Creamy Roasted Beet Hummus

The other night, my friend Chris and I went out to dinner at Commissary in D.C.. We were both happily surprised to find a lot of vegan options—I because I’m vegan, and Chris because he’s been trying to eat more fruits and veggies with the new year. One of the dishes we decided to order was the roasted beet hummus, a dish I’d seen before on the web but had never actually made or tried. It was delicious—suspiciously similar to Sabra hummus in taste (hmmm), but delicious—and I resolved right then and there that it was time I hop aboard the beet hummus train myself.

Funnily enough, one of my blog readers emailed me just a few days ago saying she’d tried the very same dish, and asking how one might replicate it at home. I said I thought one might simply roast the beets and then blend them in in the food processor, and as it turns out, that’s about right. This hummus looks a little “grainier” than regular hummus in the photo, but it’s as creamy as can be. If you’re intent on an utterly smooth texture, you could try using the Vitamix, but I didn’t think it was necessary, and with a food processor, you don’t lose any of the hummus in the bottom!

Creamy Beet Hummus (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Makes 4 servings

2 small beets, tops trimmed off
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp tahini
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp fresh rosemary (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wrap beets in foil and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a knife. Run beets under cold water for a few moments, and when you’re sure they’re cool, slip the skins off with your fingers. Quarter beets and set aside.

2. Place beets and chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the salt, tahini, lemon, and vinegar. Turn the processor on and drizzle in (as the motor is running) 2 tablespoons of water. Process the mixture for a full minute or two, stopping to scrape down the bowl now and then.

3. When the hummus is totally creamy, pulse in the rosemary (omit it if you don’t care for it). Serve!

The rosemary here is optional, of course: you could use fresh dill or parsley instead, or you could omit the herb altogether and simply proceed with hummus as usual. But I did love the way the rosemary brought the sweet and tart flavors of this hummus together!

Serve this as you would any hummus: with flax crackers, with veggies, on salad, in a wrap or sandwich. Or with a spoon, of course. Enjoy!

Special announcement: next Wednesday night, 1/23, I’ll be joining my friend Kris Carr and the lovely Alex Jamieson for Dinner with Kris, a new segment in which Kris invites a special guest or two to chat about health and wellness. We’ll be doing this dinner segment by phone, and readers are invited to call in (you can use either a cell or a landline) to ask questions. The goal is a totally interactive evening!

Topics covered will include:

• How to eat for digestive health and greater energy.
• How to create a healthy diet & lifestyle from the ground up.
• How food affects motivation and mood.
• How to overcome food cravings (sugar, caffeine, dairy).
• How to embrace and love yourself today while gently working towards vibrant, long-term health.

Alex and I are online buddies, but we’ve never gotten to chat in person, so I’m excited to “meet” her. And of course, it’s always a blast catching up with Kris. To join in, you do have to own Kris’s new book (which I reviewed last week). I know that many of you commented to say that you have it, so if you do, I really encourage you to call and chat with us! The transcript will also be available online for owners of CSK after the event. And I’ll be giving a quick wrap up here on the blog, too. Check out details here!

xo