canned beets, tahini, garlic clove, and lemon juice to the food processor. Season with salt to taste and spices (if you are adding them.) You can throw in your peeled garlic clove whole. 

Beet hummus in the food processor

Step 2: Run the food processor and add ice 

For a few seconds, run the food processor. While it is running, add the 2 ice cubes. The addition of the ice makes this hummus fluffy and creamy!

Step 3: Taste test and check consistency 

At this point you are almost done! Now is the time to take a taste to make sure you have enough salt, spices, and lemon juice. If you want more of anything, add it now. Also check the consistency of your hummus. If you find it’s too thick, turn the food processor back on and add another ice cube while it runs. 

Step 4: Transfer to a Serving Bowl and Add Finishing Touches

And just like that you are done! Transfer your gorgeous pink hummus to a pretty serving bowl. Drizzle with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO,) sprinkle on fresh chopped parsley for a pop of green color, and top with feta. The addition of olive oil, feta, and parsley are optional, but make this beet hummus even tastier. 

Serve with pita wedges, homemade pita chips, or fresh sliced veggies. Carrots, peppers, celery, zucchini sticks, and cucumbers are all great options. 

A Few Last Tips for Creamier Beet Hummus

1. Remove Chickpea Skins for Smoother Hummus

Although you don’t need to do this step, if you want extra smooth hummus, remove the skins from the chickpeas. It truly does make a difference in texture!

To do this, place the chickpeas in hot water and add 1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda. Let them rinse under cold water, while gently rubbing the skins off the chickpeas. Discard skin. 

2. Add Ice Cubes While Blending

Although it may sound a little funny, adding ice while your hummus is blending helps to whip the hummus and adds an even creamier texture. The ice also help to loosen the hummus, so it is not overly thick. If you have added your 2 ice cubes and still think the hummus is too thick, add another ice cube or two to loosen it up.

3. Let Food Processor Run for a Bit 

Again, to get a super smooth and creamy finish to this beet hummus, let the hummus whip in the food processor for a good few minutes (you can go as long as 4 minutes or till you reach your desired texture.) This will ensure you are getting all of the bits and chunks from the beets, chickpeas, and garlic blended up well. 

Beet hummus with a side of warm pita bread

Can I make this beet hummus recipe using raw beets?

If you have the time and don't mind a little work, you can start with 1 large beet or 2 small beets for this recipe. You do have to cook them and let them cool completely before using them.

Tip: Use a pair of kitchen disposable gloves to handle the beets; they tend to die your hands pink!

Here is how to Cook or Roast Beets: 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel skin from beets with a peeler. 
  • Cut beets into wedges and place on a baking sheet with a good drizzle of olive oil. Toss to coat. 
  • Spread the beets on a baking sheet in one layer so they can cook evenly in the oven.
  • Roast until beets are fork-tender (anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes depending on how you sliced them.)  
  • Cool roasted beets completely before using in the beet hummus recipe

For making the beet hummus, make sure your beets are fully cooled before adding them to your hummus.

Leftovers?

If you have leftover beet hummus, you can store the dip in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.  

You can also freezer your red beet hummus and thaw in the fridge when you want to snack on it again! 

Check out more tasty dip recipes here

Watch the Video for How to Make this Easy Beet Hummus Recipe: 

If you love beets, check out my orange beet salad and this warm roasted beet and kale salad.

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Beet hummus in a bowl served with pita bread

Creamy Beet Hummus


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4.8 from 6 reviews

Description

This easy beet hummus is bright in flavor and color. Hints of sweetness from the beets, tangy lemon, garlic, and warm spices are blended together for a healthy nutrient-packed dip great for an appetizer or snack to share! The hot pink color makes it a real showstopper. Kick it up a notch by adding a little salty feta. 

Be sure to read the complete post for more tips and information.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or from can), remove skins for a more smooth finish
  • 15 oz canned beets, drained  (or 8 oz fully cooked and cooled beets)
  • 3 tbsp tahini paste
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • Juice of ½ lemon, more if needed
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ tsp each cumin, coriander, and sumac (optional)
  • 2 ice cubes, more if needed
  • Extra virgin olive oil (I used Early Harvest Greek extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Garnish (optional): feta cheese and parsley

To Serve


Instructions

  1. In the large bowl of a food processor fitted with blade, place chickpeas, cooked beets, tahini, garlic, lemon juice. Season with salt and spices.
  2. Run processor for a bit, and while it's running, add 2 ice cubes (this helps whip the beet hummus to a nice creamy consistency.)
  3. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Run processor again if the hummus is too thick yet, adding a little more ice as it runs (you can let it run for 4 minutes or so until you reach your desired creamy texture.)
  4. Transfer beet hummus to a bowl. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle feta and parsley on top. Serve with pita wedges or homemade pita chips and veggies for dipping.

Notes

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Blend
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean

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I'm Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I'm all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you're here...
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Comments

  1. I recently went to a Mediterranean Restaurant here in San Diego and had Beet Hummus for the first time. Since then I have been craving it so I did a search on Suzy's website and came across her recipe. It is so delicious. I used a fresh beet which I slow roasted in the oven-whole and once it cooled down, took the peel off. Also, I took the time to de-skin the chickpeas and wow what a difference, it came out sooo creamy. It is a little tedious, but well worth. Definitely will make this recipe again. 🙂






  2. Great recipe.
    Two comments:
    1. If using canned, boil in the canning liquid for 5 -10 minutes before draining and puréing. Reserve some of the liquid to use if the hummus is too thick.
    2. Put tahini, lemon juice and garlic into the processor first and blend to assure complete purée and then add beans, salt etc. Other additions (roasted peppers, beets and herbs can be added last to obtain the desired consistency and/or mixed to a different, mixed appearance. Consider using dukkah as well as herbs, herb blend mentioned.






  3. I'm getting ready to soak my chickpeas for your hummus. What is the minimum and maximum time for soaking? Also should I soak them in a glass, plastic or metal dish? Thanks so much for your time. Sue






  4. I am planning to make this for the first time for my coworkers for Valentines. Is it okay to make about 24 hours in advance, if I keep it refrigerated? Just checking to make sure it doesn't separate or anything. Thanks!

    1. Hi, Molly! What a perfect idea for Valentine's Day! The hummus should be fine prepared a day before. Just store it in the fridge in an air-tight container and give it a quick stir if it does happen to separate a bit.

  5. Hi Suzy:
    Just wondering: don't have sumac alone, but i do have Zataar - a lot of it! One day when i was in a spice shop, i purchased Zataar from about 4 different countries to compare the differences. tasted it on the bread sold in the streets by the Druze bakers in Jerusalem. The bread was the best! and the only thing on it was olive oil and Zataar. Sumac is one ingredient in some of the Zataar i have. What do you think? i'll probably try it on a part of the chumous anyway -- just to see. Thanks for the recipe .. hot pink chumous! Who would have thought it would be popular one day? i've made my own chumous but never hot pink. So here goes.....






  6. Suzy, how do you remove the skin of the chickpeas? It must be time consuming to remove the skin one by one. Is there a quicker and easier way?

    1. Hi, Monmi! Here is the process I use: cover the cooked chickpeas in hot water and add 1 ½ tsp baking soda. Leave for a few minutes. Take a handful of chickpeas and rub under running water to remove the skins. Discard skins. Let the chickpeas cool completely before using.

  7. I have never been that happy when I have made hummus before but I tried your 'easy hummus' recipe and then divided in half and added some leftover roasted beets to one half and I was really pleased the results of both the plain hummus and the beetroot one. The best hummus I have ever made and will always stick to your method/recipe in future. Many thanks and think removing chickpea skins really did make a difference. Finally got the desired results!






  8. I don't know why, but I never thought about using canned beets to make beet hummus. What a time saver! I can't wait to try this!