Roasted Beet Hummus with Pita Chips

Healthy vegan Roasted Beet Hummus served with pita chips is a delicious colorful appetizer perfect for Valentine’s Day. This creamy beet hummus packed with nutrients will surely get you in the mood!

I came up with this creamy roasted beet hummus recipe with Valentine’s Day in mind. We all love chocolate (like vegan truffles and vegan fudge) but hey, what do you serve for dinner? So here is a great idea for a delicious festive appetizer: Beautiful beet hummus with pita chips.

I’m a big fan of hummus and I love to dip everything in hummus, spread it on my toast and eat it with a spoon straight from a bowl. With that being said, I can assure you that homemade hummus is so much better than store bought.

First of, you are in control of the ingredients. No additives, no preservatives, no sweeteners, no artificial food coloring, just whole ingredients and gorgeous natural coloring. If eating healthy is your priority, homemade hummus is a way to go.

Second, it’s really easy and quick to make. If you have a blender, making hummus would take you no more than 10 minutes.

And lastly, nothing tastes better than homemade roasted beet hummus! Beets give it a natural sweet note, while combining nicely with tart tahini and pungent garlic.

Did I mention that it looks gorgeous?

History of Hummus

Hummus became popular in the Western world quite recently, although it was enjoyed in the Middle East and North Africa for ages. Wikipedia article about hummus says that it was first recorded in cookbooks in 13^th century.

The ingredient list changed over time, but the main ingredient has always been chickpeas (or garbanzo beans, another name for it).

Before the invention of hummus, chickpeas were most commonly served warm in stews and hot dishes, so the idea of mashing them cold and adding tahini paste, vinegar or lemon juice, olive oil and garlic was quite a game changer.

All of the ingredients are easily found in the Middle East, making hummus a staple food to be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the most popular dip of all times.

Did you know that “Hummus” means “Chickpeas” in Arabic?

Each region in the Middle East has its own idea of what “the right” hummus is. From serving it warm to adding yogurt, different spices like cumin, sumac, paprika as well as a variety of toppings.

Hummus is traditionally served with flatbread, although in Western countries it is often substituted with tortilla chips. I used pita chips in this recipe, combining both, but you can feel free to eat it with vegetable sticks, crackers or anything else you prefer.

Health Benefits of Homemade Roasted Beet Hummus

It was recently discovered that Mediterranean diet is (possibly) the world’s healthiest diet. It emphasizes the consumption of vegetables, fruits, olive oil, legumes, nuts and whole grains.

With that being said, hummus perfectly fits to this concept.

1. It’s an excellent source of plant-based protein and healthy fats;
2. Hummus is rich in essential vitamins and minerals (folate, zinc, phosphorus, iron, B vitamins, magnesium, manganese) ;
3. It helps you to reduce cholesterol levels;
4. Helps digestion due to high fiber content;
5. Protects your heart health;
6. Helps maintain bone health;
7. Has anti-inflammatory properties;
8. Lowers the risk of cancer;
9. Helps you control blood sugar levels;
10. Contributes to fat burning and weight loss;
11. Hummus is an energy booster;
12. Supports your immune system.

The list goes on and on. Besides, the addition of roasted beets in this hummus adds on to it.

Being rich in vitamin C, potassium, fiber and manganese, it has immune-boosting properties, as well as antioxidant and cleansing benefits.

Besides, hummus is naturally vegan and gluten free! Just serve it with gluten free pita chips, vegan wraps or vegetable sticks if you follow a gluten free diet.

To give a spicy kick to your hummus, add a few spoons of green harissa paste to it. Serve it with Mediterranean couscous salad and pita pockets with roasted veggies for an ultimate Mediterranean experience.

To sum it up, hummus undoubtedly has a high nutritional value and deserves to be included in your daily diet for sure!

There is one more thing you might be surprised about: chickpeas and beets are both natural aphrodisiacs, so make sure to include thus beet hummus (along with beet galette with goat cheese) in your Valentine’s Day date night menu!

How to Make Roasted Beet Hummus

You will need canned chickpeas (I recommend Natural Value organic garbanzo beans), medium sized beets, tahini paste (my choice is Pepperwood Organic tahini paste) or easy homemade tahini paste made with just 2 ingredients, garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, cumin, sea salt and black pepper.

For the pita chips you’ll need 2 pita bread pockets, olive oil and your favorite herbs. I used dried basil and oregano.

To roast the beets, wrap them in aluminum foil unpeeled and roast for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Pierce them with a fork to check the readiness. Let cool and peel.

For the hummus, combine roughly chopped beets with chickpeas, tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth, gradually adding the olive oil. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with extra olive oil, black sesame seeds and whole chickpeas.

For the pita chips, cut each pita bread in 8 triangles and place them in a large bowl. Mix olive oil with dried herbs, salt and pepper and pour over pita triangles. Coat the pita triangles with oil and arrange them in one layer on a baking pan. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden and crispy. Make sure not to burn them!

Here is the full recipe for you and I hope you and your date will enjoy it!

Make sure to check 82 best tahini recipes for other delicious ways to use tahini.

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5 from 13 votes

Roasted Beet Hummus with Pita Chips

Healthy vegan Roasted Beet Hummus served with pita chips is a delicious colorful appetizer perfect for Valentine's Day. This creamy beet hummus packed with nutrients will surely get you in the mood!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Roasting time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 348kcal

Author Elena Szeliga

$4

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For roasted beet hummus:

• ▢ 2 medium-sized beets
• ▢ 1 15.5 oz or 400 g can chickpeas reserve a few whole chick peas to garnish
• ▢ 3 tablespoons tahini paste
• ▢ 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ 1 clove garlic or more, to taste
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or more, to adjust the consistency
• ▢ reserved whole chickpeas, black sesame and more olive oil to garnish

For pita chips:

• ▢ 2 pita bread pockets
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

For roasted beet hummus:

• Preheat the oven to 400 F or 200 C. Wrap each washed and dried beet in aluminum foil and roast for 1 hour. Pierce with a fork to check the readiness. Let cool and peel. Don't turn down the oven as you'll need it for the pita chips.
• For the roasted beet hummus, combine roughly chopped beets with chickpeas, tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, sea salt and black pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth, gradually adding the olive oil. Add more salt and/or pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with extra olive oil, black sesame seeds and whole chickpeas.

For pita chips:

• Cut each pita bread in 8 triangles and place them in a large bowl. Mix olive oil with dried herbs, salt and pepper and pour over pita triangles. Coat the pita triangles with oil and arrange them in one layer on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden and crispy. Make sure not to burn them!

Notes

You can substitute pita chips with tortilla chips, vegetable sticks or fresh pita bread.

Store the hummus in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. Store pita chips for up to 3 day sin an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 768mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 7.1mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1.7mg

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• Baked Figs with Goat Cheese
• Healthy Beet Galette with Goat Cheese
• Georgian Eggplant Rolls with Walnuts